Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-11-17
TWO THINGS FOB DEMOCRATS TO
THINK ABOUT.

TWO THINGS FOB DEMOCRATS TO
THINK ABOUT.
A Washington correspondent Of the
St. Joseph Gazette interviewing Hon.
S. S. Cox, asked what he thought of
the result in New York. "Why,"
answered MI. Cox, "it was as good as
it. could be under the circumstances
The democrats, as usual there, were
fighting like cats and dogs" "And
Maynard 2 Why was he beaten 2"
"The whisky men beat him. +" "Wasn't
it a bad beat ?" "For them, yes. 1t
was a c~auseless, wicked, and unneces-
sary defeat. No whisky issue was up.
One of these days these whisky people
will have to be taught a lesson. The
democratic party has always been OPP
posed to prohibition, and to sumptuary
legislation of all kinds; but it will not
consent to be defed and insulted by
those whom it has been protecting in
their rights for fifty years."
There are in these answers of MI.
Cox two political morals which it will
be well for democrats to deduce and
bear in mind from now until November
1884. First, that Kilkenny-cat fights
among themselves a only aid the en-
envy. Second, that ne matter how
virtuous republicans may profess
themselves to be on the whisky ques-
ton they will always aid the liquor
interests to defeat an anti-whisky dem
ocrat by voting for a pro-whisky re-
publican. The ore sanctimonious
they are in their adherence of any
sort of liberation Of the traffic in intox-
icants the more certainly they will be
found voting for a republican Oh cleo
ton day without regard to his position
on whisky.
Try them in Missouri Ask them
honestly to say how they will vote
should the issue be presented ! Though
it is not necessary. We all know.
This is no time to permit the obtrusion
of outside issues.
The year 1884 will witness the grand
est political Gladiatorial contest ever
beheId in,America. The two great par
ties are very evenly divided in num-
bers; they are stripping for the fight,
casting aside every superfuous ounce.
The democratic party lacks somewhat
in organization, altogether in money
and the power of patronage, but it is
strong in its principles of simplicity OF
government, economy of administra-
ton, the maintenance of the rights OF
the states, and the conservation to the
people of their rights as opposed to
the grasping demands of consolidated
corporate power.
Prohibition is more a moral question
than a'political one. 1t has waited many
years to present itself. 1t involves
personal rights that should be respec'
TED, and property in Missouri valued al
millions of dollars. Let it be discuss
ed. Why hasten a conclusion upon it
If it will not bear the fullest light ant
inquiry it does not deserve to live.
But above all, democrats, as you loy'
your party, its principles, of liberty, o
equality, of justice; and as you valu'
the supreme opportunity that is givel
you to wrest the country from tn
.grasp of the centralizationists and tn
grinding monopolies which now hav
their hand upon the throat of labo
and honest effort, do not listen to any
one who asks you to thrust prohibition
into the next canvass in Missouri.
Let it wait.
The democratic party is as much op
posed to the evils Of intemperance as
its opponent. We believe that i
Missouri it is more so. 1t has adopte
, a high license law which deserves
be fairly tried. Wherever in the stat
. public sentiment Endorses the abolitio
: Of intoxicants it can now be done III
e der the law. Where such a public SCI
timent does not exist a prohibition
8 statute will be defied. Where there
a failure to enforce a %prehibitory la
the traffic is thrown into d%isreputab
hands, worse evils even than drinki1
: are combined with it, and the cause
temperance is brought into contem,
IS and disrepute. If preachers or new
papers advocate state prohibition
them be asked whether or not tn
have educated their own villages
t., towns up to the point of abolishing t
liquor traffic, which they may do u
n der existing laws. If they have Il
n done so tell them that their missiona
10 field is at their own thresholds, not
ty other towns and counties. When t
n public sentiment exists in all parts
1t the state necessary laws will come Fl
Ill enough. To enact them in advance
I'd not statesmanly, or good for the cal
a of temperance.
But, whatever may be per- Sc
'ct merits of the question, Missouri den
lot Gratis will do well to remember
fate Of Mr.. Maynard, of New York
'er democratic prohibitionist. Mr.. Ct
VIM. Curtis, the embodiment of
'ty most cultured and refined hypocrisy
an his party, while he was causing to
49, printed cartoons of democrats W
it. Irish faces, disigured noses, Z.
MS whisky-bottles protruding from tt
on pockets, was doing all he could to
tic the liquor men in New York to el
Mr.. Carr. over Mr.. Maynard.
If this lesson is lost upon democr
on they must be blind indeed.
lay There was nothing political in
rm recent taxpayers convention. If
ion leaders were mostly prominent de-
ale, Gratis that only proves that they are
nor harmony with the people of the cou
at on the questions involved. The m
be ing was open to all. Not a demo
he was there to make political CAPT
he'll The position of each and every ont
the them upou the debt question is SO
our known as to render their presenc,