Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-09-23
The Verdict of True ProhibitiOnists.

| The Verdict OF True PrOhlbl1OnlStS.
The Maine election tells assistant Dem
ocrats that Prohibition voters, even in
Maine, the original Prohibition State,re-
fuse to be duped by their pretences,
and define to follow them in course
clearly hurtful to the cause they pretend
to serve. The men who have been cry
ing xiii the Republican party" can
learn from the returns that they have
taken the right course to kill the Prohi-
ionparty, and that nineteen-twenti-
eths of the Prohibition voters see the
fact. Messrs. Dow and st. John appeal
ed this year to 7O.7S3 voters who carried
the Prohibition amendment in Septem
ber, 1884. with only 22.S11 votes opposed
to it. Out of the 10000 they appear to
have about $500 to support their war
fare against the Republican party. 1t is
personally humiliating to them. because
they have boasted loudly, displayed a
most vicious temper, and called all the
wOl1u W WlGuOSo IuCll uColl uOtlOA VI IbO
Republican organization. The end is
that the Republican party prevails, and
by larger majority than usual in other
than Presidential years.
This does not mean that the voters of
Maine abandon Prohibition. 1t means
that they reject, as really hostile to Pro
hibition, the methods chosen by pretend
ed Prohibitionists 1t does not mean that
the 10000 voters of Maine approve
practical notification of PTehibitory
statutes. On the contrary, it means that
they rebuke Neal Dow for the unwar-
ranted assertion that those statutes are
practically nullifed. 1t does not mean
that real friends of temperance in Maine
care little for the cause; but they see
that the surest way to defeat it Is to
make it a paid ally of the rum-selling
party. The decision of the Prohibitions
lists of Maine is likely to have far-reach-
ing influence in other States. 1t shows
that there, where the practical benefits
of Prohibitory legislation have been
longest tried and are best known, an at.
tempt to put Prohibition in antagonism
to the Republican party results in loss
of nineteen-twentieths of the Prohibit
tion VOTES. 1t leaves pitiful minority
pretending to represent that cause, in
stead of the overwhelming majority of
three to one by which ihe amendment
was carried two years ago.
Ii the sincere Prohibitionists of New
York, New Jersey and other States give
this lesson the attention it deserves, they
will put an end to the third party move
ments which have no other object than
to aid the Democratic party at the ex-
pense of the temperance cause. They
will relegate Mr.. st. John, and other
hired emissaries, to the company of the
rl4n> sellers whose ends they serve, and
make it clear as daylight that honest
Prohibitionists do not intend to begin
by putting Democrats into power. Near
ly all the Republicans who believe in
Prohibition will be governed by the as
suranee that they cannot help that
cause by surrendering their convictions
on National questions, or by putting
the enemies of Prohibition into Office.
He who insists upon policy which puts
atwentieth of the PrOhibitionisIs against
nineteen wentieths should hereafter be
recognized as an enemy of the temper
ance cause.
The Republican party has not only
passed this crisis with success, but has
shown itself stronger than it was before
tlere was a State and Congressional
election in Maine, such as there has
been this year. Then, as now, the chief
interest of the election sprang from the
desire of some to kill off Mr.. Blaine, a
prominent Republican candidate, and
the determination of others to sustain
him. There was not then the EXETER
ment of Presidential election to call
out full vote, as there was not on
Monday last. The Congressional issue
was the same in both cases, and the anx-
iety of the opposition to pave the way
for Republican defeat gave to both
campaigns the same peculiar character.
Four years ago the Republicans had a
plurality of s,S72 votes, the Greenback
candidates having 1902 votes, and the
Prohibition vote being Insignificant.
This year, the Republican plurality ac-
cording to latest dispatches appears to
be fully $4,000; the entire vote is about
1000 less than it was years ago; the
Democrats and Greenbackers have lost
about 10000 and the Republicans about
1900; but $500 have been cast for a
Prohibition candidate. These 6gures
put the Maine result in its true light,
comparing State and Congressional
election, not in Presidential year, with
another of the same character, when the
same influences prevailed. If those who
hope to skill the Republican party" can
draw any comfort from the result, they
are quite welcome to it.-N. Y. Tribune.
The list of the dead by the Nickelt
Plate collision at Silver Greek foots up
nineteen.
The Republicans of Montana have
nominated Colonel Wilbur F. Sanders,
for delegate to Congress.