Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-26
FRYE AS A pRoHIBIrIoNIsT.
His Prediction of Blaino's Defeat-A
Leader of the Temperance Repubh-


His Prediction of Blaino's Defeat-A
Leader of the Temperance Republi-
cans.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Ex-senator Frye
has long been known to his party ascot
ates asa teetotaler, who was in hearty ac-
cord with the laws of his own State,
which had gwen a name to statutory pro-
hibltion. He is 3 Maine law mar through
and through, and though he does not
stand with senator Blair, IL favor
of national proh'bitory law, he
differs with Blair simply because he
believes that each State Ou2ht TO attend
TO it's own policing. Mr. Frye, though the
true SON Of a Federaist, is Democrat
enough to take that ground. With Blair,
Chace, and Plat OF his own party, ana
German, COlquitt. and Camden on the
other side, Frye has the support at least
OF five Senators who are teet0ialers them
selves and have always been anxious TO
have PROM bitory law in operation in the
capitol.
Mr.. Frye for some years has been dis
posed to believe that the Republican par
~ must take up the cause of prohibition
or sooner or later be dIsinteR ated, and
he is also disposed to believe that great
majority of The party is in favor Of abso-
while very considerable minority IN the
Democratic party is, in his opinion, SINH
larry disposed. A little over wear ago
met Mr.. Frye while he was stumping tor
Blame. He was not particularly hopeful
of the result and he said that be
had no doubt that if Blaine was defeated
it would be due to Republicans. asked
him whether he meant Mugw jumps, and
he replied contemptuously: mo" Then,
haG or hlnF Mt 40
perance or prohib ton vote. "And even
If il does not beat the Republican party
this year, it seems to me that the pronibi-
ton sentiment il going to grow very rap
idly, so that before very long the party
may be compelled to pay some heed to
it." | may not quote the Senator's exact
words, but the sense OF what he said is
accurately given.
OF course the large Prohibition vote
given to st. John in New York State cost
Mr.. Blaine the elect on, although various
other causes are more popularity associ-
ated with his defeat. But Prohibition
leaders in New York estimate that 10 per
cent. OF the tempera ce vote comes from
men who used to act with the Republican
party. 1t is quite likely that Mr.. Frye
has already obtained figures of the Pro-
hibition or temperance vote cast In the
elections OF last month. He has for some
y
making special efforts to get accurate
returns from all parts Of the country. The
dgures will show him a rather remarkable
confirmation of his belief in the con-
slant growth of the temperance
vote. For when we remember that
the past year has been a dull one
politically, and that there was in all
elections a great falling off in the vote, it
does seem to show that MIR. Frye has been
paying more attention TO this matter than
some Of his party friends, to learn that
his prediction has been verified almost
everywhere, and that the temperance
vote has increased. In New York State
there was an increase of about 20 per
cent. over the vote cast for ST.. John
year ago, while in Connecticut, where,
there being no general election, but only
one for the choice Of Assembly, the vote
was necessarily light, yet it ia found that
the prohibition vote increased nearly 100
per cent. over that of 1884, for not far
from 5000 prohibition votes were cast
1t would not be very surprising, before
long, il Mr.. Frye took a very much
more advanced step, and cOunselled the
adoption by bis party of the great temper
aDce reform movement.