The Republican journal., 1886-04-29
Open Letter to the Secretary of the Prohibition
Party Of Maine.

farty OF Maine.
n F. WooDBURY-Dear Sir: Your kind letter
of the 2ls inst in regard to organizing the Prohib
ition party i'll this county and 3rd Congressional
district lies before me- and wish to say to you in
this open letter, that my cry the temperance
platform has ever been: Up with the flag of pro
hibition and down with the liquor traffic. In the
past three years of my life, have Travelled hun
dreds of miles in the interest of temperance and
prohibition, and although the talk have made on
that subject may have been called by some FOLLY
and moonshine, yet am ready to say, believing as
do that prohibition is the only way that we can
rid this country from the infinite evils of the liquor
traffic, that will in the future, as have in the
past raise my voice for this cause which is near
my heart until the going down of the sun. But now
question arises how shall settle the great
cause of prohibition? Shall we try to settle it by
discussing it on non-partisan basis, rather
shall we try to eNterminate by making it a fixture
i'll national politics? would be filed with joy if
the topic of Constitutional Prohibition could be
lifted from the hot bed of politics, and frankly
say to you through the columns of paper which |
honor and respect, that think the Republican par
ty ought to permit the submission of this question
TO the people IN non-partisan way i'll every State
in this union.
am a Maine boy, having bcheld the light of day
forthe first time on her soil am proud Of her hills
and valleys; proud of her temperance record; and
while l am not Republican yet | will say that
that party has noble record on the temperance
question III our state, as it has in Kansas and Iowa
1t Is our duty as temperance to look at this
great question in Il candid manner and not speak
reproachfully of any man because he does not be
leye in third party prohibition. was sorry to see
that the learned Jervice q. Evens, ID. ID. i'll his
open letter to DIR. Daniel Dorchester lost command
OF himself enough to say, That the Republican
party was the first party i'll American politics that
had stopped so low As to indulge in burning in eff
gy the standard bearers of the Prohibition party
Mr.. Evens must have forgotten the eXcitable year
of 1860 when that great statesman Stephen A.
off tho
ers who split from the Old Democratic party and
the Republicans by plurality vote elected that
noble man whose memory is still fresh and green
Abraham Lincoln. There are men living to-day
whose hairs are gray who can well remember how
the old line Democrats of the North poured out
their walls of wrath against Douglas and how the
Old Bourbons of the south fairly peiied with rage.
The day will come when the white flag of tenn
perance will proudly wave over the dome of the
capital of our country with Constitutional Prohi-
bition inscribed upon it. Our triumph is only a
question of time, but say to you if we wish to
hasten that time it will not do for the third party
men to be too radical and accuse too many people
of carrying jug i'll one hand and Il temper
ancc tract in the other. Joseph Cook said in a
recent lecture in fremont Temple; Great is the
present hour III American politics for il is an era
of transition and new BIRTH If this be so, good
substantial reasons must be given to the people in
favor of the formation of a new political party to
advance the interests of Prohibition. | might give
reasons, which appear to have weight, in support
of the proposition that third party should be
formed; LIST. Prohibitory laws and constitutional
force them. 2nd. We pay out more money every
year for strong drink than for any other article in
this country. The $500 900, 900 that is wasted every
year for liquor would buy l50,00O,000 barrels of
flour at So or 36O00,000 suits of clothing at so OF
10000 houses at $1,000. And say that this ne
farious and destructive traffic in intoxicating Ii.
quors which requires am army of able bodied men
more numerous than the combined forces of the
Union and Confederate armies at any one time
during the of the rebellion can never be stop
ped except by prohibition.
The two political parties have not done what
they ought on the temperance question. The
Democratic party, as Il party, is in favor of free
ram as YOU know 1t was a liquor dealer thot
presented to the convention the name of David Il.
Hill who Is now Governor of New FORK. But do
not in this short letter propose to take issue with
the Republican or Democratic parties. In conclu-
sion will say that | will endeavor to meet You
and others who are interested in the welfare of
prohibition at the ElmWoud hotel ut Wateryilc,
May 5th. as was stated Perhaps we may not
agree as to the best way of settling this question
But let us continue to strife for humanity let us
continue to strike for God, home and native land
let us strike until we die and with Gods help and
womens help we will march ON to victory with the
flag of prohibition waving above our heads
Very truly, +. W. GOWEN.
Freedom, April %, 1886.
We received a few days ago a marked COPY Of
the Portland Herald containing a letter from MIR.
Woodbury., in relation to the holding of Prohibi-
ton conventions. He says the National Prohibition
party was necessity, but it must he supported by
state organizations, and the prohibition party of
Maine "will hold its state convention, adopt it,
governor, make congressional nominations, hold
county conventions, and make nominations in
every county where there are enough Prohibitions
lists to act together"
There Is room for a wide difference of opinion
as to the necessity for the National Prohibition
party; but as to practical results there hardly
be question. 1t ensured the triumph of the Dem
ocratic over the Republican party in 1854, and we
think that very few temperance men women
VIII count that gain for their And that
has been the usual result OF this third party
ment wherever attempted Votes thus cast are
either thrown away contribute to the success of
the Democracy. Here is 4 recent illustration:
Frederick f. Wheeler, chairman of the New
1ork State Prohibition Committee, ran for Mavor
at the late charter election in Albany The Albany
Journal gives the official figures Mayor AZ fol
lows Edward \. Drant, jr., r., S,9Sl; john Bvy,i
Thatcher, D. 1910; Frederick Wheeler, Pro. 10
Scattering, IA.
With all due Difference to the leaders of the
temperance movement we venture the opinion that
the true solution of the problem they struggling.
with will not be found in more, and more stringent
laws but in educating the public until sentiment
Is created that will sustain the laws wsnoW have,
which in Maine at least, should I've all sufficient.
This work the Good Tempars and other temper
ance organizations are now doing, while the JuNe-
nile Temples and temperance instruction in the
public schools are laying the ground work for new
generations of temperance workers who will be
better equipped than those who have proceeded
them.
The Republican party of Maine if fairly judged
by its record must be accepted as the temperance
party of Maine, and il third party movement can
only help the Democratic party, which is not and
does not profess to be, in favor of temperance.
Ed. journal.