New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-06
THE nNID OIL EIIDN


course as to the liquor question, ana have
taken it deliberately. The alarm and heSta-
ton of Their opponents prove that they acted
wisely. But certain timd trlmmers who think
that the party answers the only end of Its being
if it elects them to Office, are alarmed. 1t seems
TO them that they may be de feated, in certain
localities, unless the temperance question can
be eliminated from the canvass as to them.
Hence the proposition that the vote for Secre-
tary of State and for that Office alone, shall he
"cons. deIed test of the wishes of the people
with regard to the liquor business.
This suggestion is quite lacking in practical
sense. The large sums already contributed by
the hquOr interest have not been given to defray
expenses of the campaign for Secretary OF
State alone This money will be used wher-
ever the Democratic managers may think fit,
and they will think fit to use it in doubtful leg
islatige or Congressional districts Self-decep-
ton ill not do any good to the Republican can
didates anywhere. The recognized represent
alive men of the party, especially Governor
Foster and Senator Sherman, have taken pub
licly well-defncd position Oh this question,
as the one of greatest immediate interest, and
the people who are hostile to the position Of the
party, as shown in its platform and by its lead
ing men, will vote against it no matter what
anybody may say he is going to "conslder the
result The naked fact is that the people who
want free liquor and no Sunday will vote
against the Republican ticket, and no device of
ingenious politicians will prevent them. On
the other hand, if the Republicans are manly
and earnest, the people who want decent
Sunday and reasonable taxation and regula
ton of the liquor traffic will be very apt TO
vote for the party, but against any candidate
who tries to shirk the question.
1t is no new thing, this appeal to the moral
and patriotic convictions Of the people by Re-
puJlicans. They are encOuntering only the
very same obstacles that they encountered when
the nsOlcnce and aggressions of the slave
power forced that question upon the country.
Then, as now there were funds raised by the
advocates of existing evils to defeat the RepuO-
lican party. Then, as now, the Republican
party as such proposed only fair expression
of public opInon and a reasonable and prac-
ticablc limitation of the evil, but was fought as
savagey. from the start, as if it had proposed
abolition. Then, as now, there were timid men
who wanted to get Office as Republicans with
out offending those who were in favor of the
unlimited extension anu virtual SONtltISuty
Of evil. They were generally beaten, as was
natural. Sincere and earnest men Of all sorts
distrusted them. But the Republican party as
a whole had the courage to declare its convic
tons, and the people ultimately gave it unre
stricted confidence. For years, settlement
was possible at any time on the basis of a rea-
sonable restriction of the evil, but the defenders
of slavery were intolerant and intolerable.
They remember the result
The position of the Republican party on
this question must be judged from the conduct
of its majorities and its leading men. We infer
that il is in favor of moderate and reasonable
restriction of the traffic in liquor, as kind of
business in which absolute liberty cannot be
INDUCED without harm to tie public welfare.
Exactly so, and for the same reason, the party
was in favor of the restriction of slavery. But
a change came when the prO-slaycry men deiied
and rebeed against the law. Then it did not
take long to decide that a law-detying and re-
bellOus interest must be extirpated. The liquor
interest seems to be doing what it can TO arouse
a similar feeling of loyal Indignation. Ii would
be a thousand times better for that interest TO
be beaten in Ohio, by the active resistance of
many of Its friends to unreasonable and inso-
lent demands made in its NAME than for it TO
succeed i'll defying law and preventing reason
able and moderate restraint. If any doubt
this, they will he convinced when the Ohio
Legislature meets again.