Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-30
THE PROHIBITION CONVENTION.

THE PROHIBITION CONVENTION.
The failure of the attempt to capture
the Prohibition Convention at San Fran
cisco by those who wished to prevent the
nomination of full ticket, must be re.
garded as indicating that the leaders of the
movement know what they are doing. The
arguments employed by the Methodist
clergymen who appeared to have under.
taken the uncongenial business Of helping
out the political tricksters, were sipguiarly
deficient in cogeucy. They said that if the
Convention should nominate ticket the
only result would be to elect the Demo-
Gratis. Surprising that this were true,
however, it does not constitute valid
reason for refraining from nomination.
! We do not propose in this article to enter
into any discussion of the wisdom or IN
wisdom of the Prohibition movement, but
simply to consider what is the best policy
for body of men to adopt who have an
issue in which they believe strongly, and
who have failed in their efforts to get what
they require from the regular party organ.
izations. The Methodist clergymen re-
ferred to could not pretend seriously that
the Republican platform was satisfactory
to them, for to take that position would be
equivalent to a confession that they had no
business to be in Prohibition Conven-
ton. What they claimed was that the
elements upon which alone they could rely
were found in the Republican party, and
that they had nothing to hope from the
Democrats. This is true, but as we shall
show it does not strengthen their position.
The policy of the Prohibitionists is to do
whatever will force the leaders OF the Re-
publican party to give them what they
want. Now to acquiesce in the Republi-
can platform when it does not satisfy them
is to reward the politicians who have be-
trayed them, and to justify and encourage
the same kind of betrayals in the future.
There is only one way in which the av-
erage politician can be convinced of the
necessity of taking up a new issue, and
that IS by making him understand that he
will lose votes by not taking it up. So long
as those who are dissatisfied with platforms
nevertheless support them, they will never
secure the reforms they demand In every
such case they are convincing the politi-
clans of the wisdom of their duplicity, and
thus postponing the accomplishment of
their cwn programme. In the State of
Pennsylvania the Republicans fell into this
error year after year. They saw that the
party organization was controlled by cor
rupt men, and that it was being used for
bad purposes. But they were so afraid of
putting the Democrats into office that they
continued to accept the work of the
"Bosses," and as consequence the power
OF the latter became greater every year,
and with their power their audacity and
prohigacy grew in proportion. At last the
ilaoSOS SOGAk bilC aDuScS
of the situation no longer. They rebelled,
and they held an independent Convention,
and nominated ticket. What was the
result? The regulars first laughed at
them then grew angry; then began to re-
monstrate and at last, finding the old ar
gum ents were useless, humbly offered to
surrender Internationally. The Pennsyl-
vania Independents steadfastly refused all
the propositions made them. They were
resolved TO purify the party, at whatever
sacrifice. And SO they are making their
campaign, and already it is foregone con-
olusion that the REGULARS will be igno-
miniously defeated.
It may be regarded as certain that there
will be reform in the Republican party of
Pennsylvania henceforth, but how would
it have been if the dissatisfied Republicans
had gone on blindly voting the regular
ticket, on the stale and stupid plea that
they could not afford to help the Demo-
Gratis into power? The plain truth ia that
when demsgogues and schemers are in the
control Of party there is only one way
to bring them to reason, and that is to
fgat them. It is they who fear the
advent to power of the Democracy, but
it is only because in such an event the
spoils will be taken from them. Give them
reason to believe that they can dodge
awkward issues with IMMUNITY, and they
will do it every time aud in the end the
foolish Republicans who have supported
them will realize that they would have been
very much better off had they begun by
standing firmly for their special purposes.
There is no room for choice between the
men who control the two parties. Both sets
are equally untrustworthy. The real diff
ference consists in the followers of the two
parties. It Is true that the Republican
party does embrace those elements which
are favorable to. Prohibition. But these
elements cannot make themselves felt
while non-committal and double. dealing
platforms are carefully prepared for them.
Had the Prohibition Convention followed
the advice of the Methodist clergYmen it
would have had its labor for its palms, AS
it is its ticket will be beaten, but it will
have given the Republican politicians a
lesson they will be slow to forget, aud
when they hold another State Convention
they will be prepared to deal fairly with
the men who have fought them to such
purpose.
A ROYAL TIME.
The Princess and the Marquis appear to