Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-13
ST. JOHN BOUND TO RUN.
HE DECLINES To ACCEDE TO a
REQUEST TO WITHDRAW.

HE DECLINES To ACCEDE TO A
REQUEST TO WITHDRAW.
The DOdging Policy of the Republican
Party not Such as to EntitIe it to the
Respect or Confidence of Temperance
Men-PrOhibition Growing Issue.
NEW YORK, Oct. 12.-The following let
ter has been addressed to the gentlemen
named by Gov. st. John, the Prohibition
candidate for President:
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. II. 1854.
Prot. Theodore D. WOOLsieV, NeaD Hapen.
Conn, Hon. Thomas Talbot, North BeIIrica,
Mass, Hon. NoGh DG0fS Ne1o York city,
Grant Goodrich, Chicago, us, John Y. Far
qoelE, Chicago, us, ReU. r. A. Hatfield, chi
cdgO, u.s., Cringt0n LQ1t and William Deer
ing, EUanst0n, us, John EUdns. Denuer,
Col, Ira Buckndn and John Mitchell, Brook
| I'm, ". y:
GENTLEMEM-In the New York Tribune
Of this date find your names appended to a
| request that 1 withdraw from the canvass as
| the Prohibition nominee for the Presidency
| together with an elaborate statement of rea5
| sons why, IN your judgment, should take
this course. Permit me to reply that have
| given your statement and request such care
full and candid consideration as coming from
| men of your high character they merit; and
| that | can neither agree with the one nor
comply with the other In justice to myself
| and courtesy TO you, L must refer specifically
to some of the leading reasons which you
| urge. Bear with me while | do this in the
briefest possible way.
HIS REASONS.
First You desire prohibition submitted to
| the people separate from other issues
and distinct from party politics." l desired
the Republican party at its National COnven-
| ton to favo such submission. The srme
| desire was expressed through petitions by
| hundreds of thousands of Others and our very
| modest wish was there denied. Believing
prohibition national need to blot out ma
tional curse, we could not ask, and the Re
| publican party could not with falrness grant
| any less. Refusing that slightest possible re-
| cOgnition. the party could not longer have the
least possible claim upon my vote, because
| Second. The policy of the national prohibition
| party has already been clearly defined and
| approved by the great body of the friends of
| the cause in the United States''-more clearly
defined and generally approved by these than
was the national policy concerning slavery
| when that had common recognition as a ma
| tlOnal issue and arrayed the parties in open
| contest. This national policy may be summed
| up in one phrase: National sovereignty over
/ the liquor traffic to suppress it, instead of to
| legaiize protect and perpetuate it,
| SIGNIFICANCE OF THEIR CONVENTION.
Third. Out of the widespread approval
| which this policy had attained, and because
| OF it, came the Pittsburg Convention. with its
| more than 800 delegates, representing 81
| states and, as believe, more representative
of ''the great body of Prohlbitionists through
out the country than any other body ever
| assembled. 1t was convention regularly
called. It's delegates were citizens of repre-
| sentative character, many of whom had re-
Gently been active workers in, or sympathi-
zers with, one or the other of the old parties
They went there, upder plain call, to
nominate a Pres' ticket and for no
| other purpose, assertion that ga
| large part of tn yfun lition opposed placing
| a ticket in the field" has. never before been
made to my knowledge, is not justified by the
| detailed reports of the proceedings printed in
| the leading journals at the time, and is en-
| phatically contradicted by reliable witnesses,
| delegates and spectators who sat in the con-
| vention and are familiar with all that was
| there done and sand. On your third point,
therefore, you surely have been misinformed
| as to the facts.
NOT AT ALL CONFUSING.
Fourth. | see nothing more confusing in
the prohibition movement than in any other,
| unless you mean that it is confusing pOliti-
clans. Had prohibition alone been referred
| to in the platform, yOu might have objected
| to il as the zone idea" party. Woman's suf-
frage it relegates to the Ststes, and cOndemning
| the policy OF both the old parties with regard
| to the Chinese, IL but speaks, in the old Re-
| publican spirit, the old Republican doctrine
which that party, in its greed to catch
! the vote of the Pacific States
| now repndates. As to imputations
| upon the Republican candidates.
l find only such as appeal to the facts, and
| that appeal you can make as well. They
should serve every occasion of truth.
