Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-31
The Lesson OF Wisdom Against Mis-
taken Partisanshir.

Fourth Ilfsfrtct-LAmBEkI BANDS.
The Lesson OF Wisdom Against Mis-
taken Partisanshir.
Every reader of history knows that a
huge proportion Of the mischief and folly
that have cursed the world aud hindered
benefcent reforms has resulted from the
unfortunate delusions of conscientious, we'll
meaning men in adopting unwise means for
the promotion Of a good end. ~ OhreT John
son.
The above are the words OF an able and
successful advocate Of reform for more
than half a century, an early and always
devoted friend OF Anti-Slavery In the
most trying years Of it, history. What
he says Is strikingly illustrated in the pro-
ceedngs OF the recent Woman's Christian
Temperance Union meeting in New York.
That organization represents great and
a sacred cause. 1t had It's origin in hui
name and conscientious sentiment. 1t
was not created for partisan ends nor to
be used az the instrument Of personal am
billions. For years 1t prosecuted success
fully its mission on the lines of Christian
charity and Of reforming effort, drawing
to its support members and fostering
sympathies from all parties and all sects.
Here was an association which was adj
mirably fitted to unite all the friends of
Temperance, excluding every thing calcu-
lated to distract, To divide aud to paraly2e
the energies and the hopes OF great and
beneficent reform. The growth Of the or
ganizaton was wonderful But in an
evil hour the spirit of faction, the ambi-
tons OF partisans, captured the national
organization In the autumn of 1884. II
was done In II very arbitrary manner, in
violation of the popular principles on
which it was originally based. Instead
of consulting the local Unions,
the State Unions, before this revolution
airy and impoltic step was taken, few
leaders, such members of the national or
ganization AS happened to be in session,
precipitatcd a coup d'etat as sumnarly as
a dictatorship ever assumed despotic pow
er. In this way the organization was
chained to the political wheels of the
Third Party, which in its ranks does not
include one tenth of the Temperance peo-
pie OF the land, Thus instead of standing
for the whole body of the Temperance
women of this country, with platform
broad and catholic enough for all, it has
become exceedingly arbitrary, bigoted
and exclusive So far rs its present national
managers are concerned. Nothing proves
this more strongly than the recent doings
of the Convention In New York. The
great State of Iowa, having one of the
strongest and most united bodies of TEN
perance women in the land, through its
State Union memoralized the National
Convention To dissolve its alliance with
the Third Party, and return to the original
non-p rtisau ground, on which the organ
ization had worked so successfully prior
10 the Fall OF 1854. This memorial was
not allowed to be read II was treated
with rs much contempt rs the old slave
holders In Congress used to treat Anti
Slavery petitions. And when Mrs. Fos-
ter, the President of the Iowa Union, de-
corously asked If the memorial could be
published, the presiding officer insolently
replied In the negative. The Temperance
women of Iowa, of Pennsylvania, and of
all sections of the country do not ask that
the organization shall favor the Republi-
can party, nor the Democratic party but
that IL shall be strictly christian and
moral union of all the friends of Temper.
ance, to the end to he able to make the
strongest possible onset against Internper-
ance and the Liquor Traffic. The Third
Party leaders have had much to say about
bossism in the two great parties of the
country. and there are certainly abuses
of that kind rhich deserve strong denun-
citation and point to the necessity of re-
form. But rarely have there been wit
messed in the conventions of the two
great parties such specimens of hossism,
such absolute disregard of American dem
ocratic principles and equality of rights,
~ characterized the recent proceedings of
the Woman's Christian Temperance | MON
Convention. 1t is true there was strong
aud respectable minority who bravely and
ably resisted these narrow partisan doiugs,
and what this minority accomplished in
dicates what 1t may do in the future. Ii
has the sympathy of vast majority of
the Temperance people of the United
States. 1t has in its hands the future
safety of the organization. The only pos
sible way to save 1t from disintegraton
and ACKNOWLEDGMENT is to bring it back
to Its original non-partisan policy, opening
its doors aud stretching out its hands
with equal cordiality and warmth to the
Temperance Democrats of the South aud
to the Temperance Republicans of the
North, allowing to each individual MEM
Der absolute conscientious freedom of
choice as to political party and sympa-
thies.