Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-12-01
CHEERFUL
View of Situation by the
Pr0hibitiOnlSts.
Claim to Have a Great Deal to be
Thankful For.

My attention has been called to an
editorial in the Beacon Journal Of
Nov. %, in which occurs statements so
misleading that I have asked that
paper to print my reply thereto. And
believing that your readers will be
interested to know the facts in the
case, and to be able to judge for them
selves whether said editorial was not
intended to mislead and befog the
readers of that paper, ask the Dem
ocrat also to open it's columns to me
for reply.
The Beacon Journals editorial said:
''It is difficult to see what is causing
this mad rejoicing on the part of party
Prohibitionists over their vote cast in
Ohio this year" The editor then pro-
ceeds, in sort of horse -before-the-cart
fashion, to show the large Prohibition
vote during the years 1888 to 1895, In
elusive, and the comparatively small
vote this year. But why did he stop
with the year 1895 If he did not wish
to mislead his readers? The vote Of
1896 is the key to the present situation
and throws food of light on the ques,
ton. Why do Prohibitionists rejoice?
And the editor knows this, but it
would spoil his editorial to tell the
truth, the whole truth and nothing but
the truth and he thinks he can af-
ford to be unfair toward a minor
party.
Then why does the editor suppose
our rejoicing is for Ohio alone? Ohio
is not 'the whole thing" Our patriot
ism is not hemmed in by State lines.
We rejoice in the recovery and growth
Of the party in other States and espe-
cially in the doubling of the National
Prohibition vote.
Now the causes OF our rejoicing are
nucU Ill cNlutuCt w ich thc NttFoO 10
fairly stated. What are the facts?
/. Ohio was the storm center Of the
terrific fight over the money question
in 1896, and on account Of this and by
reason OF certain unwlse leadership,
our party in Ohio was knocked into
"smithereens," and our vote slumped
from 21,2G4 in 1892, to little over
5000 in 1896.
2. But this result in Ohio had back
Of 1t the fact that the craze to fall
down before the money gods-the
golden calf standard, and the "sllver
goddess" 10 to 1, had been carried into
| the Pittsburg convention and had rent
In twain the National Prohibition par
ty, so that our vote for President
slumped from 264,000 in 1892, to $780,
600 in 1896! This left our party almost
without hope, without organization,
our voters scattered to the four polit-
ical winds of the earth, our people dis
heartened and general party hara'
klri came near being enacted. And
added to this, came old-party leglsla-
ton in the form of the Infamous Pugh
law (Which two of the five Judges con.
demned as unconstitut!onaD to bur
den, harrass, and drive out the re-
form parties, by laying upon them
laborious and expensive requirements
which amounted In many cases to dis
franchisement of the individuals com
posing the party and keeping thell
ticket off the blanket ballot. From thi.
condition 1t was hard to rally oul
forces. Probably two-thirds of oul
voters in Ohio and large per cen
elsewhere, organized themselves int
new party-the Northumberland thl
element being In the saddle in Ohio
caused the "old line" men to have t,
practically rebuild their party in thi
State, as they had but handful o
voters as a nucleus; and under tn,
Names Nationalist, Liberty Party, ant
Union Reform party, this dlsaffectet
element has held many thousands o
votes and even now holds few
thousands Of votes from us, but the.
are more and more seeing their mis-
take and are coming back into on
ranks where all but few leader
properly belong Hence there ar
clear and explicit reasons for re
joicIng over Ohlo's Prohibition vote Il
this year of grace, 1000, for the sicl
man has recovered, we have rehabi
tated our party in Ohio.
This is certainly cause for thanks
giving. But our rejoicing is nation
wide and TO sum up we rejoice:
1. Because we have doubled on
vote In Ohio and throughout the ma
= ton. because we have snatched vic
tory from defeat.
2. Because we now have unite
and harmonious party.