The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-06-07
Of the American people in the ranks of
the Republican party for It's principles
and its nominees. JoHN BRENNAN.
Siour City Mdy30.
THE THIRD PATTY AND THE AMENDMENT


THE THIRD PARTY AND THE AMENDMENT.
It's Uawl.e Course WIN bring About the
Measures Defeat-Letter from IA Nom
Partizan ProhibItIonist.
To The Editor ofthe Iaicligenea.
SlR:-Will you allow me space to say
afew things in regard to the temperance
question in the State of West Virginia?
have been temperance man in theory
and practice all my life, and never voted
for license in any shape or form. i had
the honor with other gentlemen to rep
resent Marion county in the State Tenn
perance Convention ut Grafton, when
the "Third party" craze was matched"
and did all could to save the great tenn
perance cause in this State from being
killed by its so.called friends and cham
pions. The unwisdOm OF organizing the
Third party was pointed out by repre-.
sentatiyes from both parties, some OF
whom, when in the Legislature OF this
State, stood by the temperance people OF
the State and did all they could to get
an amendment to the Constitution sub
mitted to the voters OF this State.
The question was then asked by the
Hon. Fontain Smith, who was at that
time Senator from this district; "Gen'
tlemen OF the Third party, can you az
ford to lose the support Of those gentle"
men OF the Legislature, both Democrat
and Republican, who stood there in your
interest, US you undoubtly will il you
inaugurate movement OF this kind?
You will virtually say by your actions,
stand back; we have no further need oil
YOU" And yet, Mr.. Editor, they went
ahead "pell nell"-led by u few sore
heads who had been ruled out by both
OF the old parties and gave, in my humble
opinion, the temperance cause such a
back set us ii will not recover from in
twenty years, il ever. And now they
are LAYING their wires and connecting
their plans to administer the blow that
will defeat the lmendment,at the polls
in next November, big putting poiti-
cal ticket in the field.
1t is the opinion OF some OF the best
Temperance people in this State that ii
thew are SO unwise or short sighted us to
do so that the amendment will be de-
feated by from 1000 to 10000 majority;
that upon the other hand, il they deslst
from such u course and run the amends
ment upon non-partisan basis, it will
be ratified. It's said by Soloman, avery
wise man, "that u prudent man foresees
the evil and hides himself, while the
fool passeth On and is punished" 1t is
to be hoped, therefore, that the leaders
OF the third party movement will see
the evil that they are bringing upon the
cause of Temperance and call II halt. st.
Paul declares, "All things are lawful,
but not expediept," Now, Mr., Editor,
is prohibition eSpGdient at this time?
Are the people ready for it? Is there "
sufficient healthy public sentiment in
this State in favor Of prohibition? Ii
not, is it expedient, while it may be law
full, to force this matter upon the people ?
I think not, 1t isaYell known fact that
the Third party in this State, inaepend-
ent OF the temperance voters OF the Two
old parties, can't poll corporal's guard
Of votes in behalf Of the amendment.
1 What use, therefore, have we ut this
time for third political party?
But We are told that neither one OF the
old parties in o legislative capacity will
enact laws to enforce the amendment il
1t should become part OF the Constitu-
ton. What right has any one to pre-
Judge Us to what an honorable body
would do in case OF that kind? Is it
not fair to infer that if there is major
ity in favor OF the ratification OF the
amendment, that same majority would
see that men were selected rs candi,
dates, who, when elected, would enact
special laws to carry out the provisions
OF the amendment? Wherever prohibi-
ton haa been enacted, the same party
that gave 1t to the people have by special
enactment enforced It's provisions, and
that Independent OF any Third party.
Therefore, | repeat what have already
said, that we haveno need ola Third party
) in this State. The temperance question
} is moral question outside OF politics
and should be held us such, so that all
parties irrespective OF church or state,
could work in its behalf, but hold as u
moral question nothing superior to it.
When it becomes political question,
then l claim that there are other Ques-
tions Of national character that enter
into the body polite Of this country that
are paramount to it. Such as for
instance, the tariff question, the fnan-
cial question Of this Government, the
purity OF the National ballot box, and u
fair vote and an honest count. Again,
If you make it n political question, l
claim that Democrat or Republican
stump speaker would have the same
right on Sunday, as well as any other
day, in the church or at n camp-meet-
ing to advocate the claims Of their re-
speCtive candidates for political office rs
Il Third party stump speaker would
have to deliver political harangues. |
believe there are sincere people in the
rank and file OF the Third party, but l
have little confidence in tue leaders.
One OF them, in this county, was asked
II he was laboring to get the amendment
ratified. His answer was, No; ! am
laboring to make the Third party u
political success" II he had been hon
est with himself he would have gone
little further and said, 'If our party be-
comes q success l want to be elected to
the Legislature or TO Congress"
confess, Mr.. Editor, that / have but
little faith in this Third party move
mcnt. claim to be rs good a Prohibit
ZIONIST rs there is In the Third party, but
am Prohibitionist inside OF the Re-
publican party and not outside OF it. The
Republican party has done more in be-
half Of temperance than any other party
in the United States, and l propose TO
stay where l am. expect to vote for
the ratification OF the amendment il u
third party is kept out OF the field.
There are great many Republicans who
have not forgotten that it was the Third
party more than anything else, lead by