The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1888-08-22
SPLITTING THE PARTIES.
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS COM
ING TO THE PROHIBITION PARTY.

NeY York Calls to Missouri-Texas Echoes
1t Back to New Hampshire-The Press
Declaring for Prohibition-The Break
Has Come and Our Ranks Filling Are Up.
One of the most significant facts of the
present political situation is that fur
nished in the great number of prominent
business and professional men who are
today leaving the Republican and Demo
graft parties and openingly pledging
fealt TO the cause and party Of Prohibf.
ton This is Significant because it evi-
dences the further fact of the hopeless
GssS Of further effort to secure effective
aet!5n against the saloon by either of
those parties; and that the sincere and
patriotic men of the north and of the
south who have long sought relief in
those rum infected organizations now
realize that fact. When within brief
space of time such men as w. B. Marvin,
Of New York. manufacturer of the famous
safes that bear his name, and Rev Geo.
G. Lorimer, D. D., foremost Baptist
divine in Chicago, accompanied by de-
voted workers for temperance like Capt.
Dan Shields and Ben Deering, of Missouri,
and scores of no less worthy lovers Of the
home from nearly as many states break
away from old political alliances and come
into earnest fraternity with us, it means
something. But not only is the break
apparent among thoughtful individuals
rs such, but many newspapers have re-
pudiated their former party preferences
and come out strong and clear for Fisk
and Brooks and the platform on which
they stand. We give below interviews,
letters and excerpts from many of these
men and papers. AS Horace Greeley once
said, ''They make mighty interesting
reading"
Mr.. w B. Marvin, president of the
Marvin Safe company said to Voice re-
porter
cam l going to support Gen. Fisk?
Well, it looks very much that way.
haven't any reasons, but have reason
The reason that | am going to vote for
Gen Fisk is, that want prohibition. l
am not much of politician, but it seems
to me that the only way for man to get
what he wants is to vote for it. | believe
that if all the people in this country who
want the prohibition of the liquor 4ratfic
Would vote for it, we could and would
have it, | haven't the slightest doubt
Of this. The abolition of the dram shop
would be the greatest blessing both
to the laboring men and to their en-
ployers. Take it from the standpoint of
the employer. We have here more than
300 men. On Mondays and after holidays
one-tenth of these men on an average
can't work because they were drunk the
day before. We can put no dependence
on drinking man. We allow no liquor
in our shops, but the men haven't far to
go for it. | believe there is no employer
anywhere but will say that liquor is an
outrageous curse Then look at the in
jury the traffic inflicts ON the working
man 1t impairs his skill 1t DESTROYS
him physically. 1t keeps him poor. On
an average ten per cent. of the wages we
pay out is spent for drink. That estimate
is certainly low enough our foreman says
it ought to be twice as much. Numbers
of our men spend much larger proper
ton of their wages for drink There are
men who squander their earnings at the
saloon and then come to us to help their
families, when we know that if they had
kept sober they need have asked help
from no one.
IF we could get the rum shops out of
New York city we would almost think
that heaven had come down to earth 1t
may be some time before that time comes,
pIG IL Will come IL we only keep working
in that direction. AS l said before, | am
no politician; this is the longest prohibit
ton speech | have ever made, but | do
what [ can in talking to those about me.
think it is very effective method of
work"
"Do you think, Mr. Marvin queried
the reporter, E'that the tariff question is of
sufficient Importance to keep any one who
wants prohibition from voting for Gen.
Fisk"
"No, sir; not at all No Prohibitionist
should let that scare him. In my opinion
that tariff question is mere bugaboo, q
mere battle cry. Practically it makes
very little difference which of the two
old parties gets into power next fall. If
the Democrats succeed they won't dare to
make any radical tariff changes, nor
would the Republicans dare to if they re
turned to power For my part | think
we will have free trade in this country
within fifty years. We are facing in that
direction, but at present it would ruin
thousands of our people. There are very
few Americans who are in favor of it."
Rev. DR.. George c. Lorimer, the dis
tinguished Baptist clergyman of Chicago,
and one of the most prominent temper
ance Republicans in the country, predicts
that g larger Prohibition vote viii be
polled next fall than has ever been cast
yet, because the people are weary Of the
dilatory movements of the old parties, and
are determined to enter their protest
against the corruptiOn of the + .1eg