The Indianapolis journal., 1885-09-24

Bishop Bowman Thinks tho Third Party Plar
Impracticable.

Milwaukee Letter in Chicago Inter Ocean.
Bishop Bowman, of the Methodist Church,
arrived in Milwaukee to-day on his way to attend
the Wisconsin conferences. He was rendered
reception by the Methodists Of the city at the
Grand-avenue Church tonight An hour before
the reception your correspondentcaled upon the
Bishop, at the house of prominent Methodist
ON the East Side, to get his views ON some
phases Of the temperance question which have
in Milwaukee. and elsewhere in the State among
Methodists. given rise to considerable discus.
sion The venerable minister, when the subject
was broached, seemed disposed rather to talk of
the temperance question in general way. II
am Prohibitionist. as suppose you know he
said. II believe in prohibition. and I have all
my life, but doubt the wisdom of trying to
build up third party on the issue; and pre-
sumo you have read Bishop MerriIl's letter on the
subject published in the Inter Ocean some
weeks ago. Well. that letter about expresses my
sentiments / think Bishop Merrill presented
the case in very strong manner. agree with
him fully that it does not appear wise to make
this matter of prohibition party issue; not yet,
anyway. But have respect for the opinions Of
those who differ from me on this point, as many
Of our people do. They are honest in their belief
that it is the most practical way to advance or
create prohibition sentiment. I think, however,
that instead of advancing the cause in their cam
paign of last fall, they succeeded in nothing ex-
cept making it troublesome for the other parties.
There is DR.. Leonard. of Ohio, who is the candi-
date Of the Proh bitionists for Governor. He Ia
a very dear friend of mine. I have been ac-
quainted with him these many years, and know
him to be an honest fearless man, but think
he is making great mistake; st least, know
that if had been in his place / never would
have allowed myself to become a candidate I
remember when the war upon US they
wanted me to run for Congress. but l said no,
for when go to Congress 1 resign my parch-
ment If God calls me to 60 to Congress, then
he calls me to give up the pulpit But DIR.
Leonard takes different view Of the matter, as
he is privileged to-
When asked what practical plan he had to
suggest as Prohibitionist whereby the prohibi-
tion sentiment could be better cultivated than
by the means Of a political party, the Bishop re-
piled: II am in favor of having the work
done locally first; don't try to make it national
question at once. Let prohibitionists work and
talk to get good men in existing parties elected
to office; gradually work up to o local prohibi.
tion sentiment: try and elect men to the Legis-
lature who are in favor of local option laws.
There are many different ways more practicable,
think, than the third-party plan The third
party people talk to us great deal, you know,
about the work done before the war by the rad.
ical third party element. But have my doubts
about the ante-bellum third-par movement
ever having much to do with the final abolish
ment OF slavery. / remember how it defeated
Henry Clay. one of the strongest antislavery
men among the influential men of his day. for
the presidency, bnt that did not help on the
cause, am inclined to think"
the stand taken by the Rev Olin Curtis, one of
the leading Methodist preachers in Milwaukee,
prior to last weeks election had created a Juror
among MetLodists, as well as elsewhere, his in
depreciation of the position taken by the Meth
odist Church on the license question would be OF
interest well, as l understand it" he replied,
''the question ia Milwaukee is not whether you
would have license license, but whether
you would leave the license whore it is or in
crease it. IL had been citizen of Milwaukee
would have had 20 trouble in deciding what to
do. / would have voted to raise the license
That particular point has never come up before
the General Conference but personally would
do as have said; it is a matter upon which
man must use his own judgment. and even in
regard to the question of voting for license or nc
license, though the General Conference has dc.
clared the church TO be unalterably opposed to
all laws legalizing the liquor traffic. yet members
are free to use their private judgment, This. I've
been told is the way the matter was stated by
Brother Curtis. Personally he felt that he could
be consistent and only so in refusing to vote at
all, but others nj ght feel that they could con-
sistently vote, and 80 opinion is divided"
The bishop stated during the conversation that
he had recently been in Iowa and from all he
could gather the prohibition law was being well
enforced there, except in the larger cities, where
public sentiment had not yet reached the point
where it demanded obedience to the laws.