Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-09-06

hONDDl.
The Prohibition Movement.
A LETTER FROM THE Hon. NEAL DOW
To the Boston Journals
In your issue of the 9th is q special
dispatch from Washington on "the pro.
hibition movement in the west" in which
it is said: ''all popular movements resting
on moral and sentimental grounds are OBJ
ects of annoyance to the practical politi-
cian." Practical politicians fail to see
that the prohibition movement is not only
moral and sentimental, but political also
in the highest sense of that word, since
it touches the interests of nation, state and
people as no other does or can.
There is no other political question
than this of any considerable importance
up before the people of this country now
that is in issue between political parties.
free ballot to all persons entitled to it
and an honest count can hardly be called
an issue, since the democratic party
processes 10 favor it. though its life depends
upon violence at the ballot box and fraud
in the count. | am a republican of the
straightest sect and seek to keep myself
informed upon political questions, but if l
we're called upon to make political speech
in the interest of the republican party, |
should hardly know what to say except
that the life of the nation and the exist.
ence of free institutions absolutely depend
upon free ballot, an honest count and a
cheerful submission to the will Of the ma
iority, ascertained in that way (Which the
democratic party practically ignores and
tramples under foot, and an earnest ex
hortation not to trust the government Of
the country to aparty that sought, through
la long and bloody rebellion, to destroy il
and blot the nation out from the map Of
the world
The republican party has Il glorious
record, and its memory will be embalmed
in history as the agent under God by
which tho life of the nation was saved
| from the ruthless hands which sought t
strangle it. and by which the nalienable
right to life, liberty and the pursuit o
| happiness was restored TO four million
human beings who had been reduced t
the condition of brute beasts by men who
sought to live upon the products of thci
unpaid labor.
But the republican party cannot liv'
upon its memories nor upon its past, how
ever faithful and true it may have been t
the duties and the needs of that time
New questions have arisen, and are con
stantly coming to the front, which de
mand the attention of the statesmen o
the country. They cannot be shirked b,
statesmen, and political parties must fac,
them and take their stand definitely il
relation to them, because they have enter
ed into the heart of the people, who will
cause their will to be obcyed in spite o
practical politicians, y which phrase is
euphonism, suppose, for men who cal
live by manipulating caucuses, conven
tions, nominations and elections with
view only to personal advantage.
Among all the political questions o
this day among all English speakin!
people everywhere there is not one of s.
hmuch Importance in its relation to tn
general good as this: protection from tn
infinite evils of the liduor traffic" TIL
people are longing for it and they will
have it, and 1 will thank the Journal t
allow me to put upon record in its column
the prediction that the public men and tn
political party that oppose the people il
this struggle will go down as the grea
and strong democratic party in Maine did
, This question, as purely political, i
far more important 20 every public an
private interest than all others of GU
time. In Great Britain to-day it engross
J es public attention more than any Other
except Just now the repression and SUP
preston of the Irish and the Egyptians
When that work shall be accomplished
and the people of the Nile and of tn
Emerald Isle shall be compelled to subm
uncomplainingly to the requirments {
british interests" then the English pee
pie will compel the government TO atten
to their interests, with which British in
terests" have no connection.
We are very indignant, many of Vi
that the last congress was largely occupie
in squandering the public treasure, an
e Mast might have Justly illustrated It's actio
f by representing its members armed wit
, "picks' "crows" and "jimmies" maxim
rush at the national strong box to seattle
its contents about among their constituent
3 in order to assure their own re election
with none to oppose the onslaught of thes
, patriots but one man, armed only with
pen, who was borne bown by the crow,
eager for plumber.
But the squandering Of the people
/ money this way, large rs the sum was,
nothing when compared with tho loss an
waste of the wages of labor and the prof
; of legitimate industry through the liqut
. traffic. This loss and waste may be fair
/, set down at more than n billion dolla
r annually-one thousand million dollars
dead loss to the nation and the people.
This is far worse than mere loss of {
. much money, because we have in exchans
j for it not only no possible good. but va
y amount of poverty, pauperism, ignoranc
wretchedness and crime, that can be dea
with only by the savings and tho labor
0 the peaceful, industrious, sober part of Il
} people.
a This question is now looked at MS one
the practical politics and craftsmanship
never before; tho people moro and mo-
regard it in that light, and they see tn
the present is a particularly favorab
il, time to deal with it us such, because the
, is no other. important political question
!. hold intelligent men to their several par
tics The present is the time to settle tn
n question once for all, irrespective of par
2 affinities, by referring it to tho peop
y unconnected with any other, so that tn,
may, ifthey choose to do SO, put it in
: the constitution, that "the manufactu
O and sale of alcoholic liquors except f
S medicinal and mechanical purposes Al
the arts. is and forever shall be forbidden
NEAL Dow.
Portland, 18th August.
!
e Ex.Gov. Spraguo of Rhode Island hi
Q surrounded himself in his mansion
| C,nouoohot ,.,;th n dn1on faithful ,oruo :, ,