The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1886-07-14
ILLINOIS CHEER.
Brave Words from a Brave w. C..
T. q. on the Front Lines, In
the Western Field.

Your paper is a welcome guest
in my home. There is no need OF
an interpreting committee to un-
derstand that it "means business"
That is one of the missions OF q
prohibition paper to day. We
have passed the protoplasm stage
of existence-we have progressed
even beyond the intermediate state
of being, and have even outgrown
the name temperance and temper
ance people. Nothing short of Pro-
hibition, and Prohibitionists are
adequate to express what we mean,
when speaking of these questions.
You have good name for your
paper. "He is a freeman whom the
truth makes free; and all are
slaves beside"
The truth is what the people
want, but it is the mission of the
average political paper to blind and
mislead, by suppressing or mis-
stating the facts. Half Of the truth
is, sometimes, the basest kind OF
falsehood. But Prohibitionists
can congratulate themselves that
there are scores of Prohibition
newspapers that are crying aloud
and sparing not, and the people
will get the facts, even if the old
party papers suppress it. "Let
there be light" is one of our mot
toes.
Twas first convinced of the vic
tory in Rhode Island by the silence
of the papers. Politicians and Of
fce-seeker (these words are syn
onomousl feel that their success de-
ponds upon keeping the air so full
of smoke, and dust, and mud, that
the light of truth and reason will
be efectually obscured. The two
old parties, having no real issues
between them, seek to nurse and
keep alive all the bitterness posi-
BILE, lest the rank and file "break
ranks" and unite against COM
mon foe.
This, I believe, they will do, ere
long.
Such papers as The Freeman are
turning on the electric lights, j."
which shine with no uncertain
rays.
The predicted "set back" is mar
velous in its results. A few more
such would send a victory that
would call for the ''doxology in
long meter" at once.
l am glad that the W. G. T. U.
finds such an advocate in your pa
per.
Let me congratulate you upon
having mad Ex-Gov. St, John in
your locality. Kansas did better
than it planned, when, by it's
course, it gave the cause of Prohi-
bition in this country Gov. St.
John. He is wonderful power for
good, wherever he goes. Intemper-
ance blighted his early home. Ha-
tired of the liquor traffic was burned
into every fiber of his soul, by his
early experiences. When in the
Republican party, he said to me,
81 am a Prohibitionist before [ am
a Republican, and [ have cast my
last vote for party that is too coaO-
ardly to do right; and so when the
party made its choice in favor of
the dram-shops, ignoring the plead
ings of the homes of our land, he
cut loose from it. Hanging and eff
fgy burning do not kill him, nor
the cause he represents. He is a
welcome guest in hundreds of
homes that delight to honor him.
have nine prohibition papers
regularly, besides the many re-
cieve occasionally. This gives me
an opportunity to note the progress
of prohibition sentiment. There is
beautiful fighting all along the
lines" and Illinois, does not want
to be distanced by any other State
in zeal for our cause. We clasp
hands with all who say, "THE IL
CENsED DRAM-sHoP MUST CO." For
getting those things that are be-
hind, and reaching forth into those
things that are before, we press to-
ward the mark for the prize" our
land freed from the curse of rum, q