The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-11-11
COLOR LINE BROKEN.
PROHIBITION PLAYS HOB WITH
SOUTHERN PARTY LINES.
An Attack on the Liquor Business II
Atlanta Makes Strange Political Bed
fellows Prominent Republicans
and Democrats ~ AlIiea.

CHICAGO, Nov. 1.-THE Times special
from Atlanta. Ga, says: This city is in q
Hare or excitement over the prohibition
question, which has become the sole topic OF
CONVEX ation. Hotels churches and private
houses all are turned into theatres for
the discussion of the great problem
whether the sale Of liquor should be
suppressed in the city. The streets
are nightly paraded by professions
headed by brass bands; Democrats salute
fellow workers of color as .brother;" women
are holding prayer meetings for the success
OF prohibition, and all distinction between
Democrat and Republican has been for the
moment forgotten. All this has been
brought about through an order for an
election, to be held on the 25th inst, on a
proposition to suppress the sale of liquor in
this city.
This campaign to add the capital city OF
Tile state and the most noted city in the
south to the prohibition column is the out
growth of local option, which has been very
successful i'll ths country and smaller
towns.
Thi, prepared the way for an attack upon
the large cities, and Atlanta was cho en-
the battle ground. A petition signed by
$500 registered voters requested that All
election be ordered, which being the mum.
Der required by law, was it duly ordered
by w. l.. Calhoun. the ordinary OF
Fulton county. At once the most remark
able canvass ever known in the south was
opened. White Democrats suddenly began
to affiliate with negroes, and their own
churches were neglected in order that they
might stand around the colored pulpits and
drink in the arguments for prohibit
ton which fell from the lips Of Elder
Gaines. The colored man found himself
not only invited to vote, but encouraged
and cajoled to exercise his ~Godgiven
right" The white pulpits too opened fire.
Rev. DR.. Hawthorne, Baptist; Rev. DIR.
Kendall, Methodist. and Rev. Sam Jones.
general skirmisher, with Sam Small de-
ployed out to the 'front.' made music in the
air. The business men, alarmed lest 81, 500 0OO
of business property should be confiacated
by the passage Of the prohibition law,
aroused to action and organized meetings
at which tho colored brother was
petted and fattered. Thus one of
the first Prohibition meetings was ad-
dressed by the notorious John L. Bry-
ant, ex-United States marshal, the best
hated man in Georgia, and the first Anti
Prohibition meeting was addressed by OK
Gov Rufus b. Bullock. In the meetings
held by both parties the colored man is not
askel to sit on one side or in the rear, but
i, led up in triumph to the front. where his
color rs we'll as his vote will do the most
sooi.
But students of lifo sse beyond all this.
Here are the pre- JUDGES Of race swept away,
tho barriers OF party broken Republicans
and Democrats, whites and blacks, all
thrown together and mixed up in such
way that it would seem impossible ever to
got thom untanged. In the breaking up
tho party and the oolor-line trouble for
tho future is seen. WIN not The al
lnees thus formed, and the animosities
thus engeniered, extend into general
politics, not only OF Georgia, but Of the
south. The Prohibitionists have made the
'cl'citng of negro votes respectable; AMI
tho encouragement to vote So given the
the negroes will not DO without its effect
hereafter.