River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-07-05


IN attending a political convention it
Is his duty to apportiOn part of his
time for that purpose. If sentiment
IN his community does not favor such
course, let him endeayor to change
the sentiment. If he is the object of
volleys of fault finding and criticism,
let him rejoice that he is at the muz-
zle instead of the breech of such guns.
If the gagging machine is applied
to him, with such words as .'you
were hired for different purpose. =
let him find satisfaction in the assur-
ance that the recoil of that same gag
ging machine viii work terrible disas-
ter, and contribute a large force TO
the cause it opposed. If, as did the
darby congregation. his constituents
send him in his resignation because
lie put his convictions on the temper
ance question into the political cur
rent, let him feel assured that such "A
call out of the pulpit will possibly
make more friends of the prohibition
cause than hIs continued service in it
would make. | do not see how any
minister can have peace of mind till
he has given a proportiOnate amt. of
time and attention TO the responsible
ties that belong to the ordinary citi-
zen, and l further believe that in
most cases such a position on the part
of the minister will command the re-
specG of the churches. | took this
ground with my own people that | con-
sidered myself an American citizen
and as such l wanted TO use my liber.
ty in the direction of right as ] saw
it and that / wanted them to bear
with me patiently as | would do with
them and that III all probability each
would be tried by the position of the
other therefore needing patience.
I. And now one other consideration
in the political line. 1t it emphasized
strongly and grandly i'll the state re-
port, and here let me say that have
nothing but the kindest feeling to-
ward those who differ from me and
from the position taken in this report.
Indeed, To some of these, with gray
hairs and larger wisdom than my own,
| owe Difference. But | firmly believe
that the license policy in any of its
forms cannot possibly promote this
cause. l believe from careful study
that in the cases where high license
has reduced the number of saloons,
the good is only an apparent one,-
one part good with nine parts evil
mixed with 1t. The statement of DR..
Bascom has never been answered,
Granted that there is restriction"
says he, in ''Sense VS.. License,
There are ten parts confirmation and
preparation to one of restriction"
believe that license is wrong in prin-
ciple, that no government has right
to bargain away the public health or
the public morals. | believe, there
fore, that no citizen has any right to
sanction it by his vote. | am con-
firmed in the belief that every enemy
of the traffic should use his political
influence to secure elections which in
volve Cwo things ~ an expression of
the national sentiment on this cardi-
nal issue, ~ the selection of men who
will give this sentiment the force of
law. This means the reorganization
of government, and prohi bition there
by.
| am this sort of a PrOhibitiOnist.
l believe that by this method the
temperance cause will be best pro-
NOTED. | care not for the name of
that new organization under whose
banners Prohibition will be secured.
1t may be that existing political
forces Will be combined in such
way as to require name not yet On
human lips. Lord Lyttou says that
the history of politics is the history
of compromises. But the method
mention will grow in favor and COM
mand the confidence of intelligent,
patriotic citizens.
In Mass. town in the days of the
Anti-Slavery agitation, church was
seeking a pastor. They empowered
the committee to provide for them,
indicating their preference for man
who was not an AbOlishiOnist. The
committee had long siege of it. At
length they secured IA bright, efficient
man who proved successful pastor,
but he was an Abolishionist. When
the committee were asked why the
wishes of the congregation were not
respected they replied: I'VE found
that we'd got to take an abolishionist
or "a fool" / believe the time will
come-Gn all courtesy TO this Conven-
ton / do not think it has GOMEZ when
the church will stand in this same re-
lation to third party prohi