New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-09
THE OUTLOOK IN ONO.

| question is causing. Their predictions are Il
good deal wilder than usual, and as conflicting
rs they can we'll be. We publish some OF
them this morning in a letter from Cleveland.
| Our correspondent gives the views of all inter
ested parties and leaves the reader to draw
his own infereuces as to which prophet is most
entitled to credence. The Republican estimate
which he gives is an extremely moderate one,
and is much less favorable to the Republicans
than those which are given by higher
authorities in the party. Speaker Hodge pre-
dcte that the Republicans will have eight or
ten thousand majority III the State ana
lose three Congressman. This differs greatly
from Governor Fosters estimate, as given IN
recent published statements. The Governor,
who is cOnfesscdly the best canvasser III the
State and a very keen and accurate observer
of public sentiment, says the liquor question
is the absorbing one everywhere, and that III his
opinion fully nne-tcnths OF the people, Dem
ocrats as well as Republicans, are III accord
with the Republican party's position. Many
of the sympathizing Democrats viii refuse to
leave their own party, but the Governor IS
sure that thousands of them will vote with the
Republicans. Other competent judges are OF
the same opinion, and so cautious and trust
worthy an authority as Mr.. Richard Smith of
The Cincinnati Gazette is said to he of the
opinion that the Republican majority may
reach 10000.
We doubt if the prohibition leader whom
our correspondent cites is far representative
of the Prohibition party. We should dislike
to believe that all the members of that party
take so narrow and impracticabe view OF the
situation as he does He refuses TO give the
Republicans any credit whatever for then stand
in favor of temperance and quiet Sunday.
He says of the Prohibition party: ave hold
"lquOr making and selling to be crimes, and
"are opposed to their recognition in any way,
"by a tax or a license law as proposed by the
" Republicans." And because ne is opposed
to the recognition of these crimes lie proposes
to help put the State into the control Of the
Democratic party, which is i'll favor OF giving
the crimes unrestricted sway That Is the way
he proposes to help the cause of temperance,
for that is what a refusal to support the Repub-
licans means We do not believe the masses of
the Prohibition party are 50 foolish as this.
Surely they must see that the restrictions which
the Republicans propose to put III ON the liquor
traffic will be a great gain to the cause of tenn
cipIes for the temperance advocates to support
these restrictions. They merely take what
they can get now while waiting for the time
to arrive when they can get what they want.
1t is the old trutn of half a loaf being more
desirable than no bread. Furthermore, if they
refuse TO encourage the Republicans for taking
position in favor of temperance now, they
cannot complain if hereafter the Republicans
decline to risk their own success for the 81 He
of helping a cause whose advocates refuse to
help themselves.
OF the German and Democratic estimates it
Is not worth while to say much. 1t IS newt
able that all the German calculatorS should
Overestimate the importance OF the German
vote 1t is noticeable that while claiming the
success OF the Democratic State ticket the
German prophets say their voters will sustain
the local and Congressional Republican candi-
dates This is welcome intelligence. The
loss of the State officers, which we by no means
concede, would be of trifling importance they
are only for miner positions and can have no
influence i'll shaping the course of affairs; but
the loss of two or three Congressman would
be fact to be dcplored. The temperance
issue ought in no way to affect the vote for
Congressman, for they have no voice in direct
ing the States action in the matter. a curious
feature Of the Democratic claim which our cor
respondent gives is the calm assurance that
the Republicans will not gain anything by
espousing the temperance cause because the
Democrats were never 50 badly beaten as they
were when they pretended to be in favor Of
temperance 1t is impossible for this prophet
to comprehend that the Republicans may be
more sincere than the Democrats were. The
Democratic party have pretended TO believe
in good manT admirable principles during
the past twenty-five years, but we do not recall
a single instance in which they have been able
TO convince the people OF Their sincerity.
II seems to us that all the persons whose
opinions our correspondent gives make
common error in their calculations. They
overlook the moral aspect of this question.
They base their calculations upon the usual
party lines and forget that this is a question
beyond and above parties-a question which
goes straight to .he homes and hearts OF the
people. The Republicans say the liquor traffic
has become great evil that it Is impossible
to suppress it outright, but that 1t must he re-
stricted must pay its share of the public ex-
penses, and mast he forbidden Oh Sunday.
The Democrats say it must remain unrestricted
untaxed, and have free swing every day III the
week We have been unable to believe that
the people of Ohio can be 50 blind to their
highest interests us to fail to sustain the Re-