Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-06
SOME THOUGHTS FOR PR0HIBI-
TIONISTS.

There are many old-time, sincere and
tried apostles of the cause of teetotalism,
who do not approve of the act of the Pro-
hibitionists in putting up Presidential
candidate They do not see how reform
is to be promoted by what is, unquestion-
ably, waste of energy. For instance, the
Baltimore Meth0diSt, a most influential
leader in the temperance work and power
in the Church it represents, refuses to in
dorse the ST. John and Daniel ticket The
position of the journal has created conster-
nation in the Prohibition ranks on the At
lantic coast. The Methodist declares that
the time is not ripe for the step the party
has taken. Without arrogatlng special
prescience, we recall that the RECORD UNION
made like expression year ago, and
foretold that the effect would be to divide
temperance workers, weaken the Repub-
lean host somewhat, and encourage and
aid the Democratic party. The Methodist
saws not even the widest dreamer in the
Prohibition Convention supposed that the
ticket would have the slightest chance of
success. All that even they claimed was,
that the ticket would be a test Of strength.
But obviously this is not true, since many
sincere Prohibitionists will vote the Repub-
lican ticket, and thus the strength of that
sentiment will not be distinctiyeiy shown.
But. as the Methodist well puts it, even
if St. John and Daniel should be
elected, it viii be no effective step
toward Prohibition as a national policy.
Until the Congress of the country can be
elected by the Prohibitionists, they can ac
complish nothing nationally. The election
of St. John and Daniel, would not even
signify majority sentiment in favor of
Prohibition, because the Electoral College,
with four tickets in the field would not be
likely to reflect majority prohibition
sentiment among the people. 1t will be
remembered that this journal has repeated
ly held that no real national Temperance
movement can be possible until the reform
is accomplished in the States singly; that
if prohibition ever reduces the ranks Of its
'
national assault. Now comes the Methodist
and expresses similar views, saying the
battle must be fought in detail by town
ships, counties, States When in the States
the prohibition sentiment predominates,
then will the hour strike for national
movement The Methodist has this to say
Of the prohibition platform;
1t betrays the consciousness that something
more than prohibition is essential to the policy
of party that would direct National affairs.
It's g straddles y are as genuine as those OF the
other platforms before the country and not half
so well disguised. 1t endeavOrs to be broad
enough to accommodate tariff for revenue and
tariff for profession prOhlbltlOnlsts. IL has
soft money plank. advocates admission to citi-
zanship without distinction of race or color,
adopts the principle of woman suffrage, but
relegatcS the practical Out-working of this re-
form" just where it should have relegated the
whole business Tor which il assembled " to the
discretion of the Prohibition party in the sey-
eral States according to the condition of public
sentiment i'll those States
Francis Murphy, the widely-known tenn
perance advocate, opposes the present
movement also, and declares that he has
never known the organization of a third
party to help the cause of temperance On
the contrary. he holds, it has been the
cause Of injury TO the temperance work
The excuse for considering the matter at
all in view Of the impossiblity Of the Pro-
llibiton ticket winning, is found in the
fact that, nevertheless, it may draw off
enough votes of ardent temperance men.
willing TO make sacriticial offerings Of their
Ill e IL,