Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-03-09
Our Answer to Mistaken Friend.


like our honest and earnest Skowhe-
gan friend (whose letter appears to-
day in our Letter Box)-they agree
to the great principles which animate
the majority of the people, but set
themselves off as of a higher order
and denource those more numerous
people who entertain high hopes on
the same principles as "hypocrites." ."
The Pharisees delayed progress
through their persistence in applying
an unchanging law to ever-changing
life. Thus they became casuists.
Through ignoring the worth of right
spirit they lost all sense of propor
tion, and made a trifie of the same
Importance as a gross offence. They
became insolent with the sense of su-
perior piety. Their vision was pinched
by exaltation of their own righteous
state
Our friend ignores the fact that
three parties always make possible
a government by a minority. Jealousy
and personal ambition are usually at
the bottom of third parties and new
church creeds. Selfishness elected
Woodrow Wilson and dealt blow to
the nation-Maine in particular. Min
ority rules.
President Wilson's party in Maine
stands opposed to moral progress and
the making and enforcing of our
laws by the moral and intellectual ele-
ment If the numbers like our Skow-
hegan friend should become force
enough to defeat the purpose of the
Republican party, we should have the
spectacle of Republicans and party
Prohibitionists standing for prohibi-
ton and enforcement of the law,
HELPLESS, while a far smaller num-
| Der wipe out the law and shout the
word to Uncle Sans lawmakers that
we do not want prohibition and en-
forcement.
And why? Because a sprinkling
holding themselves aloof as of a high
er order, refuse to join hands with a
near plurality and make a majority.
And because the few say to the many:
Come to US, for we are right and
you are only pretending the
one says the ninety and nine are hyp-
ocrites.
Our friend takes us to task for crit
icising what has been tolerated under
our own party. We answer that that
is the way we hope to be one to
strengthen the hand of our party for
better work than it has ever accom-
plished. Believing in his sincerity we
have openly invited him to come in
and help us accomplish our aim. He
responds by charging us with bad
faith and characterizing our opposi-
ton to the liquor evil as "sophistry."
The party Prohibitionists have
stood" for one thing. They have ac-
one idea overshadowing all else. Down
in their hearts they have little hope
of ever accomplishing anything, be-
cause they get little encouragement.
To our mind, personally, their one
idea Is the biggest thing in sight, but
we recognize the necessity Of being
able to DO SOMETHING with that
idea, and to carry other great things
along with it.
The party Prohibitionists could win
millions Of followers were it not for
the fact that these millions are con-
vnced that they have more effective
weapon against the liquor evil in the
strength of their own party, which al
SO stands infinitely larger before the
world on other issues. in the number
of it's great world respected person
alities.
If national prohibition is ever real
ized 1t will not have been accomplish
ed through the party Prohibitionists
but, rather. in spite of them. 1t will
be accomplished through the unceas-
ing labors of Christian men and wo-
men working unselhshly, regardless of
party or creed, and creating a demand
that no party in power can misunder-
stand.
| That Uncle Sam" has remained In
the rum business so long is due to the
petty divisions among those who are
opposed to the evil. If such hair
splitting divisions should succeed In
losing the Maine law it would be an
other excuse for Uncle Sans remain
ing a partner In the saloon trafhc
awhile longer. Congress could say,
on welcoming license advocating rep
resentatives from Maine: 1.-THE people
do not want Prohibition; even Maine
has discarded it,"
And we should have to admit that
we had lost part of that which we hac
gained because a few Of us had dc.
eided and roelaiued that the rest a.