Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-09-25
why the ProhI6Itionist Persist.

Chicago Herald
Two yeans ago 1O,O48,O61 votes were
cast IN the presidential election. OF these
but 151, 809, OF Isl per cent. were cast
for the avOWediy prohibition candidate
st. John. There was not strength
enough in the movement to elect single
congressman, yet, insignificant as these
figures may appear absolutely, relatively
they assume commanding importance
Cast for Blaine they would have elected
him. The percentage Of Cle7eland's
vote was 48 81, of Blaine's 1926. In
New York, where CIeveland's plurality
was but LOAF, St. John had 25,OO1
votes. That was the highest number
cast for hin by any state. Michigan
was next with S,4O3, Pennsylvania fol-
lows with 1871, Illinois comes next
with 12,OO5, Ohio follows closely with
II, 1853, Wisconsin gave 1856. This,
however, fails to represent the full
strength Of prohibition sentiment, for in
three states Of the union, Maine, Kan
sas, and Iowa, the republican party has
accepted and adopted the peculiar tenet
Of the prOhibitiOnist, and in party con
Ventions this fall stands in each of the
states sturdily by its work.
Mr.. Blaine is VeXed into vituperative
remarks because the republican party of
Maine having enacted every law asked
by the prOhibi6Onists, and having IN the
present campaign explicitly renewed its
expression Of faith in prohibition, the
prOhibiiOnists should persist in the
maintenance OF their organization to the
great annoyance and possible defeat of
Mr.. Blaine's party ID that state.
Such a course has an ungraciOus ap-
pearance if the comprehensiveness Of the
prOhibitOry programmes not considered.
When the declared design is to make pro
hibitiOn a burning national question the
abandonment of organization in Maine,
Iowa, or Kansas, those states which have
accepted the dogma would be a fatal tacti-
cal error. There was no slavery in Maine
or Massachusetts, yet both persisted In
their abolition organization and agitation
until all the negro slavery in the union dis
appeared. If in every state in the union
Mr.. Blaine viii be as ardently a prohibi-
ZIONIST as he is In Maine; If Senator Fry
can induce the republican party to shout
der prohibition; If with perfect sincerity
the republican party Of the nation viii
assume to do for the United States what
it has done for Maine, Iowa, and Kansas, /
the continued existence of the prohibition
party would be an impertineuce. But
Mr.. Blaine is a prOhibitiOnist only In
Maine, and the prohibition movement has
not made as yet, any serious impression /
in the greater body of the states. If it
is to progress and flourish it must have
its propaganda In the states it has al !
ready convinced, and it cannot accept |
Mr.. Blaine for its guide, philosopher, and |
friend until it hears him announce upon |
the shores Of Lake Michigan with as
much clearness and directness as upon |
the banks Of Seb8go his unqualified sup |
port Of the proposition that the whole /
bition movement. That is why st. John, |
despite Of calumny, persists in agitation
and is now en- route to Maine to encOur- /
age the maintenance Of the prohibition 4
party there as a stay for its operations /
elsewhere. If the republican party /
viii adopt prohibition the /
are with the republicans /
Just as the abOlibOnists became repubi-
cans when the inezOrablem march Of events
made the republican party the abolition
party. If the republicans anywhere re-
Euse to accept them they are against the
everywhere. This is unpieas-
ant for the politicians, but the prOhi-
0itonists are labOring for the triumph of
an idea and Will not succumb by the
Wayside because some politicians are
3ngered by Interference with their own
plans. All virile agitation is necessarily
No agitation was ever sup
pressed by the use Of ePithet.