The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1888-05-09
Prohibition and Politics.
( Baptist Courier. J

IT is evident that there is gen
cral movement to project the qucs-
ton of prohibition into the politics
OF the Southern States, and the in
dicationS are that II few extreme
prohibitionists i'm South Carolina
will unite i'm this movement. The
plain purpose is to begin the organ
izatian of II third political party,
and 1T is expected in some quarters
that all prohibltionists will help to
give life and being to this monde
script. Possibly it will be attcmp-
ted to read out of the ranks such
prohibitionsts rs mfy dare oppose
the beginnings Of such u move
mcnt For one we wish to put on
record in advance our entire DIS
sent from any such proceeding.
South Carolina can least afford to
jeopardizc its highest and trucst
interests by engaging in the folly
of Il third party organizations. 1t
would inpcril white supremacy,
and this is sufficient reason alone
on which to base our opposition, as
the moral and religious welfare of
OF this state is best SubScrvcd by
the maintenance OF honest, upright
government, under the control Of
its native white people, and we
have only to recall our past cNpc-
rionc to demonstrate the truth Of
assertion. But prohibition itself
cannot be advanced by this means.
for if it were successful i'm defeat
ing the rcigning party, it could only
do so through the agency of those
who would have other ends to ac-
complish, and who havcr never yet
shown any devotion to the princ-
pies of prohibition. Power and pclf
would be the ruling motives. and
prohibition would be the eats paw
with which to rake the chcSnuts
out Of the fire. We have no fear
that this generation has SO far for
gotten the memories of former
degradation, whose scars are yet Il
blot upon our civilization, as that
any considerable number OF South
CarlinianS would engage in the
supreme madness of trying to help
the cause Of prohibition in this
wny. But it is not impossible to
find men so dcludcd as to hope
an organization Of this sort would
3chicvc success where other meas
urcs have failed. We believe in
organization and ut the proper
time, under favorable auspices, we
think ii would be wise to marshal
the temperance forces in this State
for the one purpose Of advancing
its interests. 10 begin such 2n or
ganization at the outset Of II politi-
cal campaign would inevitably con
meet ITS purposes with the cam
paign itsclfaud to make Il thorough
organization of townships and
counties would most likely project
the question Immediately into pol
ticS, which would be disastrous
and unfortur ate, in our Judgment.
Wcarc not an alarlnist in any sense
Of the word, but we feel that it l.
Opp0rtunc to say word against the
Introduction Of unwiSc measures
for the advancement of prohibition.
Good, true men may be led astray
ly plausible means, and it might
be an easy matter to commit them
in some degree to the adoption Of
wrong ideas occasionally. Such
1lllSlilkcS nave Dt'tn llltuc, ana
hence warning voice at this time.
The KcOWCc rOHricr, i'm the follow.
ing extract from its last issue, Civ
cS expression to our views rXaC tly:
Temperance IS net political
question, but is simply II moral one.
We have supported it through thick
and thin-in adversely rs well as
prosperity. We DO not believe Il
greater misfortune could happen
to the temperance movement tdan
to lug it into politics. If it is to
find its way into politics it will be
a convenient hobby for second class
politicians to ride into Office on,
and will eventually fail to secure
the blessings which otherwise
might attend its success. There
is no room -nOnccessity for third
party Of any kind, much less the
one to control the prohibition qucs-
ton. The most ii could do would
be to defeat great moral move
mcnt, instituted for the good OF all,
but sometimes abused by its best
friends i'm their honest, laudablc cf-
forts TO make it successful.