FiJth. | believe that the questions consid-
cred IN the prohibition platform were as
carefully considered and as authoritatIvely
adopted as any that have this year been pre-
sented to the American people, and / am
satisfied that they embody, in higher de-
gree and far moro comprehensively, the well
being and prosperity of our country than do
those which have recognition in both the
Democratic and Republican platforms.
WHAT WAS ASKED.
Sieth 'tIt is true" you say, ssthat the Re-
publican party declined to make prohibition
an issue in its platform" The party was not
asked to make prohibition an issue. For the
principe it was not requested to declare: 1t
was merely asked to favor submitting the
question to the people. If for it to have done
this as you assert, would have been political
suicide, then l see no hope or possibility of
the Republican party ever granting even so
slight a concession to temperance men, and
am amazed that you should urge my longer
loyalty to that party
Se0enth and Ei0hth. If that party which
you call the party of fair play and of ma
jOrity rule, cannot now nationally declare in
favor of both without political suicide, what
hope have we that in any State it will long
favor either, or that as national body it VIII
ever support the national policy for which |
stand. and in behalf of which the National
Prohibition party has declared? UncOmprO-
missing hostility to that policy cannot so surely
and fatally delay its success as can covert
enmity cloaked in unfrie1dly disguise.
HIS PATRIOTISM.
Ninth, Tenth and EIe0enth. You are not
Republicans, may assume, simply because
you expect to elect your ticket We cannot
foregO being ProhibitiOnists merely because
we have no sure promise of at once electing
ours, and while it may be as you insist to
favor a change from bad to worse, simply for
q change, it is always reasonable and best to
favor the right and to stand by principle, re-
gardless of what change may be
brought about as the result. | have
loved my country well enough to
carry the musket in its defense, and to risk
my life in its service. ] hold its obligation to
every brave defender. or to those now repre-
sentng such, as forever sacred. The national
credit and the material resources of the ma
tiOn, l won d not see impaired, and all that
was gained for God and humanity by years of
war L would see preserved through years of
peace. But 10000 legalZed dram shops i'm
peril the national credit and impair our ma
tional resources to an extent more alarming
than any other danger which now
threatens uS. A protective tariff on
liquor traffic loses to labor $40 for every dollar
which labor gains by protective tariff on i'm
ports. The education and elevation of an en-
tire people, white and black, are more de-
pendent upon the prohibition Of the saloon
than upon the pcrpetuity OF any party in
power; and, as patriot and humble defender
of my country in Its former need. | cannot
now let old party attachments hold me silent
while more deadly enemy than rebellion
bids us wait and work his will.
Iaoelfth. Ihirteente and Fourteenth. As to
parties and candidates, if sit is wrong" as
you Affirm, ITO elect party to power that
ignores it's principles and evades discussino
the policy it intends to pursue,'' it must be
radically wrong for either of us to help elect
the Republican party, since, if it have any
Itiu pcTdIC0 pTlnClplcS IL ignores them, and
If 1t has any TEMPERANCE policy it evades
discussing it. Indeed, that party's chief aim
now is to hold both the liquor and temper
ance vote, which purpose utterly forbids any
positive temperance principle and encourages
only practical liquor policy.
BREWERS PLEA FOR BLAINE.
In the very same issue of the Tribune. which
contains your appeal to the Republican Pro
hibitiOnists and your request to me, find the
letter of a Republican brewer, telling 'swhv
brewers should support Blaine," protest
against an attempt to use their association for
Cleveland, and in which occurs this frank
avowal: ''Our national organization is %
years old. During alt those years Renubli-
cans have been in power in national affairs
and l submit to every candid brewer be he
ing interests OF our country have not grown
to immense proportions. if our rights and
our interests have not been protected
and encouraged by our government" In the
same letter | read also the following. 0vr
Blaine was correct when he said that probibi
ton was not q national question or isne
This being the case let us not do ANYTHING to
antagonize the party that has ALWAYS treated
the brewing interests fairly, whose policy is to
foster, protect and encourage home industries
and which should not be held responsible Tor
the opinions and acts OF few men who claim
membership in the party"
DIVERSITY OF INDUSTRIES
And in proof that this Republican brew
err has full authority for his statement Of
what the Republican psrty's policy is. LET me
remind YOU that said party has declared for
the largest diversity of industries. which
intoxicating liquors, and that Mr. Blaine has
racontlV DTtnciafpd as third 6ootrir,- -