Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-08-13
A Talk With Our Prohibition
Friends.


to show that the work accomplished
by the party prohibitionists had not
been specially successful in the line
Of temperance and that the methods
proposed by them are impractlcable,
not promising success and victory III
the great war with the alcohol enemy.
Having been born and bred a pro-
hibitionist, and having had not lit
tie to do with the law and its enforce
ment, we may say, without egotlsm,
that we know somewhat of the things
of which we speak. Our sympathy
is with every man or woman who IS
willing to engage in the battle
against the curse of intemperance,
and if we disagree with any it will
not be as to the desirability of doing
the most possible toward the accom-
Dlishment of a work that has the
sanction of all good men and the ia
vor of God.
Party prohibionists hope to reach
the desired end by the formation OF
a political party which shall ultimate
ly become so strong as to be able to
enact laws which shall stop the i'm
portation, the manufacture, the sale,
and thereby the use of liquor-an
end fraught with peace and blessing.
1t may be well to consider what
obstacles lie in the way of accom-
plishing the result. In the first place,
by some method of education and
persuasion, large masses from the
other parties must be converted to
the Prohibitionist belief. A MAORI
ty must be acquired, and there must
be a disintregation of parties as great
as that which was occasioned by the
arrogance and the war menaces OF
the old slave power. 1t will be adj
mitted that it takes an almost super
~
human force and effort to produce
political conversion. The rum enc
my is an old enemy; men have long
been considering the best means by
which to subdue it; they have been
slowly dropping into one party or
the other, if they have made temper
ance the paramount issue, which they
thought best for temperance legisla-
ton. Those who have believed in a
separate party, whose foundation
principles were prohibition only, have
already dropped into that party. The
practicability of forming party OF
this kind has long been discussed and
considered by temperance men.
Newspapers have discussed it, while
speakers have presented it to the peo-
pie ministers have preached it; con-
ventions of various kinds have favor
ed it., and honorable men and women
have seen in their best judgment that
it was the best thing. But with al
this the great mass of temperance
men, wise men, Christian men, states
men, philanthropists, have failed tc
come to that way of thinking. Why
in the last presidential election, will
all the effort made, only a small vote
comparatively, was cast on this side
really only one vote in 81 was cas-
for the prohibition candidate-anC
this when each of the candidates il
the other parties was believed b,
many to be morally unfit for the of
flee. Now the above proves one o
two things either the great mass o
voters do not believe in prohibition
any way, or the temperance men IL
each of the other parties prefer to re
main in their party and work TO
temperance there, while other matter
can be considered.
If it is true that the majority O
voters in this country are not prohi
bitionists, then it is idle to talk of
prohibition party as a majority pan
ty. If not a majority party, it
only factor for good or i'll as tn
case may be. Now if the best me
in the great parties will not leav
them-and the result shows that the
will not-where and how, by any pre-
cess of reasoning, is this third part
to grow so large as to elect COZ
gressmen, presidents, judges, an
other prohibition men who make an
execute laws? Other men may see
differently, but we do not propose
fritter away our vote and effort in
direction that promises so little, an
that in the dim future. 1t is |;
mentable fact that many who becom
absorbed in the prohibition idea, los
sight of the necessity of resolute e
forts in the common lines of tempe
ance reform.
1t is theory in this and all repul
lican governments that the major
tv must rule, and this is RICH
1t is also considered that the MI
+ jority opinion in most matters is tt
, correct opinion-more emphatical
: is it considered wisdom to accept tt
2 almost unanimous opinion and b
f lief of those whose character, ed
cation and experience make the
as wise, or even wiser than ourselve
f We appeal to the good sense (
: prohibitionists and ask them if it
= reasonable to presume and belle
Z that nineteen out of twenty a
s wrong, while one only is right abo
y this temperance party business.
: to put it another way, are the gre
} majority of your neighbors, yo
temperance friends, members of 20