The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-01-17

party going to pieces? Ii
Or, the gold bugs and the e1.
lave been Informally invited 10
Mckinley. That would take of con-
(bly from Democratic ranks as now or
e6ized.
II the Prohibitionists are above party rule,
and may place In the field ticket which mas
for its purpose the defeat Of the regular DEM
ocratic ticket, where do they stand?
If the presence of goldbugs and expansion
tsts is distasteful, and If prohibitionists are
too pure TO abide with the Democratic party,
that old and very respectable political organi'
zation will have its ranks thinned down 10 a
very select number. any one of whom might
possibly fill all the Offices he could get.
II our church organizations 20 into the pro-
hibition party, and join hands with the H.
quor men to break up the prohibition Which
we now have in the dispensary from sunset tc
sunrise, and from Saturday night to Monday
morning, where does the church stand?
Does the church and the liquor men Joi1
hands for another purpose than for division
OF spoils?
Does 1t not appear to an outsider that the
combination is to result to the benefit OF both
jprohibitionists and LIQUOR men? Wouldn't
!, the prohibitionists get the offices, and the IL.
quor men the liquor traffic? The prohibi.
Stiooists whom they elected could not honora-
bly, prosecute the men by whose votes they
got their office. Reduced down to fine
point, It seems to this newspaper that such an
arrangement, on its face, comes too near to
! the appearance Of bargain and sale, even II
not to corruption.
II prohibitionists should align themselves
with the liquor men to get office, would not
the LIQUOR men demand their share OF the
spoils, by being allowed immunity from too
close an enforcement Of the law against
them?
Has 1t ever occurred in the history OF poll
tics, where any set Of men, who have been ele-
waited to Office, did not return at least the
semblance Of gratitude to the people who
elected them?
! ITO their faults have they not been little
And 70 their Be virtues have they not been very
q pr words to that effect. Liquor men honestly
and conscientiously think 1t right TO sell IL
fquor, even as other commodities are sold, and
some Of them may think that any restrictions
are wrong, and violative Of personal rights.
There can ibe no doubt that there are good
men who hold these views. Holding these
views they are perfectly right, and 1t is natu-
raj that they should support the men who
would least Interfere with the business which
they prefer to follow. They know that the
friends of the dispensary have ruined their
business. They have nothing TO lose and ev-
erything to gain by Joining the prohibition
lists, and without their help the prohibition.
lists would do 30 foolish thing as the put.
ting out of a ticket. We all know that the
prohibitionists would get the offices, II elect
cd. What would the liquor men get for vot-
ing against their principles? They are not
fools, and We presume would not vote con.
trary to their convictions, unless they expect.
ed to receive some benefit. They know that
there are no effective means Of en- forcing pro-
hibition, and they would have claims on the
men whom their votes had elevated to ONCE.
They know that a prohibition governor who
would, II he could, rigidly enforce the law
against the men who put him into Office,
would be regarded by at least portion Of the
people as base migrate.
When ministers OF the gospel form q coali-
tion with men against whose interest they
are ostensibly fighting, ia there not occasion
for an enquiry?
1t has been said that politics makes strange
bedfellows. Imagine, If you can, a preacher
or good old deacon or a sanctifled elder, 60
ing into the liquor camp and being found in
bed with the whiskey guzzler or the blind
tiger. a."