The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-12-11

Tive personal work near The slcAs Of The can
vsss. succeeded 10 turaing sscugh Rspnb
iicsn yetes for himself 10 defeat Blaiss
ssd elect Cleveland, aud there Is httis
doubt that most Of the votsrs we're cor
seispiious in s0tiag for him. though ~
eordisg 10 the tsstiUony Of reputable
people Of bis oun state be 10 very cheap
Jshs indeed. The vssers vsss simply
dupsd BY man Who vest into the canvAss
simply for noiorisiy and What money b
ccald get out Of he Democrats and the
liquor men.
The article bslsv. which originally sp-
pesred in the Topeka Commonwealth, W
reprint iron The paper published q
olsths, the home Of the late PrsAibitionist
candidate for rrssidsnt A gentleman Of
that town. Who is vsuchsd for y entirely
Trustworthy, and Who has known Mr.. s.
Jshn fer years. writes Of the article
appended: "Tkis article is substantially
correct and explains the whole matter
muck better than l could. He and his
best friends here sppsar TO rejoice over
the election Of Cleveland. You will see
from the paper he Isl. JshD got in this
county ibis OWL 1913; il his own ward 80.
I live 10 his ward
The poet Browsing has depicted the
rise and fall Of demaRegur, one day
crowned with lsursls and led IL triumph
through the streets, the next day followed
by . jserisg and infuriats mob 10 jail.
OF the little great men that have emerged
from obscurity in recent years, and filled
. large measure Of notsristy, none 20 sud.
denly and unvorthily reached daxzlsd
height - John p. 81. Joha, and none will
90 - swiftly down 70 msritsd obscurity ~
no will frsn this time On.
He frat obtained prominence through
the factious qusrrels and jsalousies Of the
Republican leaders His nomipatisn was
accidental, was the result OF sudden,
needless impulse Of an excited State Con.
vention against the wishes Of the sober
elements Of the Republican party, which
wanted 10 nominate either JohA A. Mar
tin or g. I. Anthony and was soon after
wards bitterly rspsnted.
At the time Of his sudden elevation
from very small type Of country law.
yer and politician 10 the goysrnorship Of
. great state, ii is fair 70 presume that
four.fifths Of the people OF the State OF
Kansas had never heard OF John p. ST.
John. He was itching to do something
to make himself prominent and found the
temperance hobby ready 10 bis hand He
had been once before nominated for gov.
ernor by little temperance convention
down at Lawrence and had refused the
nomination, ON the score, that he was O
Republican first and WAS more interested
in the success Of his party than Of this
movement. The prohibitory amendment
was soon after submitted. The history Of
his conaection with the prohibitory move
ment OF Kansas is we'll known to everyone.
Glib OF tongue, with . face OF brass, i'm.
perfectly educated, but with abundant
conceit, totally devoid OF conscience, but
fully alive to the preiud ICES Of the common
people in favor Of morality and temper.
ancs ard using that for all it was worth,
totally and deliberately selfish for his own
advantage, st. John rapidly grew in our
State.
He drew about him tive classes OF people
a bigotsd but sincere following OF men
and women, who believed that the tenn
perance NJ ovement was about to sweep the
natisn and morally regensrate it and that
st. John was tho great and pure man who
had been raised up to lead it, and another
larger asd wholly inexcusable class OF
who feared his power over
this following, but who had 10 moral
courage to oppose him and who wanted to
use his movement for their own selfish
ends. A new shibboleth. new task OF
allegiance new creed was presented for
the unqualified acceptance Of Republicans.
whatsoever denied st. Jehn denied prohi.
bition and whosoever denied prohibition
was forever forsworn and lost. and no
longer entitled to call himself member
OF the Republican party.
1t was reign OF cant and hypocrisy. The
more intelligent prshibitiopists were 10
doubt "a to ST. Jehn's sincerity one half
inclined 10 believe him . fraud, but what
with the aforesaid combination OF moral |
sslAshnsss and venslity with |
bigotry the intolerance Of the prohibition.
lists within the party, his nomination was
forced for the third time. Thoughtful,
snd fair-mindsd men were dis
gustsd. II became IN open secret that
st. John WAS used BY vast cooperative in.
terssts to keep up the Temperance sgits.
lion 90 ~ TO suppress and keep out 81
tight issues OF more vital importance.
Such state Of affairs naturally produce
strong and bitter reaction. The immedi.
tie result WAS Clicks election two years
ago. tho passage Of the railroad commits.
SION law and the apparent placing Of Kan
,as in the category Of doubtful States.
rhs creation Of the railroad commission
Iervsl to take that question ont Of politics.
The downfall Of st. John aad his methods
brought the Republican party into line
md caused revival Of neral courage in
10 the party but il enlarged the arena for
It. Johns power for mischief making.
He used his accidental prominence here to
III him into National prominence a. tenn.
,erance leader.
The National Probibitory convention
night have nominated candidates who
vould have failed to get more than hand
nj OF votes had they not found ready 10
heir hand such destructive material ~ st.
Toha. The great State OF Kansas had
vice made him governor, and had nomi-
ated him the third time. After his
|efeat he went forth 10 reap . golden har.
ert by making harangues, misssmsd
ssturss, ata rsund price. He made . bid
or the nomination OF this convention BY
lsisg ~ prstext The failure Of the
convention TO put . prohibition
'lank in its platform. TO desert the party
hat had 80 lavishly and foolisAly hsnorsd
nd rewarded him.
II was urged that he could carry the
lectsrsl vote Of Kansas, AID thus make
rohibition the nucleus Of new party.
10 one could convince Eastern people that
nch claim Vas absurd even dsvn to the
~ Of election. Western New York had
cen the propsgating ground Of prohibi-
ION in the East. AID st. John, BY reason
4 the proninsnce given 10 him 10 this
tate, A. the hero Of the cause, came 70 be
L. a - -