Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-29
A Matter of Honest Convictions.


erson is one of the eminently respecta.
BILE and always courageous gentlemen
who are found all over this country
standing like rock FOR what they be-
lieve is right. We respect them all
these men who make up the party Pro-
hibitionist army. and we agree with
them that with the liquor evil and
drug traffic oblterated poverty and
crime would be things of the past. But
the point OF divergence between Mr..
Emerson and the humble editor of this
newspaper, is the manner of whipping
The devil around the stump,
Our sincerity is questioned because
we do not join the two or three
famously helpless ones for the sake
of showing our courage. Sometimes,
we believe, it requires as much stead
fastness of purpose and as much
dare" to remain where your expert
cnce and judgment tell you that you
can do the most good, as it would to
go over to the ineffective few call of
the same mind whose highest reward
is the satisfaction of facing the world
as living example of right.
We know that in the ranks of the
Republican party. and of Democracy
as we'll, are thousands of noble men
and women just as loyal to the prin-
ciple of prohibition. just as earnest for
temperance. and just as prayerful for
triumph over the forces of the liquor
evil, Jas are any of those lighting UNI
agree with the party Prohibitionists
as to methods of securing the desired
reform. They believe the most ulti-
mate good can be accomplished by
fighting steadily on in the ranks of
their own party, and bringing their
close comrades to see the light, one
by one.
1t requires courage to stand between
the sneers of the liquor interests on the
one side and the openly voiced con-
tempt of the selfrighteous on the 9TH
er. but, thousands there are who dare"
and who of US shall judge them?
1t is quite probable that no inteili-
gent man of thought and consideration
has ever been fully satisfied with his
political party. He must see some
things in any platform arranged by
agreement and concession of many
minds, that he would wish changed as
d whole, however, after carefully
weighing the differences according to
his light, he determines to enlist under
the flag and principles most nearly con-
forming to his own ideals. There is the
place for him to accomplish his work
Ii ne persistently and consistently OPP
poses an evil which he recognizes in
his own party, and Just as earnestly
advocates a good, he is bound to win
more or less, according 10 his ability,
for the right.
We believe a man has greater oppor-
working in the ranks than he would
have by opposing it as a whole from
the ranks of another. Tile editor OF
this paper believes that he can accom-
plish more FOR the party and for the
cause of prohibition by holding up the
principle and consistently supporting
it. day by day. before $4,000 kennebec
Journal readers than he could in any
other way that has ever been open
to him. Ii he should cease his opposi-
ton to the liquor evil because an en-
thusiast of another party chooses to
criticize his sincerity he would be a
coward indeed.
The Kennebec Journal will go on
fighting in its own way, regardless OF
the bitter attacks of the booze inter-
ests and their hired newspaper sup
porters, and in spite of the unjust crit
icisms of those whom we would well
come as fellow workers in a common
cause We honestly believe we are
right, and We hope to aid somewhat II
the bringing of the Republican party
to ceaseIess warfare against the
liquor traffic. We see that party to-
day far in advance of other parties az
whole, and power to be reckonee
with.
With the Republican party demand
| ing that u. S. senators and represen
tatives opposed to the LIQUOR traffic b.
sent to Washington, would the part!
! Prohibitionists then go into the pri
maries and help nominate and thel
help elect men who would do thei
best for a national prohibitory law
Or, would they continue to stand II
the right with two or three"
With so many states under the rul
of rum trust law, it is quite hope
less to expect that a majority favor
ing national prohibition can be mus
tered in Congress until all parties fee