New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-05
AN UNSUCCESSFUL STRADDLE

Ex-Governor Hendricks and ex-senator Nc
Donald of Indiana, are both reported to be
more or less bewildered by the manner in
which the people talk about the action of the
late Democratic State Convention. Like the
shoemaker's shrinking and stretching boots
that were large enough for any man and
small enough for any boy" the temperance
plank of these political cobblers was conf
IDENTITY believed to be elastic enough to suit
all Sides from the ultra prohibitionlst to the
habitual drunkard. AS it seems on the con-
trary to suit nobody but to be condemned
equally by the Temperance men and the OD-
ponents of prohibition, Messrs. Hendricks and
Mcdonald are very much disappointed and
somewhat confused. Mr.. Hendricks, on being
asked about it, said he could not see "why
"there should be such afurore about this ques
"tionn "My record as a temperance man." said
he, ''is clear enough, and | would do nothing
to prejudice the cause" This Is the favorite
method of Mr.. Hendricks; to appeal to his
record, he being the fortunate possessOr Of
record so versatile and varied that he can ap
peal to 1t successfully i'll every possible emer
geucv. AS to his temperance record we con-
fess our own ignorance, but from our knOwl-
edge of the man and from the confidence
with which he refers to it We suspect 1t will
show that it has been his habit always to
pray with the pious and drink with the dry.
Mr. Hendricks says the Democratic platform
proposes to settle the question III the regular
constitutional way, and he cannot understand
bow anybody can object TO that AS If any
body proposed to settle 1t III any except the
regular constitutional way.
Ex-senator Mcdonald likewise is surprised
and discusted ct strikes me-" he says,
"that great deal of unnecessary fuss has
"been made over this whole business"
That's what politicians are very liable
TO think whenever their action is
criticised OF condemned. 1t usually strikes
them that there is ga great deal of unneces
sarv fuss made whenever the people express
dissatisfaction with their performances. Mr..
McDonads surprise, like Mr. Hendricks's, is
ocensioned by the discovery that there can be
any objection to the settlement of the temper
ance question 10y the submission of the pro-
posed prohibition amendment to the people.
He believes, however, that before the time
" of election comes we can make the people of
"the State understand that we are not fighting
temperance.' 1t is barely possible that they
may succeed in convincing the temperance peO-
pie of this, but that is not all that Is neces-
sary. While they are making that class believe
they are not fighting temperance there is an
other very large class of voters comprising III
Indiana, as in every other State, majority OF
the Democratic party, whom it will be neces-
sary to convince that the party is not
fghtng rum. In the natural order OF
things il would be a work of superer0gation
to go about assuring Democrats that their
party is in favor of rum. That goes without
SAYING But with Mr.. Hendricks appealing to
his record as temperance man, the State
Convention straddling the question: and Mr.
Mcdonald promising to convince tIe people
that the party is not fighting temperance, the
rum-seier and rum-drinker may well have
their suspicious aroused. And when the Demo
cratic party of any State looses its hold on the
rum interest it has in hand for the hope of a
Temperance vote in the bush, its days will be
numbered.
Against the bewilderment of these two emf
neut Democratic statesmen may be set of the
complacent satisfaction of the Hon. William
Il. English, who regards the action OF the
Convention on the temperance question as
a practical Endorsement OF his own views
on the question of State Sovereignty"
which, lie says, 81 wish 1 had more
time to-day to 20 into" :" feel at home on
this question:" he says. AS far back as
1852, when was i'll Congress, / introduced