The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-26
PROHIBITION QUESTION.
DECISION OF THE MAJORITY.
n Question of the People, Not of the Pol
iefcians-The Doctrine of "Local-
lied Majorities" Only an I'm
practical Dream-Prohi-
tion Right in Itself.


people themselves made party issue
oft. 1t is of the people; it is not OF
tho politicians. Being of the people,
1t ranks in its columns thousands of
the very best citizens Of the land of
every political creed known, and
more good old solid Democrats than
anything else, because there are more
Democrats in Texas than there are in
all the rest of the parties taken to-
gether; and God grant that 1t may
ever DO so.
In the face of those facts we are told
that the measure is not Democratic.
That charge arrays Democracy against
thousands OF the Oldest and best DEM
ocrats in Texas. This is bound TO be
true, for are not the msjorities carry
ing the measure in so many Of our
counties, made up OF the very same
men who made the great Democratic
maj GRITTY for Texas last November?
The simplest problem in figures shows
that a majority is bound to come out Of
the majority OF any given locality.
Then why do these men array Democ-
racy against her own noble sons?
Why should they be politically
damned? Thousands OF them were
voting the Democratic ticket before
some OF these men were born. In vot-
ing for prohibition in their counties
they thought they were exercising
the highest prerogative of Democrats,
and for the exercise OF that right as
citizens OF q government of, Tor, and
by, the people they must be arraigned
before these tutelary gods of Democ-
racy and consigned TO the apostate
Democratic hell,
Ills amusing how they ohuokle in
coBgratulating themselves on this
prospective humiliation OF hereto De-
mocracy, in the bosom of whom are
found some of the warmest aud most
patriotic Democrats hearts that ever
beat. We'll, like the boy who spIiO his
sides laughing before no tickled the
heel of the posterity of Baslam's steed,
fearing no would not feel funny after;
they too should be certain of the fun
before hand, for no telling what this
prohibition ''crittern may do. At any
rate some of us want to tell them they
are handling some Democratic fire;
and it 10 our observation that
DEMOCRATIC FIRE
when once ablsze is ten thousand
times hotter than the seven times
heated furnace into which the three
Hebrew children were cast; and that
fire deVoured those casting the vic
tins into it, with such relish that
not even were their names left to pos.
terity. May God pity these senators,
congressman and lieutenant govern
ors If the flames of these burning
Democrats whom they have read
out OF the party and cast into their
furnace, should lay hold on their gar
ments while they, by their ipse diXit,
fhnnn nd n
foraoOth, what they believe and prac-
tice az Democrats is not Democracy.
Why this side thrust from these men,
anyhow? Have they no7srgumenG to
mest this imaginary foe face to face on
the open field, on its merits? Is 1t not
composed of their best and truesL
friends? The friends of this measure
say 1t Is right per SO. Here is an Is
sue Cor them to go before the people
on. LIST these noble Romans deny
that successfully, and there will be no
use kicking up all this political dust
ebeat whether it is Democratic or not.
Whatever Is right is Democratic! and
If did not believe that Democracy
was great enough to 90 around every
thing right per SO, | would damn II
bin onists on that issue, show them 1t
Is not right per SO to stop traffic
sweeping into drdnkards', paupers'
and felons' graves 6e,0O0 of American
boys alone every year Of our lives, and
1t VIII not DO necessary to cavil and
rant about whether il is Democratic or
not. Try it. Yes, II ia Demo
cratic; 10 will always, as il
ever has been, be Demo-
cratic to save Americas nOblest boys.
But "back to the mark, sir" as was
said 10 - when General Jackson was
dueling with him and shooting him tc
the death. SO say prohibltionists t.
these men. "Back to the mark, sirs,
PROHIBITION Is RIGHT IN ITSELF,
or per SO. Deny that successfully and
IL is enough.
But again; in what docs yhis Demo
cratic apostacy consist? Mr.. GLIB
says he is opposed TO general prohib
itory law, but would, under circum
stances, support local option. He be
lieves Milrs views on local option n
variance with Democracy; but the or
gument he uses kills both Mills an,
Gibbs. Hear him firing: ~ have al
ways been taught that the FIRST princl
pie of Democracy was that tho ma ior
ity should rule" With that creates
OF Democratic guns he fires away a
Mills, but the gun shot both ways an
killed both game and gunnerll
Mr.. Gibbs says again Mills wa
wrong when he said local option wa
not Democratic; because, as Glib
saye, 1t would not be Democratic fC
tho maJorities to rulo in q locality en-
bracing the whole State, vet IL woul
30 Democratic for the majority to rul
III the majorities wero "looalized to Oh
county precints". Therefore Mills wa
Wrong!! Let's take that apart. IL
Democratic for the maioritles to rul
in county precincts, but II is not Dem
ocTatic for majorities to rule in local
ties embracing the whole State, there
fore IL is Democratic for the minorit
torulein locality of the whole State!
Barney, Barney, tour" Barney, wher
art thou?
From the preceding we conclud
that the great principles Of Democrac
are good thing for neighborhood an
precinct affairs, but that II does NJ
possess those inherent elements OF COZ
servative greatness that make IL ca
pablo of State and national govern
ment. III that be so, Democrats mad
adupe of old Democracy last Mover
Dor, when they spread her out over .
States and Territories; for the sam
reason, suppose, that the Arkai
sawyer set his old goose on barrel ,
eggs-iust to SEQ the old fool sprea
herself.
But seriously, the doctrine Of Thu
paper Is irredeemably at issue wit
genuine Democracy. We believe th
soundest governmental policy know
TO mon is found in the unquallfle
uncircumscribed Jeffersonian Dem
cratic maxim: "Absolute acquiescen,
in the
DECISIONS OF THE MAJORITY
This Is tho fire of inspiration tn
burned on the altar OF the heart of Il
great Jefferson land wo beg TO sI
here is whore wo lit the torch whit
lights our way whilo we write the
lines) whom he penned, In his flrst 1
augural, these everlasting word
"About 10 enter, fellow-oitizens, ,
the exercise ofthose duties which col
prehend everything dear to you, IL
hnN "a,