Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-03-03

policy Of the StAse. to which the rspubli
cans Of Maine are Armly pledged. and "
demand that its provisions shall b faith.
fully enforced according 70 tAsif serms and
spirit-
| The republican national convention Of
1883 placed the national organization Of the
great parry that saved the Union sQuafely
on the side Of Temperance With THE anani.
nous declaration; Resolved, That The
arst concern Of all good government 10 the
virtue and sobriesy Of the people and the
parity of the home. The republican party
cordially sympathIses With all vice aud
veil directed effort for the promotion Of
temperance and morality"
On the other hand. the democrats Of
Maine. through their press and on the stump
have constantly denounced prohibition and
assailed the republicans for supporting m;
and democratic conventions have With diff.
nculty been restrained BY the more cautious
leaders. from open declarations against the
ic convention held at Augusta, the plat
form reported by the committee on resolu-
tons, gave prominence to this plank RE
solved. That we view with alarm the grow
ing evils Of intempersnce in our State and
| AZ sae AhiNtVst VI kOO0 pUNitky AUu tt"Vft-
ance We demand tie repeal Of tie prohibs
tory liquor iaS and the saaetmssf Of q
sfrtaSsaf Aga lseeass laV." After an ex-
citing discussion the fear Of public senti.
ment prevailed and the proposed bold proc
lamation Of the party policy was avoided
BY the minority report that confined itself
to denunciston Of the republican party for
its course in reference To prohibition.
D h.I.,
lican platform In the different States has
been in favor Of temperance. the whole
tendency Of the democratic platform has
been in line with the declaia alton Of the
democratic National Convention Of 1884,
viz: I'VE oppose sumptuAry laws which
vex the citixens and interfere with individ-
ual liberty" With the attitude Of the two
principal parties on the temperance Ques-
ton so we'll understood. and With the
knowledge that one Of those two parties
will obtain control. it Is difncult to believe.
at once. in the wisdom and sincerity Of
those protesting to be the especial cham.
pions of prohibition, Who deliberately and
systematically exert all their influence to
weaken and distract the party that for thir
ty yeArs has espoused the cause Of prohib- |
ton in Maine. and to aid the success Of the |
democracy which has always opposed IL.
Practical politics 10 opposed to the theo- |
retical politics which . comparatively in |
significant number Of the voters Of the
country have undertaken to establish. |
Surely If the Third Party" vas essential
to the progress Of temperance reform, 1t |
has been before the people long enough to |
have gained to its ranks q much larger fol- |
lowing than it has. II 10 . significant fact |
that a. long ago as 1869. N. @. Hichborn,
who ran ~ temperance candidate. re-
ceived larger number Of votes than has |
ever been reached since by any candidate |
Of . separate temperance party in Maine. |
A. distracting element in politics IL has |
been q success.
1t has sometimes been able to iniict |
gross injury upon the only party in the |
State and Nation that has ,howu itself the |
friend and advocate Of temperance. Es al
democratic anne1 it has al times been able |
to furnish substaotial aid and comfort to
the enemies of temperance, as in Iowa ai
the recent State election; but - Q party, |
with q mission and destiny. 1t can lay no
claim.
Practical men, desiring the success of
the temperance cause, will ally themselves
to the grand party whose record 10 luminous
with noble deeds.
You're truly.
+. c. STsvEss.