The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-08-23
THE THIRD PARTY.
Good Reading for the Prohibitionists oi
North Carolina.

Third or Prohibition party in this
State calls for serious consideration
from those of US who have been identi-
fed with all the movements looking to
the abolition of the liquor traffic that
have taken place during the past sew
eral years. l have given no subject
more thought than that of temperance
and prohibition, and for the past sew
eral months | have been intensely
concerned about the position which
those desiring prohibition should take
with regard to the Third party that l
saw was coming South with its organl-
zation and work. Frequently have l
talked with the late lamented John b.
Finch, chairman of the National Pro-
hibtion Committee, and with John
N. Stems, Secretary of the National
Temperance Society, and many older
leading men about what to me wa the
peculiar situation Of the Prohibition
lists of the South. With few excep-
tions the temperance men OF the
South that have fought its battles and
built up the sentiment for Prohibition
which we find to-day entertain the
same views that l do, and that is, the
organization of the Third party in the
South IS unwise and dangerouS-not
only to the cause of Prohibition, but
to our civil and political institutions
Local option is not all that we want
The law as it now stands is crude and
imperfect and therefore its operation
difficult. But local option, with all it:
faults, has proven blessing to those
communities where it has been faith
fully tested, and with our population
it is our only hope. And the large
sections of North Carolina under pro
hibition to-day are so because OF loca
option and special legislative enact
ment for schools, churches, &c.
If the question was prohibition o
license the position of the temperate
people would be clear, but there Cal
be no doubt in the mind of any on
as to the result of the present organl
zation of the Third party in Mort
Carolina. A large majority of tn
voters will come from the Democrat
party, and just SO far as the vote of tn
Third party increases, the strength c
the Democratic party decreases. S
that, the question for each prohibi
zionist to decide now is this:
Which political party do l prefer t
have in power in North Carolina-th
Democratic or Republican
With either as a political party W
will have the saloons. We know thai
2 and therefore it is a choice of whic
party, with the saloons, the prohib
tionists prefer. There can be no hop
OF electing Mr.. Walker or any of tn
Third party candidates. So that W
are to have the saloons after the elee
tion as we have them now.
"But four years from now we wi
2 come into power, some Of the Thir
t party men tell US.
e Upon what ground this is believe
l cannot possibly see. Wheneve
those opposed to prohibition find a
organization of any magnitude again
them they will come together in or
effort, as they did in 1881, and tt
result IS easily stated.
J. Our only hope, ! repeat, is throue
+ local option in reaching those local
ties that we can control.
l commenced voting in State ar
National politics in 1870. My rease
for voting the Democratic ticket
that time admitted of no question
doubt. The same conditions exist
Co day; and aside from the national
al sues that divide the two great parti
OF here in North Carolina, the questit
OF race supremacy must be considere
BY this, do not mean social equali,
This | do not greatly fear. But ra
supremacy is a fact of past histo
under Republican rule in the Sout
A. and therefore is not only possible
he sure, If the Republican party succeed
'u- have no bitterness of feeling in t
matter. My record for the past twen
years in this city is the best proof
can offer of my desire to elevate a
promote the moral and material GO
OF the colored people, but l am I
ready to commit to their hands t
ply government of North Carolina-n
nlclpal, county and State. They :
not equal to it, or prepared for 1t.
am opposed to their oppression in a
way, and favor their education a
treatment as other citizens, but ]
not believe them capable of contr
ing and properly managing our g
;. eminent.
. 1t may be said that there are 90
men IN the Republican party, a
this ! grant is xue, both with reg;
K to white and eolozed. But the
element of that party, so far as my
servation has gone, have never b.
gs, able to control it. There were
III aii many good men in the Republic
party in IS68-'6o as there are tod