The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-08-28
THE ATTITUDE OF THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY TOWARDS PROHIBITION.

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THE ATTITUDE OF THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY TOWARDS PRoHIHITIoN.
If there is living Republican in this
country whose commanding talents,
ripe experience, and tried devotion to
the principles of his party, entitle his
opinions and statements to respect,
at least with Republicans, that
man is lanes G.. Blaine. When
the announcement therefore was re-
Gently made that he would open the
Gubernatorial campaign in Maine, it
was but natural that his speech should
be expected to furnish the Republican
keynote in every other state campaign.
Mr.. Blaine has spoken with his accus.
toned force and vigor, dealing with the
questions of the hour in a bold and
statesman like manner. But important
as his utterances are upon other public
questions, it was upon tine subject Of
Prohibition that his speech of Tuesday
was most anticipated, as calculated to
fix or at least to influence the attitude of
Republicans everywhere on this ques
ton. Mr.. Blaine tells US "that the Re-
publican party in Maine from the day
"of its organization has been pledged
''to Prohibition" and shows that its
success in that state is chiefly due to
the Republican party, ''enacting the
principal statute now in force in 1856 8,
"and since amending it, from year to
"year as the leading temperance men
"requested.'
"The changes he says ''to make it
"more effective, have averaged nearly
zone for every year since the original
claw was passed"
Now what palmer indication do
Cecil county Republicans who favor
Prohibition need of the policy they
should pursue, than the experience of
their party associates in Maine as re-
cited by Mr.. Blaine? They had at
first defective law and the Republi-
cans elected Legislatures pledged to
amend it from year to year, to render it
more effective. In other words the Re-
publicans OF Maine adopted Prohibition
as their settled policy. and as sentiment
year by year grew in its favor, they
from year to year strengthened their
Prohibtory law.
But the point we wish to emphasize
is the fact, that in all these years there
was no separate organization thought
necessary in that State to procure such
needed amendments. That the Repub-
hcan party in its organization, numbers,
and policy, met es'e1y demand Of tile
NEST adsanted Temperance thinkers
and 7o0JkcrS.
And SO it should be in Maryland and
in every other state. Let the Repub-
lican party as an organization, adopt
Prohibition as settled policy, declare
openly and aboveboard against Rum,
and the saloon influence, nominate men
ofrecognized character, and recognized
attitude on this question, and there can
be no possible need of Third Party"
to carry forward this reform. We be-
lieve this to be the proper policy for
Republicans to pursue, and we are glad
to be able to fortify our opinion by the
annexed able and timely letter, ad-
dressed to us by prominent and re-
spected Republican of this county:
MR. H. r. ToRBERr.
NJ Dear SV.-As the time is near
at hand when the Republican party in
this county must indicate it course for
the fall campaign and the future, l ask
leave, with your kind indulgence, to
state what in my opinion should be its
policy and what should be the course
of temperance Republicans in Cecil. |
am the more inclined to do so, because
| am not formulating ANYTHING new or
strange, but what l find, in private CON
versatlon, represents the position of the
great body of the party in our county.
We all know that the Republican
party, from its birth, has had the cour-
age, the intelligence, andthe conscience,
to deal directly and squarey with the
livirg issues of the day, until they have
been brought to settlement in the
public forum. 1t supported the Gov
eminent in the civil war 1t gave slavery
its death blow. 1t sustained the public
credit during the rebellion, and has al
ways been the staunch defender of
honest money, in the face of temptation
to listen to the appeals of demogouges.
1t gave the ransomed slave his ballot,
and guaranteed his rights. 1t has
favored a protective tariff, and all meas
ures which have in view the permanent
good of the people, however unpopu-
lar these measures may have been at
the time. The party had only to be
convinced that a measure 1t'aS r1eHf,
and that the time had arrived when it
might practically be supported. Having
in It's ranks the great mass OF the con-
scientious and intelligent voters of the
land, it was only to be expected that it
would always take advanced, positive
and unequivocal ground on public ques-
tons.
While these characteristics have been
prominent in the past they are not less
SO today.