Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-10-31
From Rochester Democrat aud Chronicle. j
AN OPEN LETTER
TO 50. John proh,b,,,op,.,..

MY s,-Yuu advocate with erea,
seal the election Of ex-Governor 81. John
to the Presidency. During my eleven yesrs'
connection with the Genesee conference, I
think have demonstrated my loyalty to
the temperance cause, and hence may
justly crave your attention to few of the
many reasons why cannot go with yon In
the advocacy oi st. John's election. There
are in this nation, interests TO he conserved
which, IL not ma important In yonr estima-
ton as n national Prohibition Party, are
nevertheless of such a character THAI even
prohibition would have nothing TO. build
ON II they were overthrown, and Hon.
James q. Blame Ia the worthy Representa-
live of those interests. You cannot succeed
In abolshing the liquor traffic without a
constitutional amendment. and you will
never get such an amendment without first
carrying the towns aud creating n public
sentiment, which shall carry the amend
ment in tile states. ! regard IL great
| triumph that in New York state, the first
time trying. we came within two votes of
submitting the question TO The people, and
pttsNiHk tHiH nHIteF
until we gain the other two votes. None
will deny that our towns are legitimate
md hopeful prohibition and there | pur-
pose to labor. But what would Mr.. ST.
John he hut mere figure head II elected
President, with congress against him to
effect anything for prohibition2
Mrs. j. Ellen Foster says In n recent lei.
ter that "Peaceable revolution according to
constitutional methods, must come by
Stale legislation. So, also, just ~ proliibi-
i,on cannot be carried In State ill n con.
siderable number ut voters in the State are
| themselves Prohibitluniss, 80 natural pro
hibiiion c.nuot be n practical ISSUE until a
considerable number of States are Prohibi
tion States. The question of slavery on its
political slde WAS II controversy between
the States, concerning which the general
government and national legislation were
the only court Of appeal. The prohibition
of the liquor traffic is not question be.
tween states, but between the people Of the
state. and national political action il not
| ut this lime the proper court IN which to
try this ,an-e." This is the logic of COM
mon sense and wisdom and truth. Again.
don't like the company into which the
national Prohibition party has fallen. The
Democratic papers from ocean to ocean.
while their party is being recruited by the
saloons Of The land, are publishing notices
of the meetings, and saying very compli-
mentary things about third p,r,y Pro-
hibitionists, and why? For no other reason
than that nine-tenths Of the votes for ST.
John come from the Republican parry,
aud every Republican who votes tor Mr.
ST. Joha-I will not say throws away hi.
vote-does worse than throw away his vote;
| I,ntf = Z f..r tt,a atI nf
and half 10 the winds. do not doubt the
purity OF motive of many who are striving
to build up this National Prohibition par
ty, but seriously question their wisdom
The Democratic party, by smooth words,
is deceiving numerous frohibitionsts, and
to such degree that in Genesee county
some have frequently declared that "they
would prefer Cleveland to Blaine for Pres
ident." While the Democratic party
speaks fatterlng words in Prohibition ears
and joins in the ouicry against the Repub.
lican party, i,s money and its agents are
used in securing the vote of the worst ele-
ments in the community. The hypocrisy
of the Democratic party ia plain. The
Breper's Journal for September says that il.
editor made an endeavor to learn from Mr.
Blaine his views as to Temperance legisia
tion and received no reply. The Journd
concludes az follows: I've, therefore, sa,
that Mr.. Blaine is not entitled TO the sup
port Of the brewers and those who hav,
kindred interests with them. The contras
with the attitude of Governor Clevelant
with Mr.. Blaine on this question is yer,
marked. In his letter OF acceptance Il,
refers 10 the action Of snmptnary laws will
no uncertain sound, and he is entitled t,
receive the unanimous and Jealous supper
of the trade" The Wine and Fruit Growe
T. for August quotes with approval that par
Of the Democratic platform and OF Gov
, ernor Cleveland's letter CT acceptance il
whieh they bid for the votes of the liquo
traffic, and says, "These declarations AZ
( plain enough and make il clear that ih
t Democratic party and its candidates ar
opposed to prohibition laws on principle,
Z aud yet this party is just now pat'ing ST
John ProhihitiOnlsts and bidding then
God speed :" And / am sorry TO s'i,
5 many are yielding TO the sweet eniicemeni
! of this wicked syren, hence | say | dom
like the bnd company into which The ma
tional Prohibition party has fallen. Again
! hear the criticism, THE Republican ma
, lional convention dOdged prohibition"
! was far-sightetl WI dom 10 do il. Piohi-
hi ion, AZ Mrs. Foster says, is not n nation
al Issue ana il will not Le aud can not lie
and should not be until you nnd help I,
redeem more towns and states. Prnc lea
builders are not apt Ia place the cap sion,
until they have first laid the foundation
Had that convention put in such Il rl,nk
prohibition would have become u nniioun
is>ne without even foundation of sand 1.
rest upon.
Mr.. Blaine il roundly abused for M
voting in Maine an the amendment II,
di,i just right. Being candidate for i
national cfficr, nli his ncis aud ulIeram.r,
are interpreted in the light of n,lionn
policy, and lie had under the circiim- tan
ces no right TO bring lha, question in,
nalIoral politics as would inevitably ha, &
happened had lie voted on the amendment
l admire lis wisdom. Ills head is clear
ami hi judgment sound
Again, am /, III to vote NJ ! urav.
always do. pray for i!.e roofing omr %
the Mormon ulcer, and propose. G.
helping me, To plant II vote fur Blaine nud
Logan and against Moru,unisnn. | pr.,
Tor the complete freedom nf ,h- negro. II, |,
$" propose 10 vote for The irprrsrn,alive,
1i AN unirnmH, He'd ballot wIilnut which
no temperance ,i!oits will avail anvlIinr
! pray Tor The Triumph uf ;tmpci nee, ard
so refuse IO vote for its overthrow b,
helping Governor Cleveland to half my
vote, aud hence vote f"r Bnime and IT,,
gan. l Will not yield In amy man in poin
oi zeal f"r the temperance cause, but 1 am
nol prepared to vote for St. John At u i'm,
when There ia no national is.,i. ON rr..hi-
bi'ion; on the other hand. am called
upon by my conscience, ani by the clnin,s
oil humanity and Oi common dvcency to
vote against Il party wliose nvowvd purpns,
| n lnlsi Ir,.a A. ,l., unI