Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-08-17
Chittenden COUNTY.
The Third Party Movement.
tor of the Free Press :

To the Editor of the Free Press
How few of all the ills we now endure
Are such as kings or laws can cause a cure"
This would seem to be strikirgly true of
nearly all the half dozen or more abortive
efforts to set up a political party on the
base of single idea or to retard or adj
vance moral or individual interests by
political methods. These are often i'm
portant, since social or moral rather than
civil authority and agencies must be re-
lied upon to etiectually produce such re-
suits.
AT last the curse and crime of slavery,
uursed and nourshed by the organic law
of the land aroused the popular thought.
Great q lestions arose, like the Missouri
compromise, squatter sovereignty, admis
sion OF slave and free States, growing out
of the demands OF the people, and the con
tllctlng interpretations OF the national au-
thOrity.
Here was obviously practical appica-
ton to be made OF the machinery of the
suffrage.
The marked similarties between that
movement and this last occasion for po-
htical action and organization, both in the
character of the aims and the results
sought, no doubt may account largely Tor
its vitality.
The anti-slavery party proper was soon
absorbed in the republican organization
which indirectly sought and finally nc
c1mplished the same ends by somewhat
q iferent means, though not pledged To
the doctrines of emancipation pure and
simple, but only to restrain the further
extension of the evil.
The results of that most marvellous sue
cess unfortunately furnishes encourage
ment to the prohibitonists to pursue a
similar course, tor the purpose OF accom-
pl shing ends no less desirable, but under
circumstances widely different.
If prohibitiOnists would follow the eX-
ample OF abOlltloUlStS and cOaleSce with
such agencies as are already active and po-
| tent III the direction OF educating the pop
| ular mind up TO the enormity of the liquor
traffic, and instead OF refusing to recog
NEE the desire of the republicans TO EN-
courage temperance and remove the
odium attaching to the government for
sharing in the income of this uuholy
| traffic, instead of denying it as Mr.. Fisk
attempts to do in his letter of acceptance,
similar success we might confidently
| hope would follow, especially when, rs II
Is universally admitted, we bear in mind
that the republican party Is the acknowl-
| edged foe OF the saloon and It's influence
in American politics.
Certainly the emphatic character of
that last and very notable action of the
| convention pledging itself to the entire
repeal OF the internal revenue tax (ot
which alcoholic liquors constitute very
large proportion) rather than at the be-
hests Of the whiskey trusts and agents OF
foreign manufacturers to sacrifice the III
terests of our protective revenue laws
may fairly be set down to the credit OF
the desire of that party to promote and
conserve the interests of sobriety.
The result Of such action would be sure
tC give us bright and beneticent exam
"A
naughty world"
Let us hope before it is too late our pro
hibitionist friends may see the matter il
that light. PETER H. PEASE