Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-02
TIE pRoH1s1rIosIsrs 1s The FIELD.

aiu III Is eFiltut Lodt buey arc thc CA proc
sions of party which thoroughly under
stands its own purposes, and has no desire
to conceal them from the public. We PRE-
sumo that the members of the Prohibition
Convention who Endorsed this platform and
nominated ticket 10 occupy it. have no ex-
pectation of carrying the State. 1t may be
said that their ticket is predestined to de-
feat at the polls but 1t does not follow
that the party will fail to accomplish any
thing. There is, indeed, one very significant
feature in this movement. 1t 10 the only
one at present before the people which rep
resents single. minded and earnest desire
to improve the condition of society. And
this is consideration certain, under the
circumstances, to give to the movement a
weight and Significance which may carry 1T
much further than seems probable at first.
When new parties originate it is always
the case s,hat their success depends upon
their sincerity. New parties, capable of
success, do not appear as long as the old
ones are capa ,le of being utilized by re.
formers. But .when both the old parties
have become corrupt; when both Of them
seek only the spoils when both of them
are poisoned with demagogism when
neither of them any longer stands for the
sober, earnest progressive elements of
the community; then new party may
make inroads upon their strength which
will surprise Superficial observers.
And it must be realized that the Pro.
hibition party Of California takes the field
now under very peculiar circumstances. 1t
has been demonstrated that strong pop
ular sentiment throughout the great West
is in sympathy with the warfare against
drunkenness and its instrumentalities
which they declare. The recent adoption
in Iowa of an amendment to the Constitu-
ton prohibiting the manufacture or sale OF
any kind of in ,oxicating liquors within the
Estate, has been followed by general
movement of the same kind throughout
Illinois, Ohio, Nebraska, Kansas, Michigan
and other States, and it is plain that the
Prohibition doctrine has from some reaeon
acquired 80 impetus such as it has never
had before. The temperance organizations
all over the country are consequently more
determined and enthusiastic than ever, and
with every new success their spirits rise
and their following increases. There are
in California %, 900 members of the Order
of Good Ismplars, of whom perhaps TO-,
900 are voters. O. believers in prohibi
ton who lsl96g to other Orders and to ne
] Order moderate estimate is 10000. /
may therefore be said that there are 20, 00t
votes cap able, under conceivable circum
stances, o.; being polled for Prohibition
ticket. Hitherto the approach of election
has usually sifted temperance men bacl
into the odd organizations, and they hav'
been Republicans or Democrats for politi
cal purposes. So long as the old partie
presented live issues, so long as there wa
contest Of principle between them, thu
was sure 10 be the case. To-day, how
ever, the usual conditions are not in oper
alton.
There are no longer any genuine issue
between Republicans and Democrats
Both occupy the same general position
and the apathy which has thus far marked
the campaign proves that the people arr
| not deeply interested in the contest. Tit
juncture is therefore peculiarly favorable
to the Prohibitionists. Their zeal and
earnestness, the terrible reality of the evils
which they combat, the universally of the
experience or these evils, the prestige o.
temperance successes throughout the West
all unite to commend the movement te
popular attention, and to give it signiti
canoe and an attractiveness which mus
always baloug to a real reform agitation
With iudicious and vigorous use of cam
paign methods, with staff of speakers
thoroughly versed in their subject, it i.
by no means impossible that the Pr5nibi
ton ticket may before the end CT the pres
emit month make much more imposir
figure than the old politicians are at al
willing to believe Just now, Its strongest
aid W. os its earnestness. Here at leas'
, the people will recognize an unselfsh and
philosophical movement. Here at least
all idea Of manipulation and trickery will
be discarded. The Pfohibitionists may
be hopelessly mistaken as to the efficacy o
their programme They may have embarked
upon an irnpracticable undertaking. But
ii cannot be doubted that they are in ear
nest, and it is equally clear that the object
of their warfare is real and gigantic evil
We do not suppose that the late Conven.
tion expected to do more than give q
lesson to the politicians who evaded
awkward problems in their platform. As
the case stands, however, they may have
builded better than they knew. They
have certainly put in nomination an ire.
proaehable gentleman for Governor, and
the general ticket behind him will com.
pare favorably with the Irregular" tickets.
The platform 3 frank, manly, and in every
point perfectlv clear and ineligible. The
voters are dissatisfied with both the old
parties. Th., Prohibition sentiment is
stronger tharl ever before. Aud if the
work on the stamp is we'll done 1t will be
in vain for tho, Republican and Democratic
press to und,rtake to ignore the third
party movement. This journal has already
sufficiently expressed its views as to the
feasibility OF he reforms proposed by the
Prohibi.ionists but we recognizs the fact
that il the probability of permanent public
benefits is raade the measure of party
NEXT, not onoof the political organizations
now ia existeiice can make out an apology
for existence. THE Prohibitionists have thi.
advantage ovT the Others, that they are
sincere, and that their efforts are directed
against evils the formidable character OF
which has hitherto daunted statesmanship
and bsffied philanthropy and religion. In
short, the movement is one with which
even those wlio cannot regard its ultimate
aims as practicable are compelled to sympa.
thizs, and which appeals to the experience
and the humanity of all who have directly
or indirectly suffered from the curse Of
drink.
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TIE INSIDE OF SAN FRANCISCO POLL
TICS