The Monitor., 1884-10-31
THE NEED FOR A PROHIBITION
PARTY.


nor expect the honors or offices that
come i'll these days as rewards for political
service. The nearest approach ever made
to such honors was being called i'll the
grand years of our war; a piece of flying
artillery for the Union cause and being
well Missed for my utteranees when Cop
perheads were in my audience.
| have one cote to be responsible fot
That has always been given for the Repub-
lican party from its existence to this pres
ent year. Such is the substance of my po-
litical action. But in the forty-one years
of my public life there is not one in which
| have not many times spoken against the
stupendous blunder and crime of our day
the liquor traffic, and advocated its sup
preston by law.
While / do not believe that legal enact
ments are of greatest value unless there is
public sentiment to enforce them, and do
believe that the public sentiment must be
the result of moral suasion, also believe
that in prosecuting this needful work, We
shall constantly come against the barriers
raised by legal protection, and therefore
sanction, now given to this traffic, the pros
perity of which depends always, in greater
or less measure, on the ruin of all other
kinds of prosperity.
When Others have said, in their zeal for
good cause, I'VE will vote with any party
that will promise to prohibit the liquor
traffic. | have been unable to go with
them or to be willing to help in any trade
OF votes where conscience and principle
ought to govern each vote.
| hoped to find in the Republican party,
as party of high moral ideas, protection
ton for it, and have been unwilling to aid
in making this grand cause a football TO
be tossed between political parties in that
fashion With host of others have ex-
pected each year, since the practical settle
ment of the pressing problems of our Civil
War, to see the Republican party willing
to deal with this question in a manner ap-
propriate to its Importance.
Ills veal, llOMGhti. Has otCh
things Surprising disintegrations have
been going on in the two old parties. Both
have either open affiliations seith, or cow
ardly and shameful servility to the arrogant
set of rings and lobbies of this drink trade,
which lifts its monstrous front of $50, 000,-
900 of money spent directly i'll it, with an
equal sum, in addition, taxed upon the peo-
pie to take care of its miserable results.
All the while the measure of its success
depends ON the deterioration, physical,
mental social, commercial and moral of
the entire nation. and on the utter ruin.
of an enormous number of thinking. feel
ing, suffering persons. There is not bene-
fetal business, or a reputable profession
anywhere in the land, that has not author
itatively admitted these facts.
If the nation acted on the confessed sober
thought of its representative men in every
other walk in life, they would feel COM
PEELED to drive this trade from the fair face
of this country, as they would pirate
from our seas and oceans. II is the pirate
against all righteous business. The great
est kindness to those engaged in it and to
all connected with them, is to compel
them TO take to other occupations. Such
a course will surely add to instead of de.
ducting from the value of all other bust
ness. and even though these other occupa-
tions do not bring in 200 per cent. profit
yet they will not be sending many thous
| ands every year, of all ranks, to dishonor
ed graves, or TO a life worse than death
| Fire is thing to be respected; but when i
is claimed right to legalize use of it thai
sets into blaze multitudes of homes, an(
| destroys multitudes of minds that might
| otherwise be stars in the armament of thii
nations intellect, leaving only the whit,
ashes of desolation as its best result--ough
we to do nothing to prevent 1t /?
have been greatly exercised this sum
ner respecting my duty in the vote Of TIN
autumn Some say, would You help
party to power that boldly says persona
character is nothing in the President 0
\ this great eountry?'' | can only say, i
that party has not scuttled its own ship b,
its nomination, if it is possible majorit,
of voters in this country, made up of thos'
we are accustomed to honor, as well as tn,
4 less known rank and file, are willing t.
vote into the highest place in the nation'f