Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-12-16
KEEP OUT OF The FISH.

-N' wv y luI tNIlr
The recent friendly discussion be
tween Rev J. N. Harman and the edi-
tor of The Republican as to what should
be the attitude of Republicans in the
coming fight between the factions of
the Democratic party on the prohibition
question has reached the closing stage.
This discussion, however. has convinced
US of the wisdom of the Republicans
adopting policy of mastery inactivity
IN the conflict. 1t further serves te
show that the agitation of the State.
VIDE question among Republicans can
only serve TO bring discord in our party
as 1t has alresdy produced it in the
Democratic party. This is evident. as
the shrewd Democratic leaders are t,v-
ing to unlOad the Statewide issue upon
the Church. Brother Harnaan declares.
l say that the Statewide movement
under the leadership of the Anti-Saloon
League Of Virginia is the Church in &C
ton against the saloon" If this be so.
1t Is patent that the Machine has Gun
ningly, through its Anti-Saloon gener-
els Cannon, Mann and others. succeed
co 10 placing the Church in that un6e-
s'rabie position Of mixing in politics.
II the Statewide movement ia not
purely political game that is being
played in Virginia BY the Democratic
leaders, and is ''the Church in action
against the saloon" why was it that
prohibition was smothered at the last
State convention of the Anti-Ssloop
League? And Why was it that all the
leeoers Of the Anti-Sa.oon League and
the membership of the churches in gym
pathy with that organization so per
sistentiy voted against A. I. Lincoln
for Lieutenant Governor of virginia 2
MIR. Lincoln is a Vice President of the
Anti-SalOon League and terms himself
temperance fanatic from childhood. d"
If the question at issue is a great moral
one aud as such should be made a policy
CT government, consistency demands
that those so believing should vote for
men who hold these views. Have the
Anti-Saloon League leaders and the
Democrats who are prohibitionists done
this? Brother Hartman knows they
have not.
The Richmond Times Dispatch has
been polling the recently elected mem
bers Of the House of Delegates, as we'll
as the members of the State Senate
and finds that the Democratic mem
bers of the Legislature are overwheI-
mingly against Statewide prohibition.
This means, Of course, that the Anti
Saloon League will be unable to control
the Democratic Legislature, and that
the churches have been misled by the
leaders who have succeeded in enlistino
their support in what has heretofore
been a purely political movement. If
1t has now become, as Brother Hartman
says it is, a fight between the Church
and the Democratic Machine, will it not
be folly fer the Republicans TO mix I'D
in the fight7
The Republicans who have been elect
ed to the General Assembly of Virginia
were elected upon platform which
declared for the time honored doc !
trne" of local option. They should |
preserve party solidarity and party in
tegritY by adhering to this principle of
their platform. This can be accom-
p!ished by refusing to have anything to-
do with fight in which the PRINCIPALS
have heretofore chosen the Democratic
Machine as referee.