Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-02-21
Stauntolt Spectator.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 81
Very Correct.

Very Correct.
In referring to the Local-option pc
tition which failed after heated con.
test in the Court of Hastings, Rev. W.
J. E. Cox, in the February number of
the augusta Baptist, says
.'Many excellent citizens refused to
sign the petition for an election. We
are of the opinion, though our opinion
may not be worth much, that if there
had not been such vigorous effort
made last fall by the Prohibitionists to
defeat the Democratic ticket, more
signers to the local option petition
could have been secured. Many peo-
pie were very mad over what had been
done and they had not recovered from
their madness when the petition re-
ferred to was circulated"
The mistake of the Local-optionists
was the selection of a most inauspi
cious time to make the contest, when
many good temperance Democrats felt
greatly incensed against the party that
was taking the lead in the local-option
contest-a party-the Prohibition
party-that is opposed to local-option,
as frankly avowed recently in pub
lished communication by the State
Chairman and Organizer of the Pro-
hibition party, in which he said =
"The Prohibition party is political
party, not total abstinence temper
ance association"
1t is the aim and purpose of the Pro-
hibition party to defeat the policy of
local option, and it is really its greatest
foe in Virginia, and it should be the
first object of the friends of the policy
of local-option to destroy, root and
branch, that poisonous political Upas
tree We have seen from the begin
ming that the worst foe to the temper
ance cause in Virginia was the Prohi-
bition party as political party; and
have, consistently and persistently, OPP
posed it's introduction into this State
for that reason; for it was apparent to
us from it's first organization in the
North, that it's introduction into Vir-
ginia, with the divisions it would in
evitably make in the ranks of temper
ance men in both of the old national
parties, would be as fatal to the
progress of the temperance cause il
this State, as was that of the admission
of the Grecian horse into Troy to the
success of the gallant TroJans who hac
withstood siege of ten years. Anc
we believe, as we have said on severa
occasions, that the Prohibition part!
has done more to obstruct the cause o
temperance in Virginia than all Other
influences combined. If the temper
ance men of this State, those who are
and those who are not, Local-option
lists, would combine to crush and utter
ly destroy the political Prohibition
party of Virginia, and get it out of thu
way entirely, the greatest obstruction
to the temperance cause would be re
moved, and its progress would be on
ward and upward, and the cherished
hopes of it's friends might be realized
The success of temperance depends OF
the friendship of men in both the grea
old parties, without which it canno
succeed, and it is the very madness o
the moon to expect to succeed by an
tagonizing the friends of both thes
parties as the Prohibition party does
The true friends of temperance VIII
are wise, and have studied the question
well, know that, practically, the Pre-
hiDition party, as separate politica
party--and that is exactly what it is
is the worst possible foe to the success
of the temperance cause in Virginia
and that it should be swept out of e1
istence by temperance men. The tru
issue in this State is not between tn
temperance men and the Democrat
party, as the Prohibition party ha
shrewdly attempted to make it, bu
between the temperance men, and tn
Prohibition party, which is pract
cally the worst foe to the success {
the temperance cause in Virginia.
The true policy of the local-optionist
aud other friends of temperance shout
be, to come down upon the Prob
bition organization as political part
with 'both feet" with elephantin
ponderosity for until that organize
ton shall be crushed to death the1
can be but little hope of the success {
the temperance cause, for it will alieI
ate from the cause thousands of ten
perance men in both the two grea
national parties, upon whom the SUI
cess of that cause depends.
ho box i+oI 81
to the Prohibition party with the vie
of promoting the temperance cause
would abandon that organization an
go back to the Democratic and Reput
lican parties to which they origina
belonged, and would labor for tn
temperance cause, they could do
great deal more for it than by remain
ing in the Prohibition party, wh1c
makes enemies in both.of the old pal
ties, and thus Injuries the prospects {
the temperance cause. Then, instea
of driving off, from the support {
temperance, members of the old pa
ties, they would get recruits from then
for temperance Democrats could the
influence Democrats, and temperate
Republicans could influence Republ
cans, to unite with them in their labor
to advance the temperance cause. W
would invoke those who desire the SUI
cess of the temperance cause t
abandon an organization that not onl
does the cause no good, but does
great harm, and to resume tl.eir forme
political party relations, in which the
may be able to do much for the promo
ton of that cause. We would respect
fully ask our Prohibition friends t
give these thoughts due consideration
To Amend the Libel Law.
On last Saturday, Mr.. McRae offered
by request, bill in the House of Dele
gates to amend the libel law of Vii
ginia. 1t is modelled after the &C