The Republican journal., 1886-10-14
A Blast from. Bateman,

issue of last week there appeared commune
cation from the pen of Prof. f. W. Gowen,
together with an editorial criticising the same.
Prof. Governs article was ably written, and
was well calculated to raise him in the esteem
of all thoughtful people. While have no III
tention of taking up the cudgel in his behalf,
knowing him to be abundantly able to defend
himself, l must, however, crave your indul-
gence in replying to some portions of your
criticism of the Prohibition party. In common
with the great majority of our citizens, regard
less of party ties, l cannot but admire your
paper not only for the ability with which it is
conducted, but for its courteous and generous
treatment of political opponents. Staunch in
its devotion to Republican principles, its col
umns are ever open to all candid articles from
its political foes. With this knowledge and
fact in view, L have no fear as to the fate of
this and other articles that | may write you
from time to time. Now in regard to YOUR
editorial. If | have correctly interpreted the
burden of your song, it is that the Prohibition
party is acting in harmony and for the interests
of the Democracy Are you not aware that it
is the fate of all new and minority parties to
be accused of working in the interests of one
or the other of its political opponents: When
the Republican party was first started it had to
working against the Wing party and in the
interests of the Democracy. But it had a
noble object in view-the destruction of human
savery-and it pressed steadily on regardless
of all this clamor until its mission was accom-
plished Two years ago the Progressive AGE
yelled itself hoarSe in shouting against few
of US straight Greenbackers: 'You are work
ing in the interests of the Republican party"
Since then, for reasons which need not detail
here, the Greenback organization has been
given up, and few of us who stood up for
principle then are nov working in the ranks of
the Prohibition party. BY a strange irony of
fate the Republican Journal is now fast becom-
ing livid i'll the face shouting the familiar old
'chestnut:" ''Iou are working in the interests
of the Democracy" Here is the difference
'twiXt tweedle dee and tweedle dunn. The
1dct Is we are trying to work in the interest of
Prohibition entirely regardless of whose OK is
goaded IN the conflict our assumption that
the Republican party is the only and great
friend of temperance is entirely gratuitouS.
The Republicans are always ready to enact
statutes against the Saoon but with not the
slightest intention of enforcing them. The
Democrats are the open friends and advocates
of the rum shop, consequently their position is
frankness and simplicity itself. The Republic
cans while processing to he the champions of
the temperance cause are in reality its greatest
enemies because their position is one Of arrant
cowardice and hypocrisy. In proof of this |
point to the one fact that in the State at large
the Republican ticket received the loVal sup
port OF nearly the entire rum element in our
last election. The saloon men know that thcy
have got the Democrats any way. consequently
they coddle the Republicans. The only party
they fear j. the Prohibition organization. Cen
temen, don't tlatter yourselves that the Prohi-
biton party is doomed to an early death. If
So. you will have a rude awakening. And
right here let Il friend whisper one word into
the ear of the Journal BE careful how YOU
handle the Prohibition party. Every egg you
throw at Us will hatch out dozen Prohibition
chickens. Paper bullets never yet killed an
individual or party. You might just as well
face the fact that Prohibition has come into
american politics TO stay. 1t is the only party
in our country that is to-day growng-and
growing it is with uneXampled rapidity. You
will point to the Grcenback party and say:
That also had a sudden growth, but it as
suddenly died | admit the fact of its death,
but here the similarity ceases. | am as firm
believer to-day As | ever was in the princi-
pies Of the Greenback party. But we labor
ed under fatal disadvantages. The question
of finance is entirely too deep for the aver
age voter to thoroughly understand. We
might as well be frank in talking about this
matter. \ large portion of the voters of all
political parties don't have the slightest con-
ccption of what they are casting their bal
lots for. Principle has nothing to do with it.
They are Republicans or Democrats as the
case may be simply because that is the party
to Which they belong" y great tidal wave Of
ofilce-seeklng swept over our State bringing
thousands of these men into the Greenback
party. No political organization could stand
up under such q burden. The old ship went
down leaving nothing but Il few struggling
wrecks in the political waters around. With
the Prohibition party the case is entirely differ
ent. 1t requires no deep insight into the prin-
cipleS Of political economy to understand the
meaning OF a drunken husband. starving child
rem, and a ruined home. The Greenbacl party
appealed entirely to the iRtellect of man; the
Prohibition party appeals directly to the hearts
and conscience OF man and woman. DO YOU
fully comprehend the strength of this latter
fact: y party that has mothers sweet voice
in almost every family through Our broad land
praying for the success of its principles has a
source of power that no other party ever be-
fore possessed God bless the noble women
of America. 1t is to them, largely. that we
owe an inspiration that can never die. A
Good Templars Lodge in almost every town
and city, encouraged, supported and kept up
largely by women, is to be never failing nur-
sery TO supply Prohibition voters As well
might you attempt to stay the rolling pillows
OF the stormy deep is to stop the force of this
great tidal wave of reform that is soon to
break upon hostile shore. You say 'help Us
70 eject kepubilcah Congress and temperance
legislation would speedily become a law" We
have already helped to elect several Republican
Congresses bur what have they accomplished
in this direction: Established bar-rooms in
different portions of the Capitol for the con-
venience of their members, The L. 5. Senate
n pIIn
then i'll order to preserve its "dgnitv," its in
dlVldual members being too drunk to intc-
gently transact business. Cross the corridor to
the House of Representatives and it is COM
mon occurrence to see members staggering
around or being led into the cloak rooms bv
their more lucid colleagues. And vet these
men few months later are perambuating the
country telling their hearers what the grand
Old party is going to do for the cause of tenn
perancG! BAH Again, look at the manner
that politics are conducted in our own State to-
day. A man of ability and purity of character
has no chance whatever for political prefer
ment. None but time.seryeS and demagogueS
need apply. Both the old parties are entirely
under the dominance of ring rule. The legis-
lature of our State is almost wholly composed
of nobodies and nincompoops. The Democrats
make an nvariabie rule of selecting some dom
key for all their positions of trust. This they
do in order to catch some particular class of
votes-clther the Grange, the Grand Army, or
tiC lttpoIliiS ctIicIli NO Thought OF HtncSS
for the position is for a moment considered.
he Republicans make an invariable rule of
selecting for their positions of trust only such
men as are willing to bow down to the great
Mogul whom they all acknowledge as master
heneVer Blaine snecZes. every office holder
III Maine Is thrown into commissions. Blaine
Is the great luminary around which every true
member of the faith must revolve. The
Democrats are equally submissive under the
domination of ring rule They are not equally
as fortunate. however, in the character of their
chief The melancholy task of the social scen-
fist is to trace the evolution of Democracy
from the slums up to Brown, Brown, the
peddler of post offices and dispenser of federal
patronage. Alas poor Yorick! Poor Brown!
''You may waSh-you may scrub him as much
as you will,
But the scent of that count out will cling to
him STILL
If, perchance. by mistake. man of character
is nominated by either of the political parties,
the fiat goes forth from headquarters and the
unlucky victim is slaughtered at the polls
Take for example the action of the Democrats
in my own legislative class. Hon. Thomas NJ
Morrow was nominated as candidate for the
legislature. Although in strongly Democrat
lc district he was defeated by the treacherv of
his own party friends. For his successful op-
ponent | have the highest regard as gentle
man and a personal friend. But Thomas
NJ. Morrow l regard as one of the very abest
men that the County of Waldo has ever pro-
duced. With his politics have no sympathy
whatever: but | admire the character of the