New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-22
LIOTOR ~ POLITICS. DISLOC1TION or
PiRTIES

LIOTOR ~ POLITICS. DISLOC1TiON or
P4R1IES.
1t has been often alleged to the prejudice of
Temperance men that they were ready to sac
rifce the gravest and most pervading interests
to their zone idea"-that they saw everything
through the distorting medium of whisky
bottle. This was true, so far as it had any
foundation of but small minority even of
the Total Abstinents. When in 1869 the rival
candidates for Governor in Maine of the Ma
tional parties were alike unsatisfactory to the
Temperance men, they nominated man OF their
own and gave him 4,743 votes-nOt One-eighth
of their whole number The Republicans next
year nominated Temperance man, and the
PrOhibitiOnists have since presented no dis
tinctive candidates. In ew-Hampshire, the
PrOhibitionists pOlled, in 1870, but 314 votes
for their special candidate for Governor, as
they had polled 1,167 the year before, and
have polled 327 this year. There cannot be
less than Ten Thousand ProhibitiOnists in that
State who are legal voters. In Massachusetts,
the Prohibition candidate for Governor re-
ceiyed last Fall 6,598 yOtes-nOt One-tenth the
number of ProhibtiOnists who are voters.
National Convention of PrOhibitiOnists met
last month at Columbus, and nominated
ticket for President and Nice-Presdent which
may possibly poll Thirty Thousand votes in
all, though there are not less than Hall
Million legal voters who are Pr0hlbitionsts.
But while PrOhbitiOnIsts, they are also Re
publicans or Democrats, and interested In the
grave issues whereOn the American People are
practically divided, and they vote accordingly.
Hence, in all the mutations of our current
inI hx,a
Temperance party on naked issue of PrOhi-
bitOn against License.
OF late, the glarng evils resulting from the
immOderate use of Liquor have compelled the
attention of others as well as PrOhibitiOnists,
and these have undertaken to interpOse bar
riers to the onward march Of Intemperance.
Ohio passed a stringent License law last year
Illinois has recently followed her example
other States threaten to do likewise. Here
upon, the Liquor interest holds its own State
Conventions and resolves to fight. Its plan is
TO make formal rcquisition of each political
party that it pledge its legislators to re-
neal the obnoxious acts III the two great
parties submit to this exactiOn, its purpose is
accomplished if one accedes, while the other
declines, the entire Liquor strength is to be
cast into the scale of the former; if both
refuse, then personal Liberty organization
is to be effected, whereby relentless war is to
be waged on both. In other words, the Liquor
men propose that the Liquor or License ques-
ton shall be held by them paramount. till the
last vestge of restrictive legislation shall have
been cast to the mOles and the bats.
We have still to learn how general and how
formidable this organization may prove. II
all who love strong drink were to join it. il
could hardly be successfully resisted. But
very many care more for their respective par
ties. for Protection or Free Trade, or for some
thing else usually at stake in our politics. thar
| for Liquor, and will act accordingly. 1t il
| intimated. however, that the Germans may b.
| induced to demonstrate in mass for Free
Liquor; in which case, the contemplated party
would prove formidable in many States. con
trolling in some. But it is too soon to meas
IRE its strength.
The Liquor movement is one of many sign
of an approaching political disntcgration. Il
may not become pronounced this year or next
but il is evident that many questions which
have been paramount are paramount no longer
and that new issues are arisingthat must soOl
suppant those which, in the progress OF events
! have bern virtually settled.