Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-10-24

To the Executive Committee Of the Prohibi.
fion party Of the 7h Congressional District
Of VirqiHid:
GENTLEMEN Your letter telling me
Of my being nominated a candidate fol-
Congress by unanimous vote of your
body reached me the 10th inst.
In my boyhood 1 espoused the cause
of temperance reform, and BELIEVING the
prohibition of the whisky traffic the
only successful way of dealing with it,
l embraced the opportunity of voting for
prohibition candidates, and continued do
ing so.
| l have never had any ambition for
political fame, and assure you your NOM
ination was a complete surprise to me.
appreciate the honor conferred upon
me, but have not thereby been hastily
led TO accept the nomination; but after
mature consideration / am convinced that
loyalty to my God, my home and my
country demand that l accept the posi-
ton.
Civil government proposes to protect
the lives aud property of her citizens, and
our national authorities are expend-
| ing millions of dollars to equip her navy
and maize ready TO combat any foe that
may attack her. But, alas ! the army
of the enemy has already landed
aud Is entrenched IN almost every
part of our nation in the shape Of distil-
leries and SALOONS, destroying many
thousands of our people every year, and
striking terror to the hearts Of thousands
of homes. Can 1t be, vast majority of
our national leaders are deaf to the
means and cries of so many thousands of
our citizens What are they doing to
protect the helpless victims of such foe 7
A hunnlating, but nevertheless, true
answer is, they have formed co-partner
ship with the enemy and our government
permits this fearful destruction of her
people, in consideration of share OF the
profits of the business in the shape of a
license fee and men in high positions
feign to be stupid enough to think this a
paying business 10 onr government, when
the facts are, as they have been demon
strated many times, the governments
share OF the business is but a small portion
of the expenditure made necessary by
this business, for police, jalls, State pris-
ons, alms-houses, &c.
The whole license system acknowledges
the traffic to be an evil. If not an evil
why try to regulate it, why favor a few
with license Why not give every man
the same privilege, ard why not allow a
greater monopoly by high license to
increase the evili License money Is
blood money, aud our government cannot
afford TO receive it in amounts. small or
large. The wage earners, the farmers,
the business men, the friends OF education,
and many other classes of people demand
legislation favorable to their interests,
and they should have it, and the first
step necessary and the one that will go
farthest toward securing satisfactory
legislation to all parties concerned, is
the prohibition of the manufacture aud
sale OF intoxicating drinks as beverage,
only allowing such TO be made aud sold
by the government for medical and me-
chanicai purposes. Then instead Of the
vast millions of money used In this traffic
to take from men their earnings and man
hood and to send them to their families
curse rather than blessing, it will be
turned into some useful business, employ
ing many men, giving item an equivalent
for their labor, and will open up the way
for fair adjustment Of all Issues that
pertain to the welfare of our nation.
Prohibition of the liqnor traffic is the
surest remedy for hard times. IL will
lessen taxation in every State, and bene-
fit the business OF all homo rable people.
1t is undoubtedly the greatest issue of
the day.
Other nations have arisen to great
wealth, grandeur aud power and have
wrought out their own destruction by
drunkenness and other crimes which are
its natural results. Or nation should
beware lest it share like fate. Despite
the fact that cowardly politicians try to
ignore it, this issue is here and here to
stay.
Adhering to these principles of reform,
| am yours very respectfully,
/. NJ. UNDERWOOD,
Oct. l4th, 1890 Dayton, Va.