Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-05-30
tingent of Prohibitionists, is, and al

tingent of Prohibitionists, is, and al
ways has been, aligned with the liquor
interest. 1t has steadfastly and uni
formly refused to enact an uncondi.
toned law for the SUPPRESSION or restric-
ton of the liquor traffic. The conces
sions it has made to the temperance
sentiment have been of such a trivial
character as to render the obtaining of
liquor only slightly announcement in
certain localities. A Democratic Gov
ernor usurped judicial functions and
vetoed a local option bill on constitu-
tional grounds. A Democratic legisla-
ture enabled the drug store saloonists
to escape the payment of license for
years, swindling the State out of thou
sands upon thousands of revenue. A
Democratic Judiciary reopened the sa.
looms in towns that had relinquished
their charters of incorporation to avail
themselves of the protection Of the
four mile law. The Democratic party
permitted these concessions to the
liquor intere 9, st to pass without protest
or condemnation and even without
notice. These facts are stains of dis
grace upon the legislature and judicial
history of the State.
The Republican party has aver given
a respectful and favorable audience to
the advocates of temperance. Its rep
resentatives in the Legislature have
uniformly and solidly supported every
measure looking to the promotion of
their cause. 1t is the only party that
has ever had the courageous daring to
attack the strongly i%ntrenched citadel
of the rum power. The Prohibitionists
can gain no vantage ground nor ad-
vance their banners into the strong
holds of the enemy without its assist
ance. In this alliance there is much
of hope and promise, but our Prohi-
bition friends can not get all they
want. They must be content with tar
dy and gradual acquisitions.
Revolutions may never 60 backwards,
but growth in volume and strength by
slow accretions is their unvarying his
tory. AS in the destruction of slavery,
their climax may come in day and at
an unexpected hour, like the break of
pent up floods stunning us with the
momentum of their resistless sweep.
The reformers have agitated the
temperance question increasingly for
years with a meagre show of good re-
suits. 1t is our opinion that in this
State especially they have frittered
away their opportunities and dissipa-
ted their strength in giving their cru
SADIE against the liquor interest the
character of a political movement,
thus estranging the temperance men of
all parties. Taking another tack, en-
tering vigorously and boldly on cam
paign of education alone, urging and
pressing their cause for its own intrin-
sic worthiness, refraining from the bit
terness and low elimination of poll
teal rivalry and strife, and forming
IN alliance such as we have indicated,
they are bound to accomslish some
thing more substantial and assuring
than a microscopic vote hardly dis
cernible on the face of the election re-
turns.
Our counsels may not be held, our
Prohibition friends may continue to
chase the fatuous fire of their fancies
and dreams through tangled marsh
and bog, but We are sure that we have
"blazed the way" to possible success