The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-25
Rexdjuster principles, apply to either OF
these three parties or to the national issues
they make.
The I.iouor Trade.

will prove OF interest and profit to all wh'
are advocates OF temperance, whether the!
be those who are jealous In their supper
OF, or those who are actively opposed Il
prohibition. The question is one which L
likely to enter more actively into nationa
politics than heretofore, and It would b.
well for Democrats TO study carefully thi'
subject in all its bearings before enemies
make capital OF their preiudices.
We quote:
The traffic in intoxicating drinks Is be
coming more and more n political question
The New York Tribune gives as the rea
son "the senseless intolerance OF tho
liguor interest" We are quite surprised
at this, as we had supposed the bitterness:
and intolerance was chiefly on the other
side. To explain and justify the recent
onslaught OF the Prohibitionists, the 1rt
bune declares that "the remarkable growth
OF the prohibitory sentiment at the west l.
certainly due in no small degree TO inc
aggressive. insolent, and law-defying course
of Observation-Disclosures and llquor-deai
ers. For many years they have been bully
ing political parties and threatening The
slaughter of every public man who did mol
agree with them.'
II this is really just description OF the
spirit and conduct OF the liquor-dealers al
the West, they must have learned thcI
lesson from their opponents in the eastern
states. for the language applies most justly
and graphically to the course OF the Pro-
hibitionists in New York and other States
east OF the Alleghanies. 1t looks very much
q. from, fba nt hpl
side, who were trying to find an excuse
for their zeal in the work Of preventing the
manufacture and sale Of alcoholic beycr-
ages.
We can understand that 4 man who BE-
lieyes that 1t is wicked to drink liquors, or
wines. or beer. should als0'wish to prohibit
their manufacture and sale. 1t would be
more logical and effective, perhaps, to in
Guide the customer in the decree, and To
punish by statute the man who puts the
bottle to his own lips and imbibes ever so
small quantity. as well as he who holds it
out to his neighbor. This has never been
attempted, we believe, but we cannot
see why it should not ne done, il
the reasons are valid which are
urged against the manufacture and sale.
Ii can only be wrong to make and
sell because it is wrong to drink in any de-
gree: and ii the manufacture and sale are
to be prohibited Is a crime, much more
should the nan who imbibcs even the
smallest quantity he punished for his act
There may possibly be some uses for the
liquor that are no; as immoral a. the drink
ing of ii; hence the manufacturer cannot
be held up aS one quite so wholly deprayed
as the man who drinks it.
When the prOhibitionist dcnounces the
Use Of all such Stimuants rs a CRIME against
God and man, and seeks not only to pre-
vent the use hut the sale and even the
manufacture Of any of these beverages, he
Is logical. and has, as far As his assumption
goes, an excuse for his zeal; but to assume
that his crusade against whi,key, wine, and
beer. and all who have anything TO do
herewith, is provoked by the " inSOlent,
oyerbearing, and domineering conduct "
of the liquor interest, is simply ridiculous.
There is not 4 meeker set OF victims in all
the country than those who are engaged i'll
this traffic.
In Ohio, many years ago, the Republi-
cans, acting with the ProhibitiOnists. in
corpOrated in the Constitution clause
prohibiting any licensing of the sale OF in
toXicating beverages. The dominant party
went thus far to please the ZealOts, but for
fear OF displeaSing tteir allies, the Ger
manS-a larger portion Of whom vote with
the Republcans-they declined to adopt
any prOhbitory legislation. Thus, through
Republican legislation, rum, wine, and lager
beer have been freerin Ohio than i'll any other
State Of the Union. The Democrats favor q
change in the Constitution, permitting a
license system and the placing OF the liquor
traffic under legal regulations. The Re-
publcans have been in dilemma; ii they
adopt a license system they drive out OF
their party the prohibtionists, who will
run an independent ticket, leaving the
Democrats in plurality; if they try tC
enforce prohibition, they drive the Ger
mans, who will not give up their lager
beer over to the Democrats. They can
not much longer ride both horses, and il
now looks az if they would join the pro
hibition, crusade. and try to make up fOl
the German detection by appeals to the
temperance men in the Democratic ranks
As politicians they may feel justified il
this, but il is true to historyto say that this
has not been provoked by the aggrcssion'
Of the liquor interest. The aggrcssiyenes'
and intolerance have been on the othei
side.
And now the concluding paragraph, t
which more especially we desire to cal
the readers dispassionate attention, is a
follows:
We regret for many reasons TO see tn,
cause OF temperance brought into the strife
Of political parties. We do not regard pro
hibition, either OF the manufacture, sale, OF
Use OF these beverages, rs likely in any way
to promote sOblicty among the people
Temperance is seli-restraint, and it j.
acquired 10y habit that becomes character
1t is not promoted, as we believe, by tota
abstinence. All the experience we hay,
gained in long life, throughout the whole
OF which we never in single in>tanc,
violated the law of temperance, justiiies III
in this assertion. But even il total absti
nence is the better way, the attempt TO Sc
cure il by severe sImptuary laws can only
lead TO absolute failure. And in that at
tempt there is the sacrifice OF personal lib
erty, which is worth a thousand times mor
than the habit OF sobriety, even ii it coul(
be secured by such means. Take from
half the community for any purpose tn,
right to Judge for themselves as to what i
wholesome III sneats and drinks, and vol
establish degrading despotism that mus
sap the foundation OF the principles upoi
which all freedom is established. 1t vii
not accomplish the desired result; but
it could the sacrifice is too costly price t,
pay for it.
The Baltimore Sun OF yesterday make.
the following pleasant editorial mention o.
our coming state Fair:
EX-Secretary Blaine is expected to de.
liver the annual address at the Virginia
State Far at Richmond the last week in
october, and General W. 5. Hancock will
review the military display and competitive
prize drill. The railroads have agreed 10
De more liberal than formerly IN getting