St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-09-06
GEN. FISK IN ST. JOHNsBURY.
The biggest Rally of the Campaign
Able Arguments from Able Men.

The Bisgest Rally of the Campaign
Able Arguments from Able Men.
The prohibitiOnists have every rea-
son to congratulate themselves on their
rally Saturday as to the size of the au-
dience, the amount of enthusi asm and
the ability of the speakers. Music hall
has not held such crowd in this cam
paign as gathered there on Saturday
night and sometimes the applause was
prolonged and then taken up again be-
fore the speaker could go on. The
trains brought quite a number from
all points of the compass, and Gen.
Fisk arrived at 7.30 by special train
from johnson where waslout had
stopped the regular train.
The meeting was called to order by
w. P. Stafford, Esq, and prayer offer
ed by Rev. T. P. Frost. Mr.. Stafford
then addressed the meeting as follows:
The temperance question has been
discussed for the last so years yet dur
ing the last few years it would have
been impossible to get a corporaPs
guard into this hall to hear this ques-
tiOn debated. You are here tonight
because the destinies of a nation turn
on this question. 1t has become po-
litical question thrust at last by the
tyranny of the rum power into the po-
litical arena. That this question is
a political question cannot be doubt
ed by any one who considers the
ballot box the ark of our covenant
1,~ ~f
ulatiOn, One-fOurth foreign born, cen
treing in our cities. The cities con-
troll every national election the sa-
looms are in the hands of the dema-
gOgues the country is ruled today by
the saloons.
The temperance question is a ma
tional political question of sufficient
Importance for the republican party to
say at Chicago: "The temperance
question is the first concern of a good
government" Our question is ''Where
shall we put our votes upon this ques-
tiOn 2" There is only one party that
has promised to do anything, except
CORDIALLY sympathize," and that is the
prohibition party. (Applause.)
| Let us state the republican argu-
ment against us in it's strongest form.
two great parties will succeed this fall.
Which of these two is the better friend
of temperance The republican par
ty. Therefore the true friend of tenn
perance will vote with the republican
party" If this is logic, no third party
has right to be. No third party ever
said: "Either the democrats or the
hi Foil ol, IS
the better friend of the slave The
whig party. Therefore every true
friend of the slave will vote with the
whig party" prolonged applause.)
The republican party was the third
party then, the out-spoken foe of slav-
cry extension. Had it any right to beq
If there were only one party in the
country and it refused to act on the
9rea atest -nnestiQn. of the daY would
men have a right to form a second
party If there are two parties and
both refuse to act on the greatest ques-
ton of the day have men right to
form the third party 2 eyes," you
answer, "yOu have the right, but it
would be wiser to select the better of
the two parties and try to make it act
by working with it,"
Now that is the problem. Which is
the way to make this party act To
vote with it while it won't act, or re-
fuse to vote with it until it will act
Before we decide we must ask, "Why
won't the party act 2" Plainly because
the controlling force in the party is
against acting. But why is the con-
trolling force in the party against act
ing9 1t must be for one of two rea-
sons. Either because it is sincere and
doesn't think the question calls for ac-
ton, or because it is time serving and
doesn't think it shrewd policy to act.
Now the controlling force in the re-
publican party admits that the tenn
perance question is "the first concern
of good government" and calls for &C
tiOn. Then if it Sefuses to act it must
be because it thinks shrewd policy for
bids it, because it thinks that by de-
claring for action it would lose power.
Lose power how2 By losing votes, OF
course. In other words the control
ling force in the republican party
doesn't declare for action on this ques-
ton because it thinks that declaring
for action would lose it more votes
than it would lose by refusing to de-
clare. Convince it that it is wrong,
that it will lose more votes by refusing
to declare than by declaring for action.
and it will declare for action.
The third party movement is the re-
bellion of the people against the poll
ticians. For years they have waited
for a chance to settle this question al
the polls. For years they have begg
ed their leaders to submit it. They
have begged for one thing and voted
for another. Their votes have beer
counted and their prayers forgotten
At last, sickened by hope deferred
they are coming to the polls to settle
it themselves. If Cleveland is elected
the saloons will run just the same. L
Harrison is elected the saloon will rur
} just the same. But if half millior
votes are cast for Fisk and Brooks thi'
fall, four years from now every frient
of man, every enemy of hell, will
march under one stainless banner
; keeping step to the same proud tune
and for the saloon the day of vengeance
will be at hand. (Applause.)
Mr.. Stafford then introduced tn
distinguished speaker of the evening
3 In days of old, knight erranty hon
t ored the men who started out unde
3 their own banner and won their victo
t ries alone. The days of chivalry ar
4. past but we have one here tonight VIII
t is a brave and honored knight
= one worthy to sit at Arthur's tabl
S d. need not speak his name,
t is inscribed upon our banner. (Pro
It longed applause.)
Gen. Fisk then came forward an
began by paying beautiful tribute t
the late Horace Fairbanks, ga true an