Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-10-06
A WOMAN'S LETTER.
Buffalo, Auq. 27. 1888.

the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. | believe that as a national
organization we should be non par
tisan in our attitude toward political
questions of the day, even toward
party prohibition. 1t is my sincere
conviction, strengthened by a per-
sonal knowledge of the work the
country over, that the overthrow of
the liquor traffic will be soonest ac-
complished if our organizations with
hold party effort and give themselves
wholly to the regular lines of tenn
perance work which have been devel-
oped by Gods providence during the
ten years since the crusade. We
have some twenty-five distinct de-
partments of work under the general
divisions, preventive, educational,
evangeiistic, social, and legal. These
cover every phase of the question,
and afford the widest scope for the
work of our organization. l depre-
cate greatly the seeming attempt on
the part of some of our women to
ally the National Woman's Christian
Temperance Union with the national
prohibition party. | believe the
larger part of our membership and of
our best advisers deplore what they
consider an unwarranted and untena-
BILE position.
Having been chosen by the nation
al unica superintendent of the de-
partment of Legislative work and pc
titions, | must keep myself free from
partizanship. AS an individual, I
cannot and do not smother my con-
victions. Either James O.. Blaine or
Grover Cleveland will be president
of these United States. AS between
them | DO not see how any christian
voter can hesitate. Writing as / do
from this city of Buffalo, where
Cleveland's home is-no, where he
lives-he has no home-I do not hes
itate to say, as for me. and mine, let
it be the true husband, the honest
father, the home man-James G..
Blaine.
Further than this, | do not believe
the demand for national constitution
al prohibition is the ''best indorse-
ment of prohibition principles. The
prohibition of the liquor traffic is
not, by either the letter or the spirit
of the constitution, the subject of
national legislation. 1t must come
by states; it can come no 9TH
er way, unless by an armed resist
ance to law in the states, it should
become necessary ff the general
government as a war meaSnGe to aid
the state by military intervention.
Peaceable resolution according. to
constitutional methods must come by
state legislation. So also just as
prohibition cannot be carried in a
state till a considerable number of
voters in the state are themselves
prohibitionists, so national prohibi-
ton cannot be a practical issue until
a considerable number of states are
prohibition states. When three
quarters of the states agree, the con-
stitution of the United States may
be amended, and national prohibition
be the rule of the land. 1t is some
times argued that the thirteenth
amendment abolishing slavery in the
states was submitted by congress be-
fore the states had taken similar
state action. but we remember that
at this time there was so large ma
jority of free states that they con-
trolled the government, and carried
on great and terrible war. The
question of slavery on its political
side was a controversy between
states. concerning which the general
government and national legislation
was the only court of appeal. The
prohibition of the liquor traffic is not
question between states, but be-
tween the people of a state, and ma
tional political action is not this time
the proper court in which to try this
cause.
/ have taught this doctrine from
ocean to ocean; could / now fail to
stand for the application of the
truths 1 have taught? This is why |
could not, if l were a voter, enter
the political field for the nominees of
the Pittsburg convention. | honor
John P. st. John-he has my high
esteem, my profound respect; and
so of Mr.. Daniel, of whom 1 am
honored by numbering him among
my personal friends. | believe they
each were actuated by the high mo-
tive of disinterested patriotism /
simply do not agree with them as to
this one method of obtaining what
we all desire.
/ do not see how there can be two
opinions as to the duty of Iowa pro-
hibitionists. / have no arithmetic
with which to estimate the mental
calibre or the moral sense of any
Iowa man who claims to be for tenn
perance and does not stand by the
republican party, with the rights and
privileges conferred by the ''bad
mans plank.
The prohibitionists of Iowa, dwell
ing in the Canaan of triumphant ma
jorities, even though their enemies
be not all cast yet, can hardly ap-
preciate the weariness, even the bit
| tornooo of fboSo of;Il Il, tho u,;ido,