St. Paul daily globe., 1884-08-02

war measure and not in the least as a conse
Quence of the prevalence of their belief, bu
tits not impossible that some accident may
in some similar way occur at the proper
moment to assist the party of prohibition.
People who thoroughly disbelieye in the
policy of prohibition are perfectly aware OF
the existence and the colossal dimensions oi
the evils of intemperance. They know that
1t is the cause of three-fourths the crime ol
the country, that it is responsible for great
portion of the poverty, and much OF the va
rous other forms of suffering. They are
anxious to find some remedy, and 1t is not
impossible that, in time, despairng of find
ing any satisfactory measures of relief, they
may in sheer desperation ally themselves
with this new party which proposes to find
relief in the federal constitution.
There is tending in modern philan-
throphy towards well defined socialism. II
asks the state to educate children, to furnish
asylums and infirmaries for the demented
and the pauper. Whenever any emergency
arises, the state is called on to interfere.
Prohibition is in the same line and although
it is not uncommon to hear the term "fanat-
ic'' offered to its adherents, They do not diff
fer in principle from the great element in
in society which Is everlastingly appealing to
the state in cases of difficulty. Thousands
of men of this class, who oppose prohibition
as the outcome of fanaticism, are fully in ac-
cord with the principle of state interference
on which prohibition is founded, and in
y Il
of the prohibition armies.
1t is not in the least wild vaticination to
state that the prohibition party of the future
will be largely made up Of the Republican
party of the present. The latter is becoming
disintegrated. 1t has no mission. 1t has
been running for twenty years on a reminis-
cence, and mainly on falsehood. As a
party at the outbreak of the war it was op-
posed to interference with slavery in the
southern states. Emancipation came as a
necessity of the war, and since that period
Republicanism has claimed to be the party
that gave freedom to the southern slave.
This is the falsehood to which, in great part,
it has owed itsseXistenee long after its mis-
sion had ended. Having no further legiti-
mate excuse for living it will fall apart and
become distributed among existing parties.
In this distribution, the prohibition will
get the greater number. Whiggism is here
ditary in the Republican party. 1t has re-
ceived and yet retains all the old faith in &
central power and in the efficacy of the state.
All the Republicans who are of whig ancestry
will gravtate towards prohibition all the
men of that party who are addicted to
''isms" will find their way in the same di-
rection. Many good men will march to re-
inforce the party now led by st. John and
thousands of fools, fanatics, uneasy agtators,
socialists, extremists and the like will ac-
company them.
| While it is not likely that prohibition will
succeed in electing president this yeal
| there can be no doubt that it is already po
tential factor in the political system of the
country, and that it is destined TO establish
an influential party. The tendency of the
age is towards the dominance of the state.