The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-07-25
THE "THIRD PARTY g" QUESTION

DEAR GAZETTE "A copy of the Asbury
Park Journal has just fallen into my hands
containing leader on Mr.. Crates article
which appeared in your paper under the title
of g third party needed.
The Park Journal writer is gentlemanlv in
his way of saying things but very stale in
what he says. His italicising the following
sentence shows that he considers it the cream
of what he says Let US analyze this cream :
All movements of temperance people toward
an independent party, draws just SO much
support from the Republicans, the party that
held and preserved us a nation, and in pro-
portion gives aid and strength to a party
whose record is against our integrity as a
nation, and most uncompromisingl against
all temperance laws or even temperance prin-
ciples."
The butter in this cream is twenty years
old. Is old butter to be eaten because it was
good butter once? Is rotten apple to be
eaten because it was once a sound apple ?
sound apple of the right sort is nutritious,
palatable, sayory and nourishing. A rotten
apple is untoothsome, unsavory and alcoholic,
and yet it may be the same apple, but degen-
Grated. Must we eat it after it rots because
it was once good apple? Is that the kind of
an appetite the Journal has /? Or suppose
the evil one should say to the Journal, g
am an angel, sat high up among the thrones,
principalities and powers in heaven, am the
angel for you to associate with, " will the Jour
nal take to him on his past record? The ar
gument of the past record of the Republican
party is stale. Good apples rot good angels
have become devils. The same is true of po-
litical parties, sometimes. 1t was SO with
the Democratic party some years ago. 1t is
unfortunately so with the Republican party
now. 1t was noble party of moral prin-
ciple. 1t was made so by drawing into it
during that formative stage many if not most
of the best men of the Democratic party, and
most men of no particular party affinities ex-
cept their temperance and love of justice
These elements made it strong, and enabled
it to do just the work of which the present
party managers now boast These place
seekers who have since got the upper hand in
its control, and control it very largely for
personal benefit, now with amazing self-com-
placency point to record which few of them
had any hand in making, and taking good
care to conceal as much as possible the record
they have made, and say, ''look at that record
we saved the country; you certainly will not
leave such party as thisl' Yes, gentlemen
we do not intend to put up with your double
dealing and temperance crucifying any longer
Very few of you in fact had anything to do
with making that part of the record of the
Republican party that now constitutes the
capital of the party. But many of you have
had very much to do with that part of the
record of the party that has made the very
best men in it sad. We propose to go out
and if need be put ourselves in position to
let you go on a few trips up sc Salt river"
hoping that salt air and frequent bathing,
of which you stand in much need, will do
you good and enable you to come back cleansed
from the fumes of rum, now SO strong upon
you. We prefer to go up that river ourselves
on separate boat to abiding on the craft in
the condition it is now in. We see that you
are about to take on board the rejected part
of the crew from the late Democratic crew.
sitting, and of the two evils we choose Meth
er. We shall have the company and assist
ance of the ladies on our new craft. Besides
the fumes of beer and whiskey so strong upon
you, you have insulted and ill-treated them
by closing your ears and taking no notice of
their reasonable prayers for protection against
rum, and denied them the use of the means
to protect themselves. If you can get along
keeping bachelors hail. and without the help
and society of the class who largely made
the record for the party of which you now
boast, why, go ahead and see where your boat
will land We expect to take trip or two
up Salt river ourselves and will have good
opportunity to watch you. We would be
glad to see you purified from the evil of your
ways and get back to the party integrity with
which the party started. INDEPENDENT.
Temperance Gazette.