Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-16
HOW CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER CASES

Itself upon its superior moral standard.
At every crisis in its history it has rallied
to its support the friends of good morale.
1t has appealed to them as having dis.
tinct and well. established claim upon
their support and sympathies. Until the
present year it has succeeded in obtaining
the temperance vote in this State, and in
order to retain that vote it has usually put
into its platform some ambiguous verbiage
which could be interpreted both ways at
convenience. This year, however, the
temperance organizations were more than
usually persistent. They had been greatly
encouraged by the adoption of the pro.
hibitory constitutional amendment in Iowa,
and they were not disposed to put up with
vague and air-drawn resolutions. When
the Sacra nento Convention had finished
its work they realized that they had been
thrown over that the Convention had
been afraid or disinclined to afford them
any substantial help. They were naturally
disguised, but as usual they were urged to
stay in the party, the stale old argument
being once more used that they would
otherwise bring the Democracy into power.
This time, however, the aforesaid stale
old argument had lost its force. The
temperance people had become convinced
that the only way to bring the Republican
party to reason was to fight it; and this
4
they prepared TO do. They held Con-
vent;on, and put full ticket in the field
No sooner had they taken this decisive
step than the Republican press, which had
previously treated them with the utmost
| Difference, turned round and began to
abuse them as "cranks," and visionarie4,
| and fanatics, and to declare that they were
engaged in perfectly hopeless task, and
were merely throwing away their votes,
their money and their time. The con.
version of the Republican newspapers was
as complete as sudden. There was no
longer any temperance tendency to be
found in the organs of the party. Hence
| forth Prohibition was to be as much
anathema as Democracy. 1t was to be
treated as an enemy, and to be attacked
without merc.F And yet nothing had
been changed i, the character of the issue.
The measure which the Prohibitionists
now sought Independently were the same
measures which, they had previously sought
under the lh'lter and protection of the
Republican organization. In Iowa the
Prohibition 1iumph was also Republican
I triumpn1t Ohio the Republican party
has been dekSted because it took up the
Prohibition i ue. Wheysver Prohibition
has come to Tie front as party question,
it has been advocated by the Republican
party.
Notwithst snding these notorious facts
the California Republican press has under
taken to densnnce the Prohibition move
ment with turbulence which almost savors
of Democratic whisky. One would think,
did he know no better, that the Republican
party had always been the pronounced
friend of int importance and vice, and that
it was only oSeying its instincts in assail.
ing the Prob bitionists. Curiously enough,
the Democratic papers, which have always
sneered at the Prohibition movement, have
for the occasion taken the Republican part
| Ii is they who regard the temperance
ticket with mild approval, who carefully
refrain from attacking it, and who seem to
have resolved upon quite general Blue.
Ribbon reform. OF course the explanation
OF all this is simple enough ; SO simple that
it does not require to be put in words. But
no explanation can eliminate from the stu
alton the vivid illustration of partisan by.
pocrisy and insincerity which it affords.
What it shows ia the absence of principle
which characterizes this campaign especi-
ally. The Republican party of California
to-day 10 as naked of honest convictions as
the National Democracy and that is
strong comparison. 1t is making a fight
purely and solely for the spoils. 1t has di.
vested itself of every ray of sincerity. 1t
has no longer any beliefs. It is ready to
advocate anything which it thinks helpful.
1t is ready to become the champion of I'm.
limited whisky. 1t is ready to change
places with the Democracy in all things.
1t has in fact undertaken to put on Demo-
cratic shoes, and to walk in them. 1t
modelled its platform after that of San
Jose. 1t had no convictions of its own.
And thus it has repudiated its former al.
lance with the temperance element, and is
attacking the Prohibition ticket and move
ment through its organs. The temperance
advocates can perceive from this what
would have been their fate had they Lis.
tened to the old stale argument and re-
manned in the party. All that was wanted
was their votes. 1t never was intended that
anything should be done for them. They
were to be fooled to the top of their
"bent. They were to be fed with prom.
ises "good for this campaign only :" and
when the campaign was over they would
have sought in va IN to get the promises re.
deemed. Under he present leadership and
management of the Republican party in
California, there il no hope for any reform
movement whate yer. A gang of greedy,
impudent, consci snceless demagogues and
self-seekers have got control of the organ.
ization, and they Snre endeavoring to sell
out its goodwill or whatever it will fetch.
They have no fur her use for it than to get
NJ, ,ualxr ,,tn afE A.
they are ready to make war upon any in.
terest, to repudiste all moral alliances. to
become more Democratic than the Demo.
Gratis, if that will do them any good.
They are, howe yer, no more sincere in
one respect than in another. They see
that they have Lost the temperance vote,
and so they abuse it. They hope to gain
the opposite vote. and SO they try to beat
the Democrats in heir pretense of opposi.
tion to sumptiary laws" They are
utterly untrustw ,rthy and inconsistent
and insincere. Unless they can get the
Prohibition vote the Republican news.
papers are against Prohibition. That is
the measure of thsr honesty, and that is
the standard of their convictions. Thus a !
Republican candidate who still hopes to |
win some temperance votes is going about |
stating ths. though he owns vineyard he
has never nlads any wine. The inference
he desires 90 be drawn is that he only |
raises raisin grapes. The actual fact is that
he has only failed to make wine because
the frost destroyed his last crop of grapes.
This man is raising grapes for the express
purpose of making wine with them. ALI |