Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-19
The st. John Party.

The proceedings of the convention at
Portland, addressed and led by exGov.
st. John of Kansas, professedly in the in
terest of temperance, differed but little
from efforts heretofore made in this State
to create a third party. The same peo-
pie and the same arguments have done
service in other conventions. Many were
honest, sincere temperance men and wo-
men. Some were of different character,
however, and actuated by other motives
than those which appeared on the surface.
OF the temperance workers and leaders
who placed prohibition among the
statutes of the State and in the consti-
tuition very few appear to have been in
the convention.
In the first resolution adopted by the
convention thanks are returned to the
''citizens of Maine. including the Wo-
mans Christian Temperance Union, who
have aided in securing the constitutional
prohibition of the liquor traffic, temper
ance textbooks in our schools, and such
laws against the sale of alcoholic beverages
as we now POSSESS" 1t is also stated in
the same resolution, after mentioning gen
erallv known facts to sustain it. that
"Mane may proudly claim to lead in this
reform and that she is quarter Of a GEN.
tury ahead of States which license this
gigantic orime.' If the convention had
desired to enunciate the whole truth in re-
gard to the progress of the temper
ance reform and the establishment
OF the prohibtory laws. it would have
been sed to announce that the credit
for these is due to the republican party.
Working through that organization, wise
" and persistently. the men who are en-
titled to the honor of leaders in the
achievements made for the temperance
cause IN Maine, brought about the results
which are mentioned in terms of praise by
the resolution to which we have referred.
Had they not done this. had they not
welded the power of the republican or
ganiza,ion in favor of temperance reform,
steadily and iudciously advancing as they
felt that public sentiment would sustain
them. Maine might not now be the lead
ing State of the Union in the temperance
cause, the one to which all others look for
an example worthy of imitation.
The leaders of the St. John party refer
to the anti slavery cause and its success.
apparently intending from this to find
encouragement for the formation OF
third party to promote the temperance
cause. These men have not read correct
ly t1e history of political events connect
ed with the war against slavery, or If they
have they represent it unfairly. The
ultra abolitionists. like Wendell Phillips,
never succeeded in rallying the abolition
sentiment of the country under their BAN
ner. 1t was to the leadership of Garrison,
to the craftsmanship of such men as Lin
coin and Seward, patiently working under
the constitution of the United States, and
through the organization of the republican
party, that the final success over human
slavery in this country was achieved and
the accursed institution abolished They
were denounced by their more hot-headed
brethren tor their utilization with the re-
publican party, but the result justified the
wisdom of their course, and their example
is one that other reformers may study
with profit.
The great body of the temperance men
Of the rill still vote with the party
W. Perham. Dingley and 9th
: been leaders in the temper