The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-07-18
THE COMING CONTEST.

Let the measures adopted be wisely adapted
to the exigencies of the situation. Merely to
hit hard ticks amounts to but little unless they
are SO directed as to render them effective
One thing is settled in advance, and ought to
be recognized as cardinal fact to be dealt
with in the contest, viz: Either Blaine or
Cleveland will be elected in November Meth
er Prohibitionists nor any other class of re-
formers nor yet all combined, either will or
can prevent this. That such is a fact may
not be hopeful element IN the political stu
alton. Nevertheless, no careful, competent
4 observer of events does or can doubt that such
will be the outcome. Hence all our plans and
measures should be adjusted to this view of the
situation.
/ Another fact is equally we'll established and
! entitled to weighty consideration, and that is
that not only in the coming election, but at
no time in the future will prohibition be sue
cessful in general election until that sue
+ cess is secured through one of the two leading
political parties. All the history of the past
teaches this lesson conclusively. And as both
the past attitude of the Democratic party and
its present platform preclude all hope of help
from that quarter, the vital question for Pro-
hibitionists to settle is how to deal with the
Republican party. 1t now occupies the
anomalous position of having drawn into its
ranks a large majority of the reform element
of the country and then planting itself square
ly across the path of the chief reforms sought
by the people. The reform voters of the land
owe it to themselves and to the measures they
seek to inaugurate to SO WELD their voting
power as to compel this old party of reform
either to adjust its measures to the reforms
demanded by the people, or quit the field and
get out of the way.
All that can be done in the coming contest
is to clear the field for future success. This
can only be done by the defeat of this reform
party that now stands squarely arrayed
against reform. And as such defeat may
leave an open field for new occupant, the
Prohibition party should proceed with the ut
most caution and thereby draw to its ranks
such numbers of reform voters as will render
this result certain. In order to this great care
should be taken in the selection of candidates
to head the ticket. And especially let such
issues as will divide Prohibitionists be avoid
ed. No practical result can be reached except
by q consolidation of the Prohibition vote,
and this can only be secured by placing able
and popular candidates upon platform from
which all planks are eliminated which would
repel Prohibition voters Female suffrage in
wolves large and important question, but
the plea that the votes of women are needful
to the success of prohibition is fallacious. The
whiskey men are as solidly arrayed against
female suffrage as they are against prohibi-
ton.
In view of this, and the additional fact that
.Prohibitonists are divided on the subject, it
is clear the latter can be sooner and more
easily obtained than the former. Indeed it is
safe to venture the prediction that female
suffrage will never be secured until the rum
power is overthrown, and, besides. each of
these involves an issue of vast magnitude and
Importance that should and must be fought
out on its own merits To connect either
with the other is to hamper and hinder it, 1t
is matter of vital Importance that the Pitts
burg Convention shall select as candidates
men who are both able and popular and place
them on the single issue of prohibition. Let
this be done and then let the results take care
of themselves. G.. r. SNYDER.