The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-08-29
Correspondence.
The Temperance Issue in This County.

i
your issue of August 10 appears an ar
ticle sigue by one "Suooks," wherein
he assails the movements of the inde-
pendent temperance party; or, as he is
pleased to designate il, the self styled
temperance party. He says, in conclu-
sion, that he expects to be called rum
my, etc. am really afraid that his ex-
pectatiOns will be realized, despite his
protestations that he is Il temperance
man. Certainly man who makes the
sweeping statement that we never have
had corrupt men to administer the at
fairs of the county places him in some
such category. Webster defines cor
rupt as "unsound.' We ask, in the
name of common sense, if "Snooks"
from the standpoint of temperance
man regards all the officers heretofore
chosen to administer the affairs of Adj
Olson county as sound men. We are
charged with leaving the great party of
reform, etc. So far as the local machin-
cry of the Republican party is concern
ed, it is true that we are separated from
it, not from choice, but fl ON necessity.
For we claim that the rum element
dominates and practically control the
party in this county. The disaflcction
is purely local; as one of our resolu-
tons expresses il, "having no reference
to State and national issues" Certain
Iy it is time that every temperance man
should declare his independence to this
extent, that, like the delegate from
Virginia, che carries his sovereignty
under his own hat"
| know that many of our friends con.
tend that the true way to correct the
evils now existing is through the regu-
lar machinery of the party, contesting
the matter in the primaries and in the
party conventions. General Neal Dow
ought to be authority upon this point.
He says that Sin political action temper
ance men must move independently"
But what a cabal of political alliance
presents itself in this county. There is
scarcely a town which has not its local
demagogue, looking sharply after the
caucuscs to see that the delegation is
all right. These are for the most part
INSCRIPTIONS men, and the means
which they employ are such as temper
ance men will not use. The tricks by
which caucuscs have been captured are
quite too numerous to mention. To
wrest power from established party
leaders is always stupendous under
taking. But even this were possible if
it were not for the fact that very many
Temperance men, for the hope of pro-
motion are in secret or or open cOIlu-
sion with the party leaders. The re-
sponsibility for the existing state of
things lies at their doors. For, beyond
all doubt, would the temperance men
but stand together they would consti-
tute majority. | say that the temper
ance voters constitute a majDrity. Will
any one contend for one moment that
they shape the policy of the Republic
can party in this county? Two years
ago some of the leading temperance
men united in a petition to the county
convention asking that they would put
in nomination such men as they could
consistently support. And what was
the response? A ticket which, aside
from the probate judges, did not have
a temperance man upon it. "Snooks'
says that Mr.. Hawkins is temperance
man from principle. If | am correctly
informed, his principles and his official
practice must widely diverge. | leave
those better Informed. "Snooks" saws
that "the peculiar tactics of the tenn
perance men defeated Mr.. Edrcdge. -
Now ] suppose it was through the pc
culiar tactics Of the the Christians that
Paul was beheadcd. And, in fact, the
long line of martyrs came to their end
through their peculiar tactics. But
what a confession is this; to acknowl-
edge that an assembly delegated and
entrusted to make nominations of off
GERS for the enforcement of law, to re-
| ject man of special fitness, simply be-
! cause he had been put in nomination by
n thoroughly respectable body Of tenn
perance men and to place in nomina-
ton man whose uniitness was so con.
spicuous as to raise a well-nigh univer-
sal protest from the people. What
must have been the makeup of such a
convention! Compare il, if you please,
with the convention which assembled
on June IL. Which convention repre-
sents The best elements of society? But
it now appears that Mr.. Eldredge's de-
feat was not due to any tactics of tenn
perance men, but to a settled purpose
to vindicate Mr.. Hawkins and teach
temperance people TO stop their grnmb.
ling no matter what kind of offices
were thrust upon them. AS for the
comparison of candidates which
"Snooks" has attempted, some things
might be said, but ! am determined to
avoid as far as possible any attack upon
any candidate. | will say this much,
hoWever,th that think should some of the
candidates on the regular ticket chance
to read "Snooks' article, they Will be
surprised to find what good temperance
men they are.
"SnoJks" quotes little scriptures,
see. Now this is no new thing in fact,
very many years ago the same thing
was done in very much the same spirit
for "Snooks," like one of old, while
quoting correctly, perverts the meaning
of the sacred word. And | might add
that the one of old still enjoys having
the Bible quoted while assaults upon
temperance men are attempted. lie
says "the walls of Jerusalem were
speedily rebuilt because every one bull
over against his own house" Now