The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-06-10
Proh,b,tion and Political Action.

aiuuiCatlOn than the one WHICH Nv"
claims our consideration. Our patriot fathers
by their deeds OF valor, by the purple slu'ces
of their life. blood, purged US of that monarch
lal, aristocratlcal abomination-class legisla
ton; and in l77G by declaration OF princi
plc cut in twain the manacles that bound u:
to the Old World.
In 1860 and 1864, by privation in camp, by
hardships during weary marches, by desperate
struggles upon the battle field, amid the boom
ing of cannon, the incessaat hail of shot and
shell, amid the clash of arms and the groant
of dying warriors we, by the shedding OF ouI
own and our brothers blood, broke in pieces
the shackles that bound four milliens OF hu
man beings In involuntary servitude, thus
scnuing the life current through four millions
of hearts where only the fear of oppressIon's
lash had brooded tor generations.
To-day the true patriots are ut work WELD
ing the sledge hammer Of fact, the two edged
sword of love and logic, the doublecut and
three. cornered file of rhetoric, elocution and
oratory, the crosscut saws Of free thought the
IIlD-SdWS uIu WCuBSo Va VIDhtott"s, w. o''''N
down and tear In pieces, crush out Of exist
encc, a greater evil than the tyrannical rule OF
kings or the clanking chains OF slavery |
refer to Intcmpcrance. 1t is, first, the com
binatlon of all the curses of the human race in
one; second, 1t Is the blast of death concealed
beneath golden mantle; third, 1t IS u serpent
whose Shiny folds cncrcle an entire race
fourth, it is viper whose poisonous breath IS
not confined to particular localities but crosses
the threshold and enters the imperial, the
royal, the pontiiiclal, the ducal, the judicial
palace AS well as the humble wooden casing
OF the ordinary citizen, as the low mudsill OF
the wayslde beggar; fifth, it Is simeon whose
malaria overcomes not only an occasional
straggler upon the sandy desert, but enters the
most populous cities, overcoming and bearing
down with breath of venom all their inhab-
tants, regardless of age, sex, creed, or condi-
ton.
The question comes to every candid mind,
What are we to do? AS we look around US
we see on every hand death, and devastation
Everywhere mark the pathway of this dcmoni-
acal monster in his trlumphal march, leaving
the marks of his clovcn foot wherever he goes.
Then, what are we to do? After all the ques
tons and answers are solved and obligations
met we can give but one answer to the ques-
ton and one remedy, and that remedy IS Pro-
hiJition. But, says our opponents, how are
you to obtain prohlbitlonH The answer IS, by
political action. This is an issue that Is fore
ing itself upon the American people for them
to act upon and decide Ii Is an issue that
has got to be settled, and it must and has got
to be settled right. There is no compromise
In this waretarc every soldier that Is enrolled
has inscribed ON his banner, Give Us prohibi-
ton or give us nothing, for there IS no com
promise. Our old political friends tell us that
temperance should not be taken into politics,
that If we do we will lose the German vote,
says one, and the other says we will lose the
Irish vote We are not married to either OF
these elements of the now EXISTING parties.
But say, let Americans govern America and
and we will have prohibition.
We propose, as prohibitlonists, to act con-
sistcnt with the principles we advocate. AL
though our opponents may call us fanatics,
zealots, idiots, such expressions are not argu.
ments, and when you see man standing on
the corner sticking his thumb under his coat
and hear him calling, Prohibitionists, Fanat
les just think that it does not require high
order Of brains to abuse people and you can
Just make up your mind that he has run out
of the rocks Of common sense, or what is far
more probable, that he never had any. How
can man advocate the theory of regulating
and controlling this accursed traffic for the
sake OF his political party when the facts stare
HIM IN the face that it is painting its fever
flush upon the noblest brow, and It's fevcrish
kiss parches the manifest lips and that It's
poisoned cup parayzes the strongest limbs,
and bury IN eternal ruin the IN ost gigantic IN.
tellects. And under his magic wand the voice
of meaning and Of eloquence is changed to the
delirious and disgusting gibberish OF the
drunkard, and beneath his upllited hand tow
ering genius is wrecked, the brightest antici
patons are crushed and the iondest hopes are
forever blackened in ashes. Who, then, can
advocate such a hell born traffic when from It's
effects the most virtuous wives and most limo
cent children are converted into homeless and
frlendless widows and Orphans and the
truest, purest and fonest hearts are broken by
this unrelenting, vllainOus murderer
With these facts staring US in the face who
tr,tl,F,,llx but IL 10 hnpa nj
morally or financially, to the children of men.
For certainly to-day the business of the world,
which is overtaXed, first for the support of
paupers, second for the prosecution of
criminals, third to build penitentiares for
convlcts who are made such by the use of
strong drink, demands that the Legislature of
each state pass such legal enactments and