West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1885-11-25
WARNING TO PROHIBITION
ISIS.

COMMUNICATIONS Out for a
Tricky Compromise High LII
cense the Probable Basis.
The fall elections are over. We
have not received the information
which enables us to give the exact
vote in the various States, but we
are authorized to say that while
the liquor parties have fallen off in
their vote this off year, the Prohi-
bition party vote has advanced
very largely, probably about 100
per cent,
When we bear in mind the dead.
ly opposition to our party, this
growth should be convincing that
the party is here to stay, and is
marching on to accomplish its
destiny. That we do not grow fas-
ter should not be a cause for sur
prise or regret. We advanced from
II $40 in 1880 to 1853, 12S in 1884,
and if the advance in the States
where elections occurred this year
is an indication, we have doubled
since last November; that is, there
is good reason to believe there are
to-day in this country two voters
who are prepared to make Prohibi.
ton the supreme political issue
where there was one year age.
The opposition TO Prohibition
will be overcome only when the
majority of the people are organic
ed to suppress the liquor traffic &C
cording to law. Any organization
of citizens to exert mere moral in
huence, or to use existing laws, we
count utterly inadequate. The law
must be made prohibitory, and the
executive must be in sympathy
with the prohibitory law. Hence
our constant appeal to all good citi-
zens to come ouS from the old liq-
uor parties into a new party, being
assured that when this issue really
becomes the dividing line, it will
be found that majority of the
American people in all the States
will see the need of Prohibition
party.
Our work for the the next few
months will be to extend our doc
trines through the press and the
platform, and by thorough organi-
cation. Every Prohibitionist
should seek to be associated with
some other Prohibitionists. If
there is no club, organize one; ten
cents sent to this headquarters will
secure the needed instructions and
material.
Our main and almost only dan
ger resides in the possibility that
some may yield to the seductions
of compromise. 1t is to be expected
that license, tax and regulation
will be urged as never before. The
Republican party is committed to
this policy. The alcoholists are
learning that neither tax nor high
license possesses any elements of
which they need be afraid. In thie
condition of things we must look
for the most vigorous efforts to plan
license legislation 80 as to satisfy
Prohibitionists. Against all such
efforts which look to an abandon
,nent, even for a moment, of our
demand for Prohibition, we must
set our faces like flint. We must
fight license whether high or low.
Between license of any sort and
Prohibition there is in impossible
gulf. Be not deceived by specious
sophism the Prohibitionists should
fight high license with just as much
energy as they fight ''free whisky"
Respectable rum selling, and high
license is no better than disreputa-
BILE rum-selling, and high license
is the edfectual way to make rum
selling respectable. We are enlist
ed to destroy the liquor traffic, not
to intreneh it in capital and legal
J. B. FINCH, Chairman.
TrTHTNs Tor Goo