Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1886-01-29
rs THE PROHIBITION PIRTY
DEMO1CR-ITIC sIDESHOW@

fe1efflnS 20 letter OF Hon. w L
Owens in the Prohibition Star make
the oft-quoted charge above. Now it
does seem to me that one must be
thoroughly blinded 10y party zeal if he
does not recognize the fact that the
Prohibition part numbers in its ranks
some of the most intelligent, progress
i've and conscientious men of the
country.
Mr.. Owens is perfectly able to speak
tor himself and needs no defense of
mine, but as prohibitionist | think
such wholesale charge ought not to
pass unchallcnged.
The prohibition party is in the field
and has come to stay. 1t proposes to
be permanent for it is founded on a
principle. When it was organized in
1872 no one thought it democratic
move as it was too small to attract the
attention Of hot-headed partisan. IL
1876 and 1880 it was yet too insignif
can't to merit any abuse from the politi
clans. In 1884, it had grown to such
proportions as to seriously threaten
the security of the Republican party.
This was the signal for a fierce on
slaught from the Republican politi-
clans.
Threats, bribes aud slander were re-
sorted to IN order to remove the omin-
GUS sign of defeat st. John although
a good enough Republican to be gov.
ernor of Kansas two terms and the
nominee for the third was decried,
villified and abused because he accepted
the nomination (although unsought)
OF the Prohibition party for President,
and exercised the right of any Amer
lean citizen. "Paid for with Demo
cratic money said the politicians
who were not capable of any higher
conceptions of principle and duty, than
those which usually governed them
selves. Who paid st. Johns cam.
paign expenses in Kentucky and other
southern states after the election was
all over? | suppose the Democratic
party was no more willing to profit by
the course of st. John than the Re-
publicans would have been to profit by
the Butler movement amongst the
tariff Democrats l doubt il some
Republicans are aware thatj the Pro-
hibitien Party had any existence till
st. Johns time We heard Repub-
lican not long ago state confidently
that he saw st. John helped into the
cars by four men. When pressed for
proof he admitted that he did not know
him, but was told by some one that it
was he. Such is a specimen of the
political SANDER SO common in our
day. A prominent New York Repub-
lican paper rehashed an old slander
the week before the election intended
to hurt st. Johns interests when it
was too late to reply.
Now sir, it is just such slander and
abuse that is opening the eyes and
changing the votes of thousands Of tenn
perance men IN the Republican party |
all oyer the land, but temperance men
are not all Republicans. In ten states
the Prohibition vote in 1885 amounted |
to more than the whole St. John vote
the year before. In Ohio alone 80, 900
votes were cast flr DR.. Leonard. The
Republican candidate was elected and |
it was admitted that as many Demo-
Gratis as Republicans voted the Prohi-
bition ticket thus giving the lie TO the
stale charge that it was run in the in
terests of the Democratic party.
1t is wonderful how virtuous some
of these same Republican papers have
become (notably the Oregonian) since
the Atlanta election. They see in the
Georgia campaign prospect of divid-
ing the Democratic party and of course
it is the proper thing, but in any Re
publican state prohibition is dangerous
and fanatical. We close with few
words from the noble senator from
Georgia Ex-Governor Colquitt.
cat this hour no living question can
as conceivabb melt Georgia and Iowa
into one glowing unit as can and may
this prohibition issue. If such a uni
tication can be realized, mere party
traditions will become as bagatelles and
the army of reform will advance with
shout. The politician who does not
see this is blind. The alarms of such
holy war have seldom sounded among
men.
Just little more of politlc,;.,, ;ntol
erancc, just little more Of party os- |
tracism, just a little more of lofty
sneering at 'fslatics,' just few more
tons OF party back slander of good men,
Just-a little more of whiskey, ring ag-
gress'on, and just forty rounds of CO.
gent facts may send thrill from Des.
Moines to Georgia that will infiame the
peoples Indignation and crystallize pro-