The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-04-28
ga r1ilIion Voter League"

fad with the above name. The league is
to get million voters to sign pledge to
vote for no party that does not place
prohibition plank in its platform. If that
many signers are not secured to the
pledge by Nov. 1st,aI9oo, the pledge will
be of no force and the signers free to vote
as they please or not at all if they prefer.
This is only slight variation from the
old policy which has obtained for quar-
ter of century. The policy of attempt
ing to vote ticket when they believe its
promoters are attempting an impractical
thing, is like leading horse to the water,
but YOU can't make him drink. The rank
and file, the thousands and tens of
thousands, who are in favor of prohibl-
ton laws, are taught by theirspractical
knowledge of our political parties, and
the views of the people on political ques
tons, that it is all utter innpossibility 10
place question which is first sunlptuary
question and only incidentally an eco
nomic question.
The attempt to force such question in
front of all others and build around it
national political party which will out
rank all other political parties has been
mospyrievous failure and must continue
to be.
Prohibition is not a political party
question in the popular sense, but a social
n
question. 1t does not interfere or conflict
with any of the questions of government
which parties divide OIL. A high tariff or
free trade, gold standard or free coinage,
a government or bank issue of currency
policy, or private or public ownership OF
natural monopolies has no bearing on the
prohibition question. In the disagree
ment on those questions which are purely
questions relating to government, and
widely differing in their results, the ques-
ton of prohibition cannot conflict, be-
cause il relates to social evil and be-
comes an economic or political evil by
indirection. Hence there can arise no
division OF sentiment among the voters
who are jealous of their chosen party
policies. But it seems that the red-hot
prohibition party leaders cannot see or
comprehend this basic political or eco
nomic fact, even after butting their heads
against a stone wall for twenty-five years.
The consequence is, on account of this
unlearnable condition they have dissi-
pated the prohibition political strength OF
the country, and enabled the run party,
| which is mere handful compared to the
prohibition element, to control both old
parties and place majority in State leg
lslatures and i'll congress which will no!
allow anything to be enacted into law
that threatens to jeopardize the rum
| traffic.
To accomplish this the whiskey men
haye made use of the simplest tactics
possible. They merely formed leagues,
pledged to vote and work against the
| nomination of any candidate who favored
prohibition, and vote against all such if
nominated, regardless of party. This
simple method succeeded SO we'll that it
was finally extended to parties. They
threatened both parties with their vote to
be thrown against either at the polls if it
favored in any way by platform declara-
ton or Legislative act, to injure 1.-The
trade With this whiskey phalanX, in
dependent of party they soon silenced
both the old parties, and the politicians
ran after the votes of this free lance
whiskey phalanx.
If this million voters League which is
| forming to vote for the Don Quixote pro-
hibition party would make their pledge to
vote for no candidate i'll any party who
did not pledge the league to assist in
passing prohibition laws, and against
every candidate Of any party who refused
to give such pledge, there would be no
difficulty in securing any prohibition leg
slation required. If the League would
candidates with their support, in two or
three years they would completely capture
both old parties from the whiskey power
Such result can never be achieved while
distinct prohibition ticket is placed on
the ballot. The prohibition party by its
mistaken tactics has been out generated
and beaten on every field by the small
whiskey army, which is we'll drilled and
wisely directed one, while the great pro-
hibition mass is a mob without discipline
and without generals. The prohibition
party officers are a fair counterpart of
the old Chinese commander-in-chi of
the army of the celestial empire who
drilled his army with bows and arrows in
place of rifles. There will be no prohi-
bition legislation worth the name while
the prohibition party exists. 1t serves as
a mascot for the liquor party. A case in
point occurred in the Delaware legislature
recently adjourned. In referring to the
incident, Rev. DR.. Baker said:
"The temperance people had taken
courage and thought they would at least
be accorded the privilege of expressing
their sentiments in non partisan way at
the ballot box. Hence there was more
than the usual activity and interest, but
for ways that are dark and tricks that are
vain the Delaware legislature takes pre-,
eminence. Carefully prepared local
option bills were placed by that body at
its last session i'll the hands of saloon