Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-05-08


Democratic nominee for President, is a
hungry, lean-faced argument-a mere
anatomy that is being circulated with
ridiculous industry against Prohibition
lists in Local Option elections, and,
while we have infinite confidence in the
discrimination of Mississippi public,
yet we are not ignorant of the fact that
even mote has grown to irritate, when
it goes down the wrong way We there
fore beg to submit the subjoined article
as orthodox Prohibition sentiment and
cordially endorsed by the W. G. I. T..
THE TENNESSEE IDEA-LESS0NS FOR
PRoHIBrTIoNIsTs:
New York Tribune.
Two recent events which mark the
progress Of Prohibition sentiment are
eminently sifnifcant of the futility of
the third party doctrine which the Pro.
hibition organs so persistently preach.
The election in Rhode Island, involving
the adoption of the Prohibition Amend
ment to the State Constitution, showed
that the heavy vote cast for the amend
ment was brought ont by the snon-parti-
zan character of the Prohibition cam
paign. The leaders were wise enough to
sink all pretence of a third-party move
ment. Neither Republicans nor Dem
ocrats were solicited to transfer their
allegiance. Every argument was founded
on social and moral considerations; ey-
cry appeal was to the reason and con-
science qf the voter. not to his political
convictions. The Rhode Island press
concurs in asserting that it was the abb
scense of partizanship which carried the
amendment The question was prudent
y kept altogether apart from politics,
and the Woman's Christian I Temperance
Union contributed powerfully to impress
upon the voters the non partisan char
acter of the campaign Prohibition, as
the title of a party did not figure in the |
contest, and there can be no doubt that
the success of the movement against the
saloon is due to this.
The second recent event which has
the same significance for the Prohibi-
tionists is the passage BY the Maryland I
Legislature of the bill providing for the
introduction and use Of Temperance
textbooks in the public schools. At a
meeting Of the Maryland Temperance
League the chairman Of the Committee
on Temperance textbooks read re-
port of the work done before the Legis-
lature in securing the passage of the
bill, and therein showed that the sue
cess Of the effort was entirely due to the
character of the agitation
Here again the Woman's Christian
Union was foremost in the
labor, and the committee frankly ac-
knowledged that the triumph is theirs,
for without them. as two years ago, it
would have proved failure" The i'm
portance and scope of all this testimony
must be perceived at once. Here again
lhe agitation which, when conducted on
! third party basis, fails, is successful ,as
s freely admitted, only because the non
PARTISAN attitude is adopted. The Mary
and victory of the Prohibition measure. !
ike the Rhode Island victory, is ex-
)ected by the abandonment of the par a
isan position. Had the Maryland Pro- ]
libitionists gone to the Legislature as !,
bird party agitators, they admit them /
elves that they would have failed to get L
heir bill through They were sensible n
nough to perceive this; and 50 they
We recommend these pregnan n
les to the careful consideration OF the
Prohibition press all over the country.
hey are striking proofs of what can be
one by non partisan effort; and not less :
triking proofs of the necessity of sepa !
ating Prohibition agitation from parti-
anship, if it is to be made successful. !;
Ieither in Rhode Island nor in Mary :
md could the recent Prohibition enter
rises have been carried through on any
ther than a nom partisan basis. The
.hode Island Temperance people were
ldeed 50 far from realizing the strength
their new policy thai judging by the I
asst, they anticipated defeat. The truth
that in both cases they cast off fatal