The Portland daily press., 1882-08-11
The Democracy and the Temperance
Reform.

"Can the leopard change his spots?" Nay,
verify! No more can the Democratic party of
Maine, effectually conceal its antipathy to all
reforms designed for the elevation of mankind
and the advancemento of its moral and intellec-
tual condition.
For many years during the early history OF
the Temperance Reform in this State the Dem
ocratic party made no concealment of its hos
tility to every form of temperance legislation
not in the interest of the liquor sellers. Well
understanding that the grog shop was sort of
nursery for their party, and looking for re-
cruits from its precincts just as the churches
confidently expect to increase their member
ship from the benches of the Sabbath school,
they have very properly reasoned that the true
policy of the Democratic party was antago-
nism to any system of education or of law
which was calculated to hamper the operations
of these efficient recruiting agencies.
But soon after the reform movement swept
over the State, like tidal wave converting
hundreds of incorporate men into useful and
honored citizens, the democracy sagaciously
concluded that their alliance with the grogger-
les must be less open, or they were sure to lose
cNolJ tOtCE HHO Lou AuiouOAolO dStou Wltu
them, SO soon as he should become temperate
man. Since that time the party has failed to
voice the wishes of the rumselers through the
party PLATFORM in language which should be
read not only by the liquor interest but by tenn
perance citizens as well, but it has neverthe
less sought and retained the hearty co-opera-
tion of lawless men in all our larger communi-
ties, through the secret pledges of its mana
gers and party candidates, in ante-election and
observation-disclosures held with the represen-
tatiyes of the liquarsellers' league. This bar
gain completed, they have sought the power to
perform their share of the agreement through
other and antagonistic secret pledges to earn
est and Well-meaning temperance men-pledg-
es which they have invariably violated, but in
some instances they have furnished the excuse
for independent political movements, ostensi-
bly, in the interest of temperance but really in
behalf of the democracy and its secret pledges
to the liquor sellers
But, as may we'll be imagined it is extreme
ly difficult for the average Democrat to mas
quer ade in the garb of a temperance reformer.
The whiskey-loving propensities and damning
record of that organization are sure to confront
them at every point Like Banquo's ghost,
the true inwardness of the Bourbon Democrat
on this question will not "down" at the behests
of even the most arbitrary of the party mag
mates. Now and then party organ or an in-
discreet political orator is sure to speak out in
meetfn" and reveal the party antagonism to
every sincere temperance movement.
Here is specimen from the home organ of
Gov. Plasted- the Bangor Commercial:
s'In this city, where prohibition has had as thor
ough trial. perhaps, as in any other community in
the state, public opinion is overwhelmingly made
up that the law is a curse to any community in
and ordinances, which are permitted for some in
scrutable reason to cumber the statute books of
states and cities. it is more wisely honored in the
breach than in the observance
''There is something to be said in favor of the
potato bug after all. small army of them broke
up, routed and utterly put to flight convention of
longhared temperance fanatics in the state Of III
inois few days ago. Now if the bugs can only be
induced to give up preying upon the potato vines
and give their entire attention to temperance meet
ings, they may become benefactors instead of
scourges to the human race.
And even our esteemed contemporary the
Argus, firing of the deceptive policy it has of
late assumed, while endeavoring to convince
temperance men of Democratic proclivities OF
its loyalty to the cause, now and then throws
aside its mask and assumes it's old-time and
honest attitude of deadly hostility t. Temper
apce principles. In recent issue, through the
agency of a loaded article purporting to be
Bangor Especial" it undertakes to show that
during the recent period of free rum in Ban
gor, brought about through the agency of the
Fusion-D Democratic party, and by means of its
double and totally antagonistic pledges, above
adverted to, scrime and pauperism is materi-
ally lessened" by the failure to enforce the pre-
hibitory law! The comparison, it says, dem
onstrates, thai not only in financial but
moral sense the enforcement of the prohibito-
ry law connot we'll be Afforded
This is the true Democratic doctrine, ana it
is an encouraging oTen that the party organs
are disposed to express their honest sentiments
Can there be any question as to the position of
the law-abidiDg people ID this campaign, in
view of the recent utteranceS of the Demo-
cratic press? 3.