Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1884-08-21

NJ. toor0ees has sounded the key
nots Of his party In this State. and an
nounced the ground upon which It
proposes to fight during the present
| campaign-so far, at least, as Daniel
can control its action. 1t is to ignore
all general issues, say nothing about the
tariff, nothing about any of the national
questions, keep the candidates in the
back ground, and devote the whole en-
ergies of the Indiana Democracy to the
repayment of the Liquor League for its
valuable assistance in attempting to
place the Democracy in power. This
was the leading theme Of Mr.. Voorhees,
speech at Terre Haute on Tuesday
evening. He opened first upon the
Baxter law, which he declared "had a
brief, inglorious career, and which was
cast aside by the Democratic party as
an insult to an intelligent and virtu-
Gus people" He denounced the at
tempt of Republican Legislature to
even permit the people of Indiana to
express their views by a vote on the
prohibitory amendment, and condemns
the same party for consenting that a
similar vote be permitted the people on
the adoption of new constitution.
Mr.. Voorhees, is evidently afraid of the
people, and does not propose that they
shall have any voice in declaring what
shall or shall not be the fundamental
law of the State on this or any other
question He denounces the Prohibi
tionists, who propose to support a
ticket of their own, as unsparingly as
he does all others, and declares they
will concentrate their forces in the
election OF members pledged to con-
vention for the amendment of the con-
stitution" Indeed, he believes that no
class of people have any right to enter
tain or express views upon any question
not approved by the Democracy and
their allies.
This, then, is the issue rendered the
people of Indiana by Mr.. Voorhees,
total, abject submission to Democratic
dictation in thought and action He
who dares to think must think with the
Democracy, and he who votes must
vote with the Democracy or be reviled
and denounced by them Free thought,
free speech and free ballot are to be
denied the people upon the subject of
the use of liquors. Mr.. Voorhees,
claims that this arbitrary course of his
party is founded upon divine right and
divine example He says:
The Divine Author Of our religion,
while in human form on earth, used
wine as beverage, and at least on one
occasion manufactured it for use at
social gathering. Did Christ come to
teach immortality? Did his apostles,
fresh from his presence, disseminate
vice and evil when they advised the use
of wine? Nor have the great ecclesi
astics who have arisen since, and who
have adorned nearly two thousand years
of church history, without respect to
sect or creed, been at variance on this
subject with the Savior and his imme
date followers. The fathers of the old
church of Rome have taught temper
ance, but not prohibition. Martin Luz
Their, the great Protestant, while in the
wine and beer and thought it no sin.
The divines called in council by King
James, and who gave US the Bible in its
present revision and as it has been
preached in all lands now nearly three
hundred years, were strangers to the
practices as well as to the doctrines of
or even to the self-imposed
restraints of total abstinence. The |
Holy Scriptures and the history of the
churches are alike without warrant for
the Prohibitionist.
We need say no more. Mr.. Voor-
hees' reasoning, to adopt his own style
Of expression, is an insult to an intel |
ligent and virtuous people. " Mr.. Voor
hees in this speech represents his party
only in its baser instincts, and if third
party Prohibitionists still feel that they
can by lndirection continue to assist in
placing party in power, whose most
prominent and popular leader utters
sentiments like the above, they will ex-
hibit meekness and submission to the |
rod unusual among a free
and independent people.