Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1884-03-27


eyes were fully opened it was dlseov'
cred that the political manipulators
Of the scheme had outwitted them
selves they had builded for the tenn
perance movement better than they
knew or intended. The question was
at last before the people without en-
tangling political alliances or party
issues. Democrats were free to vote
with temperance republicans and
neither need abandon his party. II
was not "a third-party contest, as the
result clearly showed. Twenty -siz
times as many votes were cast for the
Prohibitory Amendment as the third
party ticket received. 1t was a fair.
clear and clean issue at the last, and
the result is a tolerable good index
of the prohibition sentiment of the
State. Let us glance for a moment al
THE VICTORY.
"That is the right term to use,
though some men style it a defeat.
1t is, in fact, remarkable victory
This will be apparent from the study
of the situation as already briefly
sketched together with few addi-
tional facts. The Prohibitory Amend
ment, from the beginning, was either
openly opposed or indirectly attacked
by every leading secular paper in the
State. 1t was almost universally OPP
posed by the political leaders Of both
parties. Neither party wanted it
neither dared to assume any respon-
sibility for it. The German vote and
the liquor vote terrified the leaders Of
the two great parties.
"The Republican party had enacted
the well-known "Scott Law" with its
popular tax feature yielding the much
desired revenue (?) to the State, and
appealing to mems .cupidity in very
tangible way. This law, with its pop
ular features, yet thoroughly unac-
ceptable to the more earnest temper
ance people, was the battle-cry of the
Republican papers and party manip-
ulators, and to support this they struck
hard blows at the proposed amend
ments. The whole liquor interest of
the State--and of the entire country,
indeed-was in arms against it, with
organization, money, threats, and ter
rible earnestnesss, to fight it to the
death. Yet Notwithstanding all this
opposition and the want of thorough
organization, and Of ample means for
an effective canvass, the State rolled
up the magnificent vote Of 1923, l89 in
favor Of constitutional prohibition.
This is the official count, while there
is abundant evidence that fair count
would swell the number many thou
sands more. 1t may well be doubted
if, under circumstances equally dis
couraging, anything like such an en-
phatic and significant vote for prohi-
bition was ever in the history Of the
temperance reform. 1t is an over
whelming majority of the votes cast
directly either for or against prohibit
tion, and had it not been for the pc
cnliarity Of the law which requires
for change in the constitution ma
jority Of all the votes cast for any pur-
pose, at the election, this prohibitory
amendment would now be part of
the organic law of Ohio. In presence
of such an achievement in State
whose political points are SO nearly
equal. and whose moneyed interests
involved in the liquor traffic are hard
ly excelled by any State in the Union,
we may we'll thank God and take
courage. But what of
THE EFFECTS OF THE cAMPAIGN2
That is a question not easily answered
in all its bearings. But it is certain
that, with anything like wise and
management in the future,
the friends Of prohibition have moth
ing to fear, but everything to hope,
What the political parties will do no
one can safely predict; but whatever
course they mean to pursue, the tenn
perance reform must ultimately be the
gamer thereby. The Democratic par
ty, now brought into power, has with
in its ranks probably full hundred
thousand men who voted Cor the Pro-
hibitory Amendment. Will it be safe
for that party wholly to ignore this
large body within the camp, and give
the party entirely over to the liquor
The Republican party
has more than two hundred thousand
men among its adherents thoroughly
to Constitutional Prohibi-
bition. These men have borne much
from party manipulatcrs who for years
have compromised the party and i'm
periled society by yielding to the de-
mands Of the saloon element. 1t is a
mild statement of a patent fact to say
that there are many thousands of this
number who will stand no more tri-
fling with their principles and their
conscience. They have been patient
and considerable, They love the prin-
ciples which once marked the party of
moral ideas" and they have struck
no blow at that party, though they
have been well nigh stunned by the
blows which they have received
from its unworthy leaders. In the
last campaign they did not assail their
party, but ineekly submitted to much
unprovoked abuse. They showed
their loyalty and their self-control by
voting for the candidates Of their
party even though, in seeking that
which was immeasurably more i'm
portant to them than any merely
party issue, they had received moth
ing but opposition and abusive cpl
thcts. 1t is not true that .he advo-