The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-03
NOTE FROM HEADQUARTERS
Rev. DR.. Dorchester, of the Temperance
Committee of the III. E. Conference,
Tells the Public Why He Remains in the Re-
publican Party as a Temperance Reformer
Folly of a Third-Party Movement.

Boston, Sept 2y-Ihe Evening traveller. or
to-day, contains the following open letter from
DR.. Daniel Dorchester, chairman OF the tenn
perance committee of the Methodist Episcopal
General Conference. aud tho author Of the re-
port on temperance to that body:
To an Intelligent Public:
Many inquiries have been propounded to me-
during the past three months, q few Of which 1
do ire to answer in this letter.
/. am asked why, as a temper
ance refOrmer, 1 remain in the
Republican party, while other
temperance people have left it?
Ianswer.
1. am not aware that many Temperate peo-
pie have left the Republican party. Not 3 per
cent. in 1884. went into the third party; and
probably 80 Der cent. Of all in the North who
favor the more radical temperance measures
are now in the Republican party. 1t is not like
~ to be SO lonesome . place for temperance peo-
pie as the third party. I prefer to remain In tho
old ranks and work with the greater mass of
temperance people, who are more concerned to
promote temperance than to build up . party.
That the solid temperance sentiment Of the
Northern States is in the Republican party, not
withstanding it has not done and cannot at
once do. ell that oversanguine ~sgitators ask it
to do, I will proceed to show.
2 The only prohibition Statss-Maine, New
Hampshire. Vermont. Rhode Island, Iowa and
Ksnsas-sre reliable Republican States.
3. The portions OF the aforesaid States where
prohibition is we'll suforcsd are the parts which
are most strongly Republican.
4. The localities in the North where no IL
cense prevails. under local option, are almos.
wholly Republican.
IS. Where license prevails under local option,
the great bulk OF the no-license vote il cast by
Republicans.
6 In the States where heavy ''tax laws" have
been enacted against the saloon. because it was
felt that public sentiment would not enforce
prohibition, this aggressive move for temper
ance has been led aud sustained chiefly by Re-
publicans. who will gladly hail still more radical
measures when the people are ready for them.
z. To that extent that, in the North. the Re-
publicaus have . sufficiently controlling infu-
ence, the saloons disappear or are seriously
crippled. There are some sad exceptions, but
not numerous.
8. The present Maine law was given to that
State by Republicans In 1858. The original
%4eAA0 So" hAE.a
measure in 1850. A member OF that Legislature
told me that the Democrats were that ysar in
the ascendency. but Wings aud Democrats both
voted pro and con on The question, without
making il q party issue. the higs more geDer-
ally ~favoring il than the Democrats. A half
dozen years later the Democrats repealed i, Is
q party measure, and, IN 1888, the Republicans
restored it in an improved form. and they have
kept it on the statute hook ever since.
9. In New Hampshire and Vermont, as well
as in Maine, the original Maine laws by the
influence Of Republicans, have been kept on tho
etatnte books ever since they were enacted.
Third-party speakers and writer's assert that IN
half q score of States the Republican party re-
pealed the original "Msine laws" These laws
were never repealed, as party measures. | will
tell how the repeal came about. A great reac-
ton came over the country, owing to several
causes: First, large immigration; second, the
civil war; third, non-snforeement of those laws
during the engrosslng events OF the war; fourth,
neglect Of temperance s2itstiops from the Same
cause, letting down public sentiment; fifth, the
reactionarv thsorizing by Ex-Governor Andrew,
Hon. Linus Child and DR.. X. /. Bowditch, three
men of the largest professional and public iniu-
ence Of any IN the country. In coDseoence, the
Mains laws fell irto non-use. lost their support
n the popular heart, and then no party could
have kept them on the statute books, nor would
they have been Of any value without public
sentiment behind them.
When they were repealed. the Republican
party was 10 no instance committed 10 the re-
peal, the resembling acts being accom- plished
generally by the Democrats, with enough Re-
publicans 10 make the needful majority. A few
Republicans were prominent in the reectionary
movement, just as some prominent third party
men are now opposed to constitutional prohibi-
ticn.
10. All the most radical Temperance legisla-
tion in the North. for a third of a century, has
been proposed and enacted by Republicans.
III. In Congress the oDiy members who have
asssilsd tho LIQUOR traffic and attempted meas
ures against it. with the exception Of Messrs.
ColquItr, OF Georgia, md Reagan. Of Texas, have
been Republicans. Even IN voting on the pro-
posed inquiry into the alcoholic LIQUOR traf-
fc," said Mr. Mcpherson, in no case were more
than SIX Democrats recorded for it, and only
four Republicans against 1t.
y TIE constitutional prohibitory amend
ments are favorite measures Of Republicans. In
the twenty Northern legislatures where these
amendments have been acted upon, Republicans
have proposed them. championsd. sustained aud
voted for them, with few exceptions. In the
final legislative votes, not more than from three
to fifteen Republicans, IN any instance, were re-
corded against the amend ments, while from fifty
10 $50 Republicans voted for them. In many Of
rhe instances where the amendments failed TO
receive the necessary majority, rum Democrats
were elected to the Legislature by the help Of
the third party. running candidates against,
and thus defeating prohioltory Rspuo-
the amendment was submitted TO the
people, the submission was indebted. almost en-.
ebA
even ID tue two Democratic States, Tennessee
and Texas. the Republicans did more than their
share according to their numbers In six States
wbere prohioitory amendments have been
adopted. the Republicans were almost a unit for
them, aud but few others favored them. In
numerous instances, Republican State couven-
tions. in advance, recommended the Legislatures
to submit the amendments to the people; and,
when adopted by the people, the Republicans. az
q party. formally indorsed It In their State con-
~ventlons and ehampioned its enforcement
l3. My chisf concern in this matter is to help
the cause of temperance. which i think can be
done more effectively aud more widely in the
Republican party than 10 the third party. So
far as / can judge, after long, close and candid
observation. there ia more practical, effective
work to promote the cause OF temperance
among the ardent temperance men in the Re-
publican party than in the third party, whore
the preponderating aim of the leaders seems to
be to build up a party autonomy. And l think
the chances for the solution of the temperance
problem are ffty-fold better in the old party Of
great achievements tdan in the third party,
which, after twenty years % extravagant
promises. has no practical. temperance results to
show.
Il / advise those who have gone out Of the
Republican party, because impatient on account
of slow temperance progress, to return and
strengthen the cause within the old lines, now
90 rapidly advancing.
II. 1 am asked If I was not dis
appointed in the temperance
plank Ofthe national Repub-
lican convention this year.