The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-07-31

Wn6Jnef Gney are prepared W onuoIoe MI.
Tucker and his views and thus seal the
doom of Virginia for generations to come.
The Prohibition Convention.
The Prohibition Convention which met
in Pittsburg last week. nominated J. p.
st. John, of Kansas, for President, and
VIM. Daniel, of Maryland, for Vice Pres
ident Of the United States. A platform
was adopted declaring for the prohibition
of the manufacture and sale of spurious
liquors in the United States favoring the
Greenback financial notion for protection
to American industries I; condemning the
Republican party and Republican ticket,
as well as the Democratic party, winking
at Chinese immigration, and asking for
woman suffrage.
The nominees of the party We're at one
time Republicans, but Mr.. st. John
was repudiated by his party in Kansas,
while Mr.. Daniel has never held any posi-
tion of political nature that we have
ever heard Of. He is lawyer. residing
near Baltimore, and is in comfortable cir
cumstances.
The Convention was run in the interest of
the Democratic party and for the avowed
purpose of defeating the Republican can
didates in close States. 1t was freely adj
mitted that no possible aid could be ex-
pected to the cause of temperance from
the Democrats and that all the assistance
and encouragement that had been given it
had come from the Republicans. Yet the
managers of the Convention determined
on policy, the evident object of which is
to defeat the party which is friendly to
temperance and aid the party that is
known to be hostile to every proposition
and aspiration of the temperance people.
1t is we'll enough that the purposes of
the leaders of this Prohibition Conven-
ton were so undisguised. One delegate
hopelessly debauched, and that nothing
could be expected from it for the cause Of
temperance Oh any moral reform. But
there was hope that if the Republicans
were defeated in this election, that party
would unite with the Prohibition party
four years hence and carry the county,
This belief, doubtless, had much to do
with the action of the Convention, and
shows how short-sighted and impractical
BILE people become when they are absorbed
with one idea. They lose sight of the fact
that there are other and vital questions af-
fecting the administration Of government
which are unsettled, and which all broad
minded men regard as of paramount i'm
portance in national contest. Here and
there there may be Republicans who may
break from their party association and
vote for the prohibition candidates, but
the great mass of the party will adhere to
its organization, support its candidates
and do all in their power for its success
However friendly they may be to the tenn
perance cause, in its proper place and its
proper relations to the people, they are not
prepared to subordinate all other interests
to that. Indeed the effect of the action of
the Convention must be to estrange
them from the temperance organization,
weaken its support and arrest the progress
of the cause. For when it is clear that
the action of the Convention was designed
to benefit the Democratic party; that
some of those who shaped the course of
the Convention, were secretly in the SER
vice of the Democratic party. as we see it
stated was the case, it will require no argu-
ment for Republicans to determine their
duty in contest like that in which we are
now engaged. No greater calamity could
befall the business of the country than the
success of the Democratic party in No
vember next, and no Republican who car
ries with him conviction as to party and
government. would think of aiding in the
success of the Democracy. The prohibi-
tionists and all others know that there is
no possible chance of the election of St.
John and Daniel. and that every vote cast
for them is that much towards he defeat
Of the Republican candidates and the cleo
tion of the Democratic nominees. With
these facts apparent, it is very plain that
Republicans who may be friendly to the
temperance cause, could not give the Pitts
burg nominees their votes, when the inev-
liable result would be the defeat of not
only the Prohibition party. but also the
Republican candidates, and the success of
the Democratic party. To aid in the con-
summation of such a result would be a
singular way to show their devotion either
to the cause of temperance or the Repub-
lican party giving power to a party that
is opposed to both, and would use the in
fiuence emanating from success to crush
both temperance and Republcanism.
If we are not much mistaken in our es-
innate of the effects Of the Pittsburg
Convention, the Prohibition party will find
itself shorn of much of it's most sturdy
and useful strength in the course OF this
canvass, and at the close of it the cause it
is seeking to promote will be thrown back
a decade. To enter great national con-
test as the annex or tool of it's worst enc
my, and against it's proven friends, will
estrange from it many who believe in
temperate temperament rational meth
DDS to accomplish moral reforms but can.
not understand the reason OF philosophy of
doing positive evil that possible good
| might come.
We think a mistake has been made by
the friends of temperance, in entering at
this time into competition for the control
of the government. The contest, every
one knows, will be fruitless, as to practical
results for good. and inspire opposition
from source where cooperation might
be reasonably expected, were practical
plans instituted for the education of the
popular mind up to practical demands
The pulpit and the lecture room have &
great work to do, before the country will
| be ready for an issue such as the Pittsbure
Convention presents, if any good effect is
desired The sin of liquor drinking must
be impressed as well as that of Liquor
selling, and the harm of the one made as
prominent as the harm of the other
Teach men to abstain from using ardent
spirits and the task will be easy of arrest
| ing the traffic in them and until there is
reform in this respect, until there is ra
| tinna1 method in tho ponanc and ,ro