Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1908 — WHAT A PROHIBITION VOTER THINKS. [ARTICLE]

WHAT A PROHIBITION VOTER THINKS.

McCoysburg, Ind., Aug. 24. Editor Jasper County Democrot: Dear Sir: While I am not a democrat I wish to express my hearty appreciation of the fair treatment you have accorded the Prohibitionists in the editorial policy of The Democrat since I have been a subscriber. 1 wish also to express my appreciation of the frankness of your candidate for governor, Mr. Marshall, in stating so clearly his position. and the position of the democratic party relative to the liquor question that is now agitating the state and nation. While we differ politically, there is much satisfaction ' in that strange joy that warriors teel in foemen worthy of their steel. ’ ’ Mr. Marshall says: “If there is a member of my party who believes that the liquor business snould be abolished entirely he should not vote for me, he can conscientiously do nothing but support the prohibition ticket, the only party which is committed to such a policy.” Now that is a frank and manly statement that brings the issue squarely and fairly before the people. Everybody now knows just where each party stands in relation to the issue, and each may take his choice. As I am one of those who believe that the liquor business should be entirely abolished I “can do nothing but support the Prohibition ticket." as Mr. Marshall advises. This is exactly the point we have been contending for all this time.

Now if this is true of democrats it is equally true of republicans, notwithstanding all this nonsense about a temperance man who votes an old party ticket being “Just as good a Prohibitionist as we are.” Now that the lines have been drawn fairly between the democrats and the Prohibitionists, I dare the republicans to be as frank as the democrats have been and say: “If there is any member of the Republican party in Indiana who believes that the liquor business should be abolished entirely he should not vote the Republican ticket; he can conscientiously do nothing but support the Prohibition ticket, the only party which is committed to such a policy.” The democrats did not make a bid for Prohibition votes when Mr. Marshall made that statement and they surely did not expect their support, but on the other hand I want to promise The Democrat that the republican party will not receive a single Prohibition vote this fall, for two reasons: Ist. I do not believe that any man who has had the judgment, conscience and backbone to stand by the Prohibition party in former campaigns can be fooled by any such preposterous claims as the republicans are putting up on this question. 2nd. I claim that, should any such event happen, the man who is thus fooled has severel his ties with the Prohibition party, and has become a republican and must share the responsibility of all the evils that befall this state and nation as a result of their rule.

One other {joint: I notice that you have had much to say about the Anti Saloon League entering the political field and taking sides with the republicans. Yes, we Prohibitionists have noticed that peculiarity for years—that whenever they entered politics it was most generally to endorse a republican, but sometimes a democrat and practically never a Prohibitionist. E. S. Shumaker, the State superintendent of the Anti Saloon League, told the writer some time ago that he was a voting Prohibitionist. Now, for fear he has made that statement elsewhere and that it will lead some honest but misguided temperance advocate into supporting the policy be advocates, I would like to relieve the Prohibition party of the stigma thus thrown upon them by c»»nly declaring that he has not the support of a single prohibitionist in the course he has taken. We all count it a political scheme to lapd the votes for the republicans. Again thanking you for your frankness and asking that, despite our differences in political views, we may at least be honest with each other aB to these principles, I am Yours for better government,

D. E. NOLAND.