The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1888-05-16

hack twenty ysars Of more Wa
there anv sstbackf Nay, verify
on tho contrary, these four year;
have advanced She Gauss mora than
the previous twenty. Blaine's de-
feat In 1884 WIS clearly prophesied
by that great (though not always
good) Republican organ, the New
York Tribune, in 1882, when it de.
clared that "Alcohol is a curse more
debasing and degrading than sla-
very or pelygamy.s Have the lead
ers Of tho Republican party the
foresight to see, tho courage TO
meet the irrepressible issue, or will
they wait to be wrecked or ruined
like tina old Wing party Pa The
Wing party was ruined. and all
know, by the desertion Of its aboli.
ton element because Of that party's
failure to antagonize the great
wrong Of human slavery. Juet go
was the Republican party defeated
by the desertion of Its temperance
voters in 1884, as the Tribune pre-
dioted it would be if the party fail
cd, as It die, TO- meet this greater
Temperance issne. sas.a 44vai
Directly after that election, in
an after-dinner speech, . promi-
nent Republican United States
Senator declared that the defeat Of
the party at that time was because
Eof its tsilure 70 measure mp to the
morsl convictions of the people.
So today, instead of abusing ms,
these great organs and leaders of
the party ought to praise the
Third party people for being just
where they predicted our Christian
patriotism would lead us. q
We fully concur with the logic
of the Tribune that the destruction
of this awful curse and burning
ahame TO the civilization Of the
nineteenth century has fast hold
on the hearts and oonsciences Of
tho Christian people Of the land.
And If allowed . little philosoph-
ical depression right here, I will
tell you what in my opinion, I
tear will defeat the amendment,
viz: q kind of . felt-in. the-bones,
presentiment on the part Of old
party leaders and politicians, es-
pecially Republicans. As before
intimated, these Christian voters
do mean business and are looking
around for some proper medium
through which to accomplish the
grand work, their inward con.
eoiousness indicating as We believe
it does to these leaders, that the
Third party does really offer this
chance, and believing, as we think
they do, with q distinguished Re-
publican in this end OF the State.
and fully concurred In by the
writer, that ''all temperance agi-
tatioD will injure the Republican
party by arousing zeal that will
naturally and certainly carry their
best element into real prohibition
party. Rather than this result
should follow they refuse to agitate
or work heartily for the adoption
Of the amendment. BY this apathy
and indifference we fearth amend
ment will be ,cruciied in the house
of its boasted friends, while they
are trying to lay the blame on the
only party pledged to and actively
working for its adoption. 0l
Were We now to betray our trust
as Prohibitioniats by surrendering
our party organization in this
State to the clamor Of Republican
leaders and press, NE real cause of
prohibition would gain nothing
thereby, as the Republican party,
as 4 party, would in that case re.
fuse to indorse or advocate the
adoption Of the amendment. If We
boldly maintain the organization
and "carry tho war into Africa"
they may favor it, just this
kind of tactics having forced from
the Republicsn party, as admitted
by the New York Tribune, the ad.
vanced . temperance legislation 90
loudly boasted Of in DR.. Carroll's
article, recently published in and