Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-07-20
or even the reading of the plank
but the
SENTIMENT OF THE CONVENTION

Tribme:)
The first concern of all good gov
ernment is the virtue and sObriety
of the people and the purity of the
home. Cries of Good ! The Re
publican party cordially sympa-
thizes with all wise and well di-
rected efforts for the promotion Of
of temperance and morality. Loud
applause, nuH bcrs OF the delegates
rising 10 their feet, and cries OF
Good
Nearly every state then ;, cond,d
the motion tor Suspension Ot the
rules, aud amid great enthusiasm
the plank was adopted By rising
vote with only one nay. In short
it was evident to every dispassiOn-
ate person who witnessed the scene
that the Republican party had
crossed the RubcOn and burned all
bridges Oenlnd tnem.
The foregoing is a candid state
ment of the facts. At one time it
looked as though all was lost, but
courage and perseverance finally
the party and the cause. The liq-
uor interst imperiously demanded
that the whole subject should be
ignored in the platform, and that
"no temper rance man should be put
on the ticket even objecting to
Senator Allison solely because he
came from a prohibition state. The
convention answered by nominal
ing the most pronounced temper.
ance candidate in the field, by dis.
approving of the one national law
that gives aid and comfort to the
whisky ring, and by almost unani-
mously putting in the platform a
plank unequivocalIy avowing the
sympathy of the Republican party
of the entire nation with the TEN.
perance cause.
When to such action is added
the fact that within the last two
years the Republican Legislators of
every Republican state, excepting
California, Nevada, Illinois, and
Wisconsin, have angered the dram
selling fraternity by passing or at
tempting to pass laws against their
interests, it is insenate folly to ex'
pect that they will anywhere sup
port the Repu blican party. Some
of them may pretend to do so, but
their promises will be worthless.
Ora m sellers are not exceptions to
the universal rule that men seldom
vote against what the believe to be
their own interests.
Under these circumstances is 1t
not the plain duty of every earnest
disinterested friend OF temperance
to give the Republican party a
hearty support? 1t presents to
them lifelong enemy of the saloon
as a candidate. on a moderate, but
unambiguous temperance platform,
while the Democratic candidate is
exactly the reverse, and stands on
platform denounclng sumptuary
laws. One of these two platforms
and candidates will be approved
by the nation next November, and
let him sQuirm and chop logic as
he may, the cold, clammy fact re-
mans that the temperance man
who refuses to support the Repub-
lican ticket consents to the Demo
cratic saloon rule; and, further,
that If he in any way undertakes to
still further weaken the Republican
party, he becomes while thus en-
gagged, an active saloon defender.
lie may try to quiet his conscience
by dreaming dreams, and cODjur.
ing up visions of great things in
the future, but, if he is honest, he
must admit that he is, for the pres.
ent time, helping the saloon to re-
tain its grip on the country. Ask
the dram sellers of the United
States, confdentially, how they de-
sire you to vote and nineteen-twen'
tieths of them will say "fOr the
Democratic ticket" Ask further
whether they prefer to have you
vote for Harris on or Fiske and they
will answer promptly Fiske. They
are not thinking about 1892 or 1896,
but 1888. They propose to make
use of the present and work for the
future afterwards. Are you really
willing to let them drag scores Of
thousands of men, women and chill.
dren to ruin now, in the vague hope
that you can drive 20 times your
number hereafter into disregarding
their own convictions and obeying
your commands
Temperance men of America, l
implore you to put aside passion,
prejudice and party spirit while
considering TINS matter. And ]
especially ask those Republicans
who, before the convention rectilied
the committees mistake, decided
to join the third party, not to let
pride OF opinion or temper keep
them where their influence in this
contest must necessarily strengthen
the liquor power and make strug-
Cling humanity more helpless. !
was also grieved any angry (for !
had been deceived in some cases
but the sobs and means of suffering
multitudes ever pleading for help
now, made it impossible to take
counsel of wrath. Revenge may be
sweet, but it is sweeter still to lift