The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1888-01-25
rs TT WISE TO HAVE A PRO
HIBITION PARTY
Tome. Let US Reason Together.
En1ToR FREEMAN:

have read with deep interest
LII I have seen with regard to the
edvisability OF having a" third :"
r. Prohibition party, and it seems
f. me there are few thoughts on
fbe subject which ] have not seen,
fhat gu ht to be said.
/ The Amendment will be carried
kr lost. If lost, we want prohibi.
fion enacted by the Legislature. In
Either event, we want majority
NJ the Legislature to enact suitable
LEGISLATION, a Governor who will
ion proper bills, and veto improp
[r ones, Judges and Prosecuting
a ttorneys to enforce the same.
Then, in any event, the election
HI officers is vital question in this
fampaign. To get all these we
hust first nominate and then elect
f. right men. Prohibitionists,
kartisan or non-partisan, will agree
Ia this. So far, then, we are all to-
neither. Now, let US see .r
WHERE WE DIFFER.
q Third party prohibitionists think
That liquor men cannot be trusted
IL nominate proper men to enact
Ind enforce prohibition. There
&ore, they propose to stand aloof
rom them in selecting the men
8hey propose to vote for, and IN Or
Der to do this they propose to sepa-
hate themselves from them, and to
Invite none but prohibitionists in
L. their counsels. If they do this,
III course they will be a distinct
party and provoke much opposi-
zion.
The non partisan prohibitionists
propose to provide more effective
8lan. If | am not mistaken their
6lan is this: Not to disturb the
friendly party relations of the anti
prohibitionists, but to rally their
temperance forces and try to out
Aumber the "antis" in their respec-
hive party conventions:
q FIRST. To get an endorsement of
8the Amendment.
4 Second. To nominate only true
friends of Temperate to fill the Off
ices, or at least the important ones.
j Third. Failing in both the fore
going, to vote for candidates of the
#opposite party who are true friends
#of temperance.
AS the latter plan is more in
volved than the former, | will d.
rect some thoughts to it. / take
#it for granted that the leaders of
both parties will avoid taking
aground that would give mortal
#otense to either side, and especially
ito the liquor side SO as to drive it
Pin body over to the enemy. Then
the conditions will be as favorable
Ps it is possible to be for the non
partisan plan. The first thought
desire to express is
is 1T RIGHT rr~sE ri
to go into convention with the IL
huor men, with a tacit if not an
express understanding, that the
candidates nominated in that con-
Rention are the candidates of the
party and will be supported by
every mem Der of the convention,
fnd then, if they or any of them
fhould happen to be anti-prohibi-
flonists, go back on" the under
Standing and try to defeat them and
Fleet their political enemies2
ask any party man who has
Rny conscience if such a course
which they cody and deliberately
propose to US is not
MORAL AND POLITICAL TREASON
70 party, and to principle?
But, let US look ! little farther.
Nv hat objection has an old party
prohlbitionist to leaving a party
hat does not represent his views
Pm temperance? Is it not that the
party has other important political
principles in which he believes,
Pno Is not ready to surrender for
the sake of this one principle of
temperance? Then if he cannot
furrender these other principles
INCH are peculiar to his party, to
ON a third party, which though