Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1894-10-20
PLAIN FACTS:
Rev. Il. SnOwden Thomas Tells
Some About the Political
situation.

NOEttt -NbOut tut u OtttNot
Situation.
The following extracts are taken
from mn article in the Peninsula
Methodist. written hy the editor of that
paper, Rev. L. Smow,lcn Thomas:
"Volunteer testimonials are coming
IN, orally and by letter, commencing
us very highly for our defence of the
Church and Christian voters among its
members. who are 80 persistcntly de-
nounced as "hypocrites," party lola
ters." whisky and license voting
church members AMI "saloonists,"
with other similarly opprobrious cpl
thets. for the sole reason that they
repudiate the gratuitous assumption on
the part of Prohibition party advocates,
that to support either the Democratic
or Republican party by our votes, is TO
support and endorse all the utterances
given out by the political leaders in
either of said parties in reference TO
temperance legislation. This assump-
ton we emphaiically deny.
Christian voters doni vote for
whisky or license parties. Who COM
pose these great parties; Who but the
best citizens in the land, Citizens, by
the way, who will compare, without
any discredit, with the voters in any
other party; not excepting those of the
so-called Third party.
In proof of this vindication of the
two leading parties of the country, we
cite The indisputable fact. that all pro-
hibitory legislation in northern States.
statutory or constitutional, that has
been enacted under the dominance of
"the license party" otherwise known
as the Republican party; and all
similarly good work that has been
done south of Mason and Dixon line,
has been accomplished under the dom
nance of tho whisky party" alias the
Democratic party.
This fall. Cecil county, Nd. by
virtue of law enacted by 1.-THE whisky
party" that has for years dominated
that state, has the privilege of deter
mining by popular vote, whether the
drinking saloon shall continue TO do
its work of death under license, or be
prohibited by law.
In Arkansas. held in the firm grip
of the same whisky party" for the
last thirty years, ptebiscitum has just
been taken ON the liquor-license ques-
ton, with the following result, as celti-
fed to the Secretary of State: For
license, 1862; against license, 40.
595; or a majority against license of
1888.
Inasmuch rs under license or whiskey
parties, so much has been accomplished
in the way of legal prohibition, level
headed and intelligent Christian voters
will be slow to leave those parties. un-
til some better way shall be found
with some reasonable prospect Of &C.
complishing more for true temperance
reform.
Had the grand work for prohibition
that was done in Maryland, under the
lead of Hon. VIM. Daniel, not been
interrupted by the Third party diver
sion, We are confident that the whole
state, with the possible exception of
its Metropolis, would have been by
this time. free from the licensed saloon.
II is in view of these facts. that we
say, Prohibition is not an issue in the
present party contest. Because one
party places prohibition plank il ITS
platform. and the other parties do not,
it by no means follows. that the suffer
ing people are more likely to get re-
lief from that one party, than from
either Of the others. The history of
the last twenty-five years gives testi-
mony, in the negative.