The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-05-16
Wednesday, May 16, 1888.
The Third Party.

The Third Party.
We publish some remarkable papers in ref
erence to the proposed meeting of the friends
of temperance which is to take place in Col
umbia, May %.
The call for the friends Of temperance to
meet and discuss matters pertaining to the
furtherance of their object seems to us to be
not only lawful, but commendable. The only
thing that surprises US is, that they should
accept the situation as mapped out for them
by the opponents of the moral reform which
they hope to effect. AS a matter Of fact, we
believe every daily newspaper in the United
States is opposed to prohibition, and we be-
lieve that no stone Is ever left unturned
which may bring the temperance movement
into disrepute,. and thereby surround The
cause by an unpleasant odor.
The fact is, that the iniqutous system OF al
lowing the cities to appropriate for their own
use the whiskey licenses has the effect Of al
lowing the cities to levy tribute from citizens
in all parts of the State-a large part of the
sales Of whiskey being to persons living out
side the city limits. Consequently, the whis-
key traffic yields good revenue to the city
q revenue which they find very advantageous
and which they would give up with great re-
luctance.
The opponents Of temperance, no less than
the recipients of revenue from the whis-
key traffic, seem alarmed at the progress
which the temperance reform Is making, and
seldom or never let an opportunity pass to
throw an obstruction in its path. Ridicule
and Misrepresentation are powerful weapons.
Therefore, we too often see the daily newspa-
pers apparently seeking to bring odium on
the best efforts and noblest work of portion
Of our people.
We think that the reading public would
sustain an assertion that even our patriotic
Christian women are not entirely exempt
from uncomplimentary remarks because OF
their zeal in working for the curtailment OF
the liquor traffic
To say nothing of the good women who
work for temperance, we think that the tenn
perance-working men are about as good as
the advocates of whiskey license. We feel
safe in asserting that there are at least few
respectable citizens who are opposed to H.
cense, but even admitting that the temper
ance people are not as good, and do not
come up to the standards which the license
crowd assume for themselves, yet all citizens
In this country have the constitutional right
Of petition, and we believe the laws of the
country guarantee to the people their right to
assemble peaceably to discuss questions which
pertain to the public welfare, or which may
interest them as individual citizens.
To charge decent and respectable citizens
with being traitors to the Democratic party
merely because they seek to curtail the whis-
key traffic is an arrogant presumption which
is only equalled by the absurdity Of the
charge.
That portion Of the Democratic party which
would suppress the trade in whiskey, needs
no certificate of character and loyalty to the
Democratic party, from neither the whiskey-
guzzling crowd nor the opponents of prohibi-
tion. The charge of forming "a third party
has been made often enough. The friends Of
temperance need no defence before the coun-
try for holding meeting in Columbia. They
needn't retire from that meeting because the
enemy may assume to be the Democratic
party, and class the opponents Of whiskey-
license as traitors toDemocracy and good gov
ernment In South Carolina. The editor of the
Press and Banner was not asked to sign that
petition for the May meeting, and we do not
know that our absence will be missed, or that
our presence will be needed. but we shall not
be deferred by the thread-bare thousand
times-repeated cry Of "third party" Do not
the Farmers, the Lawyers, the Doctors, the
Editors, and tradesmen and professional men
Of every degree meet at will, and with none
to slander or to make afraid? But If the tenn
peradce cause is to be promoted, then the old
cry Of "third party" comes up, and some peo-
pie have been kept from acting with their
fellow sympathizers in q glorious cause when
help WAS most needed. To deny the temper
ance people the right to assemble is mon
strous. Have they not the right which is
guaranteed to other citizens? Have they not
the right to announce their principles, and
have they not right to support for office
those candidates which nearer represent their
wishes? Only last Sale Day the Farmers met
in many counties, and pledged their support
to men who favored an Agricultural College.
Must the temperance people be subjected 10
charges II they hold meeting and resolve to
support candidates who favor the suppression
of the whiskey traffic? Will fair man COM
mend the Farmers, and SANDER the Temper.
ance people, when each do precisely the same
thing? The man who charges the temper
ance people with treason to either the State
or to the Democratic party simply makes
charge which he cannot sustain by proof.