The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-10-20


the LIQUOR question the Republican lead
ers confidently assume, or affect to do
so. that it affords no indications IN re-
gard TO the November States. where the
issues are very different. This is true
to some extent but. unfortunately for
the Republicans. the same tendency that
has manifested itself so disastrouSly in
Ohio prevails throughout the country
and is alternating from it conservative
voters 10y thousands. In Ohio, as in
Maine and Kansas, this tendency to leg
islate in restraint of the personal liberty
of the citizen and to drag social ques-
tions into the domain of politics is only
a little more developed than in Pennsvl-
vania and New York, but it is the same
everywhere. The Ohio Republicans. in
Obeying the party tendency, believed
that the inevitable loss of the Germans
and other liberal voters would be more
than compensated by the accession of So
called temperance Democrats. But in
making this calculation thev BETRAYED
how little they understood the Demo-
cratic tendency. While the Democrats
OF Ohio are quite as temperate as their
Republican neighbOrs. thew cherish a
traditional hatred of legislative enact
ments for regulating the conduct of citi-
zens in matters of private conduct which
are not violative of public order or per-
sOnal rights. Thus, while the Republi-
cans of Ohio could not attract the old
fashioned JeffersOnian Democrats thev
lost many thousands of the same kind of
Democrats within their own organiza-
tiOn, and have sustained a overwhelming
disaster in a State that is rarely shaken
by a political revolution.
In Iowa and Kansas, where the Re-
publicans are in an immense majority.
they have put into the State Constitu-
tion prohibitOry amendment and in In
diana they have forced the issue of an
amendment upon the people in the COM
ing election. The Democrats of Indi-
ana, true to their ancient faith. have
boldly met this issue, declaring that in a
Government based on individual liberty
and individual responsibility the major
itv have no right to dictate to the min
Ority, in matters of a personal taste.
They boldly assert that such an uSurpa-
tiOn of power on the part of the major
lty as is involved in this amendment is
the worst species of tyranny, and utter
ly abhOrrentstO the principles of Ameri-
can liberty. In forcing this amendment
issue upon the people of Indiana, the
Republicans have been compelled to de-
fend its invasion of She rights of the
citizen, and in doing this they are pre-
pairing for themselves the same political
discontinue that has overtaken their
brethren in Ohio. In New York the
last Republican convention declared in
favor of the principle of a prohibitory
liquor amendment, and to this extent
the liquor question is made an issue in
that State in the approaching election.
Many Republicans in New York will
NJ 1nrrhF FI,a5v- fr,- ~,
as will help to prevent the prOhibitory
liquor movement from making any fur
ther advance than the resolution of the
State convention. In the Pennsylvania
Legislature joint resolution to submit
a prohibitOry liquor law passed the
House, mainly by Republican votes, in
1881. and the resolution was postponed
for prudential considerations only by a
favorable Republican majority in the
Senate, 1t would be a great mistake to
suppose that the voters of Pennsylvania
are ObliviOus of this tendency in the Re-
publican party of the State or that it
will have no effect upon the election, re-
mote as is the apparent danger of sub
lection to the discipline which has been
imposed upon people of other States un-
der Republican control.
Thus the tendency of the Republican
party on this question is seen to be the
same everywhere. a prohibitOry liquor
law was the first legislative achievement
of the party upon acquiring political
power in Maine more than quarter of
a century ago, and Notwithstanding the
continued demonstrations Of its futility
as au agency of moral reform it still en-
cumbers the statute book. The Demo-
cratic party, on the other hand, from
F. fprrlDa hos c1nytry. f0C
spect for the personal liberty of the citi-
zen to restrain him with such laws. In
the days of Democratic power and pros
perity. as well as in detection and defeat,
the party has always maintained a
firm and consistent attitude on questions
of sumptuaTy legislation. The Demo
Gratis have never been guilty of the alb
suTdity Of passing laws to exclude from
manufacture and commerce products
which from the foundation OF the world
have been among the luXuries and ne
cessaries of every nation and race of
men. While they have passed stringent
license laws to regulate the sale Of liq-
uOrs. they have not sought by legislative
means to prohibit its use by the many
because of its abuse by the few. They
have not invoked the agency of the Gov
ernment to regulate private conduct
and personal health, Upon this queS-
tion at least there can be TO mistake in
regard to the opposite tendencies of the
two parties The predominating ele-
ment of the Republican party anywhere
in the country demands that the State
shall prohibit the manufacture and sale
of products which, temperately used, are
not injurious. and may be positively
healthfuI. while the Democrats oppose
L; Of 1arrfgla NJ only hn1a n GO
of its futility but because ii is at wal
with their fundamental doctrine Of the
largest liberty to the individual cOnsis-
tent with the rights and liberties of 9th
ers. 1t would be strange if. in the ab.
seDce Of other important issues, the ef-
feet of the opposite tendencies of the
two parties on this question should not
manifest itself elsewhere than in Ohio.
- pbfT07o7,,bi1 Record