The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-08-09

And 10 the Top OF inc oven
Became the monarch's throne
-[Annie Fields, in the Century
-
TO PRACTICAL TEMPERANCE MEN.
Mfr. Fditor:-I receive so many letters
asking substantially How can vote
for the Republican National Ticket this
year help the temperance cause 2 that j
venture to ask Republican editors to
publish the following reply:
Everybody knows that either the Re-
publican or Democratic nominees will
be elected, and that therefore votes cast
for other candidates cannot possibly
affect the approaching election. 1t Is,
of course, true that the man who votes
for Clinton Fisk or Belva Lockwood
stands up to be counted, but it is equally
true that, in the vital matter of decid-
ing who is to rule over us, he counts as
a mere cipher in a column OF clphers.
His actions say, Il have no interest in
the result OF this struggle. Between
Harrison and Cleveland. l have no
choice, and am entirely willing that the
worst one shall succeed. am aware If
1t possible 1 might prevent this, but l
utterly refuse to make the slightest
effort IN tnaC QlreCGlOn'
And no fairly well informed and hon.
est supporter of Fisk or Lockwood will
pretend that this refusal is based on a
belief that there is, from a temperance
standpoint, no difference between the
two tickets. for General Harrison is an
active Christian and lifelong total alb
stainer, and an outspoken opponent OF
the liquor power, whose nomination
was opposed on the ground that 1t would
ensure the hostility of the entire saloon
fraternity, while Mr.. Cleveland is
Grover Cleveland. Moreover, Gen.
Harrison is the nominee of party that
has always contained within its ranks
large majority of the temperance men
of the country, and has been growing
increasingly hostile to the saloon every
year, until now, after defying the liquor
league, by heading its ticket with pro.
nounced temperance man, and choosing
for second place one who more than a
year ago publicly announced Il heartily
sympathize' with the anti.saloon Re
publican movement, and has, in its
national platform committed itself un-
reservedly in favor of all wise and well
directed efforts for the promotion Of
temperance while Mr., Cleveland is the
nominee of party that has for genera
ton been dominated by and grows con-
stantly more subservient to the liquor
power,
The character, convictions and sympa.
thies of the 100 900 Federal officers and
employees, and the influence they exert
upon living political issues are largely
affected by and dependent upon the adj
ministration,' and this is especially the
case when the President and his party
are in substantial accord. There can,
therefore, be no doubt that, under exist
ing circumstances, the election OF such
man as Gen. Harrison, would be fol-
lowed by decided improvement in the
general attitude and tone Of this large
and very influential class Of men upon
the saloon question. Again, if the Re
publican party finds that doing right
does not bring defeat it will at once be-
come more aggressive in its warfare
against the saloon. But if, on the con-
trary, the Democratic party wins, be-
cause of professed friends of temperance
labored increasingly to diminish Gen.
Harrison's vote, instead OF increasing it.,
then the saloon power will be strength
ened and emboldened, and its enemies
will be CORRESPONDENCE weakened, dis.
couraged and embittered against each
other. For it must not be forgotten
that the supporters Of Mr.. Fisk and Mrs.
Lockwood are not content with merely
putting their own votes in cipher
columns but strive to induce others to
do the same thing-and, knowingly, and
Intentionally, work mainly among Re-
publicans.
The foregoing propositions are so
undeniably true that all halfway sensi-
BILE and honest Third Party men know
admit that, if the Republican and
Democratic parties are to continue in
existence, the cause of temperance will
be promoted by Republican success but
they believe-or think they believe-that
the Republican party is euch puny or
decrepit thing that it can easily be an
nihiliated, and that the quickest way to
destroy the saloon is to protect it until
the Republican party shall have been de-
stroyed, and new one resurrected from
its grave. 1t is the old, old story Of men
30 hypnotized by party zeal that they
are oblivious to everything except
what blinded or designing leaders
authorize, or of the discouraged traveller
who leaves the beaten highway to fol-
low a will o-the-wisp he thinks is lead
ing him to shelter Gloss at hand, but
suddenly finds himself plunged into an
impossible morass.
To hear these zealots talk in their hop.
skip-and. jump fashion one would think
that the wiping out OF existence of a
party 100000 strong by one about a
twentieth as large is a mere pastime for
them, but proper statement Of the case
will show that there is an element of
doubt, in fact several doubts. Here are
a few OF them: If we can defeat the Re.
publican party this year, by drawing
from Its ranks enough jealous temper
ance men to enable the saloon party to
triumph and if the Republican party be.
comes so cowed that it refuses even to
kick and straightwsy gives up the ghost;
and if Its members prove to be deYoid Of
human nature, and conclude 10 Kiss the
hand that smote them; and II woman
suffrage does not prove to be AN old
man OF the mountain on our shoulders
and If majority Of the people suddenly
home Indifferent to the tariff, currency,
immigration, labor, land and other
questions, about which they now care
more than they do for anything else; or
IL we are able 70 make the supporters OF
both sides of other questions believe we
favor their views; and il enough of
these antagonistic elements can be
welded together under our leadership to
constitute majority party, we will
surely win. And then, and in that case,
IL our legislators are uniformly wise and
our officers jealous and efficient; and IL
no new set of misguided enthusiasts, re-
jected Office seekers, cranks and mar
plots are led by our success to follow our
example, and break our party TO pieces,
in order TO use its fragments In the
building of another, before we shall
have done our perfect work, we will
wipe the saloons from the face Of the
earth-as soon as we can, and every
thing will be lovely-with us on top
Let Inc add another idea. So long as
Won weaken the Republican party suffi-
GENTLY to keep the saloon party in
power, you perpetuate the evils thai
flow from the dram selling business, and
every day Of every year unsavored vic
Tins pass into eternity new ones taking
their places. And If, in spite Of you
predictions, the Republican party de-
clines to die, and the Prohibition Wo
man Suffrage party remains powerful
for evil, but powerless for good, will no
YOUR hearts ache when you remember
that the dreadful consequences Of you
mistakes have been and are being born,
mainly by the innocent and suffering
who had no control in the matter Thi
is not merely game OF politics fol
pastime.' The stakes are the bodies
minds and souls of men, women anC
children--multitudes of whom are abso
Iutely helpless, and, this being the case
"a 70 mt heat to eaCurp pnCh CamDaiQI