Smyrna times., 1884-08-13
Neal Dow on the Situation.
HIS STATEMENT OF THE ATTITUDE OF
THE PROHIBITIONIsTs OF MAINE.

Dow to Mr.. J. A. Van Fleet, which has
been handed to the Baltimore Sun by
Hon. VIM. Daniel, will be found to ex-
plain the attitude to be occupied by
the prohibtionists Of Maine during
the present campaign Gov. Dow
says:
"Your note of June Both is just re-
ceived, and with thanks. I am so
pleased that you write me about that
silly falsehood, instead of helping its
circulation, that am going to Kansas
to stump the State against my hOnored
friend, Gov. st. John, in whose judg- .
ment, good sense, unseliishness and I.
rectitude l have the utmost confidence.
wonder that any prominent worker
in the cause i'll Maine should have |
written you so silly canard that l was
engaged to do so. There is not and
never was word of truth in it,
| know it may be difficult to ex-
plain to, our brethren throughout the
country the reason for the apparent
isolation of temperance workers in
Maine for the present. In few words
this is our position: Maine occupies
the key of the battlefield of prohibi-
tiOn. We are anxious to hold it for
the common cause, and to do it in such
a way as to assure Il victory all along
the line There have been and are in
the State some politicians intensely
hostile to prohibition who were look
ing eagerly for Il time when they
might hope to overthrow it, which
would be a terrible disaster to the
cause everywhere. We were contii-
dent that our people by very large
majority were i'll favor of it, and
would sustain it by their votes if an
} opportunity were offered to do so. To
r that end we asked and obtained from
4 the Legislature the submission of Il
: constitutional prohibtory amendment
/ to the people. The vote is to be in
r September, and we are sure to carry it.
l The only question about it is as to the
e size of the majority, which we believe
: will be large. The opposition to pro-
= hibition throughout the country among
5 anti-temperance men is based upon the
: falsehood that the Maine law is a fail
/, ure in Maine.
5 They say this because in our larg-
I er towns and cities the traffic linger,
Il on a small scale, with more or less
IS secrecy, generally more This state oil
things is due entirely to some defects
y in our law as Il now stands, which We
J. hope and expect will he corrected by
1t our next Legislature.
II "Our work is directed solely to thai
Ie end, and we are eXerting all our in
&c huence to accomplish it, If we sue
le coed, as we shall, it will be great vic
g tory for the cause everywhere 1t i
IS these considerations, briefly stated
" that induce us to coniinc our work 70
e, the present to our own territory, know
id ing well that success here is of the ut
v most importance to the prohibition
IL movement in all the English-speakin
Ie world
ls "Our opinion has been in no wis
le altered or modified in any way tina
IN our movements can never SUI
to ceed without distinct politica
lis movement throughout the country
based entirely upon dee
he resolve to emancipate our governmer
ay and people from the domination of tn
ry atrocious liquor traffic, the gigantt
crime of crimes which now holds
its grip as bond-servants the govern
ment of the nation and Of every Stat
ny except, perhaps. Maine, Kansas an
Iowa, and the governments of ever
of city in the land.
id. "In Kansas, Iowa and Maine tn
re- republican party has pronounced
lat favor of prohibition, and in those Stat
ed prohibitionists may consider what the
to attitude ought to be to the party. Bl
ng in no other State are they under ii
least obligation to it; on the contrar
nd, they have been often snubbed al
lg repudiated by it, while it has open
les and persistently courted the beer al
i'm whiskey vote by surrendering to tn
ca, accursed trade the dearest interests
the nation, material and moral. II
md republican party was born of a gre
she idea, which has been realized. Anoth
vas party must and will be found to wo
/ out a far greater good for the count
air, by overthrOwing far greater evil tn
the slavery was"