Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-08
THE PRoHIBI5Ios MOVEMENT IN THE
WES7

Natlonai poiiLlcs tnan IL mas hitherto. Inc !
success of the movement in Iowa, at least |
so far as legislation is concerned, has given
great stimulus to it all over the country,
and it ia beginning to be believed by the
temperance organizations that it may be
the best policy for them to abandon the
course they have thus far pursued, of
waiting upon the action OF the Republicans
and Democrats, and strike boldly for the
legislation they need on an independent
basis. The fact is tina. they have discovered
the existence of unexpected strength on
their side OF the question. a great change
has been proceeding during the past ten
years in the agricultural States. In the
towns this change has not been SO con-
siderable, but wherever the population is
mostly rural the conviction that drink
ing ought to be stopped by legislation has
been growing rapidly. 1t would be mis-
take, however, to assume that this move
ment is purely philanthropic in its genesis.
Vi course it can command vast volume
of statistical justification, in the history
OF the consequences of drinking But it is
none the less certain that it really owes
its strength far more to practical business
considerations than to philanthropy The
farmers have found that whisky interferes
with the prosecution of their work that
it makes their help unreliable; that it ex-
poses them to serious losses at critical
junetures; that it encourages crime in
parts of the country where it is impossible
to maintain an efficient police system that
it leads to immortality and the ruin of the
young men and that for these reasons it
is their interest to oppose it.
Aud there is another potent incentive to
organized political action. The liquor
dealers have everywhere organized, and
have with impolitic boldness undertaken
to dragon the political parties. They
have claimed the right to absolute freedom
Of action in the sale OF intoxicating liquors.
They have refused TO admit that the noto-
rious evil results of the traffic in which
| they are engaged ought to be considered at
all. And consequently they have incurred
the enmity of the rural voters. The atti-
tude of the liquor dealers organization in
Iowa unquestionably had much to do with
the adoption of the prohibitory constitu-
tional amendment, and as the same attitude
Is maintained in other States by the same
kind of organizations it must be expected
that similar results will follow. We do
not, however, intend to be understood as
saying that the Prohibition movement
should be regarded as final and effective
one. On the contrary, We are convinced
that it will be failure. In its present
form it Is merely one of those blind ex-
periments which are being continually
made in this country under the influence
of the delusion that the power to legislate
and the capacity to legislate effectively are
identical. Majorities are always liable to
this sort of fallacy. 1t belongs to the
category of the Tor Populi, COZ Del follies.
The truth is that no matter how large a
majority may be, it cannot do anything
unless the conditions are favorable.
Now the idea that the habit of drinking
intoxicating liquors can be got rid of by a
decree is one of the most complete delu.
sions. The habit of drinking is result
not merely of custom, but Of inheritance
1t is part of the heritage of ages of slow
education, and if it is ever to be eradicated
it will take many generations to effect that
purpose. The constitutional amendment
in Iowa has not put prohibition in force
Already the law has been detied, and in
several parts of the State it will evidently
be dead letter. In Maine they have had
prohibitory laws for forty years, yet Stats
tics prove that the people of Maine consume
about as much whisky and beer in proper
tion as any other community. In short,
whenever the realm of turgid rhetoric and
Imagination is left, and solid facts are exam
ined, it is found that all the noise and clamor
OF prohibition movements really stand for a
very small amount of actual progress in
abstinence from Intoxicating drink. But
none the less must it be expected that the
| Prohibition movement will increase and
spread. In cases of this kind nothing but
actual experiment can satisfy the people,
and it Is useless to tell majorities that
they are laundering, and that they cannot
| do what they have undertaken to do The
people are at such times deaf to argument.
They think that since they have the power
to act they can solve any problem, and SO
they are perpetually striving to override
natural laws which are superior to all
human legislation.
There are at present no great national
issues, however, and therefore it is by no
means impossible that this one may get
itself fastened on to national politics. and
cut formidable figure in the next Presi.
dental campaign. The politicians on both
sides will of course do their best to sup.
press it, but the presumption is that they
will not succeed. II, however, they should
evade expressi IN in regard to it the temper.
ance organizations might apply their recent
experience practically by nominating a
third ticket, and SO making the fight any.
body's. They have lately learned lesson
| in this respect which, as they are intelli.
gent people, they are not likely to forget.
1t is that the politicians will juggle with
them just as kong as they are willing to
tolerate nerfidy ard evasion hrf that fho
instant they show a determination to act
for themselves they can command their
own terms. We think -tbatthe politi.
clans, who are sa~z rule very superficial
mt eens. nave gen srally made mistake as to
toe mere question of policy, though it must
also be said thst the temperance organiza.
tions have encouraged this kind of du.
plicity by meek ly swallowing every humil.
iation prepared for them. But it is now
evident that large element Of the Ameri.
can people, which has not heretofore acted
with the temperance organizations, is going
over to their side. That is the most sig.
nifcant fact III the situation 1t has al.
ready greatly Harmed and disturbed the
Western politicians, who have not yet
struck out a line of action in regard to it.
THE, however, they will have to do,
and every independent temperance move.
ment made in the meantime will serve
to strengthen the leverage by which the
National Conventions are to be moved in
I