Morning journal and courier., 1884-09-01
A SENSIBLE PROHIBITTONIST,

Many good people have been grieved by the lack of wisdom displayed by the prohibi- tionists in their political action in this and other States. With what has looked like strange perversity they have done all they could to help their natural enemies the Dem ocrats. Many of them are going to do the same thing this year, but we are glad to see indications that some of them understand the situation. Thus, Judge Crosby, of Low ell, Massachusetts, one of the ablest and most devoted temperance advocates in the State, has written letter urging friends of temperance everywhere to vote the Republi- can ticket. He fears that the cause will suffer in the general breaking up of parties and the formation of half a dozen smaller parties in place of the two large ones. The tenn perance party and especially the prohibition ists have been mostly Republicans in princi- pie, but have been divided upon the method of procuring law. But the Democrats are constant menace to the interests of tenn perance, and Judge Crosby fears that the prohibitory ballot may do infinite harm and cannot do any good by throwing the power into the hands of Democrats. Every ballot taken from the Republican side and given to St. John will count two for Cleveland, and may overcome small majorities in doubtful districts, ''so as to give electoral majorities to make Democratic President Democratic senators and representatives, and thus inau- gurate Democratic administration, of all things in this world the worst which could happen to the cause in Massachusetts, in all other States and in the world"
 Judge Crosby sees that there is not much hope of lessening the evils of rum by so voting that the vote will be counted for the Democratic party. He adds: Rum now con trols the Democratic party in interest, faith and practise; it is king, as in also the Butler wing of it, so far as temperance is involved, while the Republicans are strongly with us in general sympathy, and have been in the past by legislative protection, while the In dependents have hobbies of their own, but do not adopt temperance. It is necessary foI us as wise philanthrophists to seek aid from those most amiable and congenial to cooper ate with us, and with whom we can best tions of Democratic rum rule in our villages and cities we should take warning of nation 1 al results in the whole country, when filled 1 with grog shops, almshouses and prisons Rum rule wherever rampant introduces the | lowest heathenism in domestic cruelties, ig
 norance, poverty and crime. Our great fight
 is against alcoholism and our next is against I the party which sustains it. Let not tenn perance man vote in the dark or in doubt; ii
 he knows one way is better than any othe1
 for his cause in the long struggle to banist
 rum, let him vote and stand up till his vott
 is placed in the right box for temperance ant 1 the law.
 1 This is sensible. While the Republican party does not maintain just that attitude 1 towards the traffic in intoxicating liquors 1 which the prohibitionists do it, is the only party that has shown any disposition to hell
 in the temperance reform. It is entitled tt 1 the thanks of the prohibitionists, to say tn, least, for what it has done.