The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-10-26
OUGHT Tzxr1zANcr MEM &c
VOTE WITH THE THIRD
ssa pA1TY2
COLLEGE OF New JERSEY.

and implied is cordially reciprocated.
l appreciate the movtive which
prompted your letter, aud sympathize
with you in your desire To know your
duty in regard 10 the rum traffic and to dc
IT, To suppress the iniqultous traffic NOR
al suasion should be used-throueh the
press, on the platform. in the pulpit and
by personal influence; but moral suasion
alone is not sufficient l agree with you
as 10 the necessity of prOhi6ito'u lac, at
the same Time recognizing with you that
mo law is operative in this country which
does not secure the support Of majority
in the district covered by the law"
While We are IN entire accord as to the
end to be attained-operdtiCe py0hidit0ry
tGw-I regret that we should differ as 10
the best means for attaining this end. My
decided opinion for some time has been
that except in States where but one of the
great PAL ties Of the country is recognized
practically at the ballot box. The Prohi-
bitiOn party was a serious mistake. / am
obliged To you for presenting clear and
concise statement OF the considerations"
which have led you and many other intel
ligent and conscientious men To the con-
clusion that IL Was your duty TO cooperate
with the Prohibition party. have given
10 your letter deliberate and, as | trust.
unpreiudIced consideration. With the
highest respect for the intelligence, the
judgment and the consclentiuusness of
yourself aud the good brethren who agree
with YOU, feel constrained 10 say, l see
no good reason for altering my previous
conviction. L will eDdeav0r, therefore,
most respectfully to comply with your re-
quest 10 show you wherein" in my judg
ment, 'yeu are wong IN this matter"
Omitting for the present the consider
alton Of The cline of thought which has
led you TO your conclusion, | ask you TO
consider this question:
Whdt IS my duty as q citizen Of -Nco
Jersey at the present cristss.
We are co fronted not with theory but
a condition.' Our last Leg stature enacted q
law, which, If unrepealed, will in short
time close the saloons in all counties where
there is majority favorable t. Prohibition
that is, undoubtedly in large part of
the Stale. In counties where majority
are at present opposed to Prohibiion-and
where. consequently, q prohibitory law
would be inoperative-the law imposes
such restriction on the traffic as may re-
duce the evil TO minimum. BY faithful
persevering effort in these counties we
will be changed and the saloons closed
throughout the entire State. The consli-
nationality Of this law has recently been
affirmed by our highest judicial tribunal
the Court of Appeals. The rumsellers
recognized and acknowledge that unless
this law is repealed, the rum traffic in
New Jersey is doomed They according
ly are making desperate efforts to secure a
majority in the next legislature favorable
to repeal. To this all other political con
siderations are subordinate The practical
form, therefore, in which the question of
duty in regard to the rum traffic presents
itself TO the citizens Of New Jersey in the
present crisis is-iShdH tie eeistiRg lao DC
repealed or sustained?
On such an issue 1t might be supposed
that ali who have any just sense of the
evil OF intemperance, the iniquity of the
rum traffic and the necessity for prohlb
tory law for its suppression, would be
found, throughout the canvass and at the
ballot box. united to q man in earnest
effort To sustain the the law. Were this
the case there would be little reason for
apprehension as TO the result. The deplor
able fact, however, Is the law is imperilled
by the action of the very men who-as
you say-''are committed to the prosecu-
ton of the earnest work of destroying the
traffic in intoxicating beverages. The
runaseller's main hope OF success Is tJe Pro
hS6jtjoD party. Under these circumstances
can you, my dear brother,on reflection.
say that il is my duty 10 cooperate with
that party? We are frequently reminded
nowadays by our Prohibition party breth-
rem that we should cote as soe pruY. Par.
don me tor asking-do you pray-can any
one, Republican on Democrat, Prohi-
bitionist or Anti.Prohibitionist, pray
that the law in regard to the rum traffic
now on the Statute Book Of New Jersey
may be repealed? And II not, is it not
the duty of every citizen who is in favor
of Prohibition TO vote an The seay that soW
be tie mort etectuGS 10 preCent the repea. Of
tie iatoP If SO; would not voting the Pro
hibition parry ticket be simply failure to
do his duty?
And now as to the Zine Of thought" by
which you reach your conclusion. You
ask me To "show you wherein you are
wrong that is, to indicate the fallacy, if
there be any. in your reasoning.
That there is fallacy somewhere, it
seems to me, has been demonstrated. The
point where IT comes into my minds
your 18th consideration" Having pre-
viously established the necessity for bring
ing the question to the ballot-bax in order
10 secure prohibitory Legislation you pro-
coed TO say: "But no such question can
be so brought except by some political
party This binds me TO work with any
political party which commits itself to
the earnest prosecution of the work of
destroying the traffic in intoxicating bev
erages. find one such party and but one
the prohibition party" This is to say,
in other words there can be no prohibitory
legislation ercept By political party organ
'zsd for The special purpose Of prohibition
Hence your onclusion-"Jt is my bound
en-. paramount duty as patriotic Christ
ian citizen citizen TO cooperate with the
Prohibition party"
Whether Prohibition party Is the only
way 10 secure prohibitory legislation is nola
question of theory 10 be decided by rras
Dning; it is simple question of tact to be
decided by referance To the record.
And now what are the facts in The case? |
The Prohibition party WAS organic d in
1869 Prior to 1869 pre- hibiory law had |
,cen enacted in Maine, New Hampshire.
Vermont, Massachusetts,. Rhode Island. |
Noxv york Tableware Ohm L