Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-06
RIM AND THE G. O. p.
Crank Blair Enlightens Us About Anti
Saloon Republicans.

Crank Blair Enlightens Us About Anti
Saloon Republicans.
New YORK, December 5.-The alarm
that ProhibitiOnists have given the Repub-
lican leaders has crystalized in the Anti
Saloon Republican movement. The
Anti-Saloonists of this State had q con-
yention at Cortland the other day and
perfected State organization. One OF the
outsiders who came in and helped to
organize it was Senator Henry w. Blair, of
New Hampshire. Blair is known as
q mild sort of Republican crank. He
does not hesitate TO ayow himself crank,
and not long ago told me that he was per-
(ectly aware that his education bill was
championed by any one else than himself,
or had any other name attached to it but
his. il would stand double it's present
chance of getting through Congress. Blair
is a red-hOt ProhibitiOnist, but still Re
publican of the strongest type. He was
here to-day on his way to Washing
ton, and got talk with him about the
movement. He told me first something of
its origin, saving: The Republican
press was educated for number Of years
10 aIlude to the PrOhibitiOnISts as fools
and leather-headed cranks. They were
ridiculed at all points. They were term
ed niunies and nincompoOps. But the
third party movement continued to grow,
and in 1854 it lost us
President. There were
other causes, but this one was as potent as
apy. 1t was only after his defeat that the
leaders of the party began to see that 1t
WAS something that needed attention, and
copld NO longer be ridieuled and kept in
the background. IL was then that this
man Albert Griffin came IN from Kansas
with his scheme for hn anti-SalOOn Repub-
liean meeting. MenEke Plumb and Allison
and Window and others who had discov-
cred in theProhibition growth q demand
for some kind of an offset encouraged Grif-
fms movement They had found out that
II WAS not so much the Prohl-
bitionists as themselves who were leather
heads. In this State the organization has
been seperated from Grifin'S movement,
and stands independent - State organl-
zation only. That seems to be wise. IT
leaves every tub to stand on its own bot
tom. But the main fact stands out that
the Republicans intend to move within
the marty to secure temperance legislation
and reform in the liquor traffic. )"
'sYou mean that this movement Is Re
publican Prohibition side-show, then?'
asked.
'"The man who thinks it is a mere catch
psnny device to keep Republicans from
going over to the PrOhibitionists Is mis-
taken. 1t may, sud possibly will, have
that effect. But the men who are en-
gagged in it have higher aims and purposes,
and are men who have the courage to stand
by their guns. They believe that they are
ths Republican party itself. They be-
lievs that the majority Of the Republican
party is ON the side of antagOniSm to the
rum trade. They are going to fight inside
the party to bring the party As whole to
that standard. They will not be kicked
ont of the party. They will not asked to
have anybody else kicked out, They will,
on the contrary, ask everybody to stay in.
They will ask everybody that has gone
out through fear that this organization is
being controlled in the liquor interest to
come back and help the Temperance interest