National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-07-09
Tho Fundamental Right.

Tho Fundamental Right
While the Republican party as a national |
organization has never recognized prohibit
ton rs n political question, It has never
made any declaration hostile to the right
of the people Of the states to regulate their
local affairs, including the liquor traffic,
according to the will Of the majority,
The Republican party believes in home
rule, in local self.government. The Ma
TIoNAL REPUBLICAN holds to this faith as
the great conservator OF the federal system.
The lawful voters Of state have clear
right to amend their constitution at any
time and in any manner, by the prescribed
methods, 80 long as they do not violate
the constitution Of the United States.
II the majority, acting In accordance with
law, make a constitution that is repugnant
to the minority, the only remedy is to
omigrate or stay till a change can be law
fully effected. That is the Republican doc
trine, and 1t is genuine democracy, for 1t is
the fundamental principle Of our govern
ment.
The Republican party is not prohibit
tlon nor an antiprohibition party, although
about all the prohlbitionists in the north are
Republicans, yet II does not deem 1t ex-
pedient to say that a state legislature shall
not permit the people to vote on propo-
sition to prohibit the liquor traffic, The
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN is not In favor OF
prohibition for the simple reason that 1t
Invariably fails, and, leaving the traffic un-
regulated, produces incalculable harm.
But the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, does not
hesitate to say that, when there is real
and widespread desire to test the sense OF
the voters on this question, that desire
ought to be respected The Republicans OF
| Pennsylvania, in their recent convention,
adopted the following:
Whereas there Is an evident desire on the
| part of large number of intelligent and re-
| spectacle citizens of Pennsylvania to amend
the constitution by inserting clause prohibit
ing the manufacture and sale of intoxicating
drinks as a beverage within the limits of this
commonwealth; therefore
Resolved, That it is the opinion and Judgment
| of this convention that the legislature of the
| state should at once adopt measures providing
for the submission of this great question to
vote of the people in accordance with the true
| spirit of our free institutions.
Efforts are being made In various quar-
tiers to make this appear like new departs
| urea committal Of the Republicans In that
state to prohibition. 1t is nothing OF the
kind. 1t is, as the Philadelphia Press de-
clares, "simply declaration in favor Of
submitting prohlbitory constitutional
amendment to the popular vote, and leav-
ing the people to decide the question OF
prohibition for themselves. The proper
name for 1t is not the Prohibition resolution,
but the submission resolution The Press
adds:
The language of the resolution clearly define $
its scope and purport. 1t makes no expression
upon the merits of prohibition ITSELF aud doe,
not.commit the party for II or against II, but II
does explicitly affirm the right OF the people to
decide for themselves whether they will or
will not pass the prohibitory amendment. This
has been called In some quarters politicians
shuflling evasion Of the question. 1t Is nothing
Of the sort. 1t doesn't dodge the prohibition
issue, but meets 1t In the one direct and prac-
tical way. The only manner in which the
question OF prohibition can be presented Is
through an amendment to the constitution.
Wherever prohibition has been established the
result has been reached through popular vote
adopting such an amendment. The one obll
|
nrunrt,,itt, Ate = IL q .La,r,
to determine how they-will cast their vote aud
how they will decide the question. This Is
precisely what the submission plank does. The
convention could not do more so fur as pro-
hibition is concerned, and II rightly deter.
mined that II ought not to do less.
The Philadelphia Inquirer says: 1--WE
have examined, with a great deal of care,
the state convention platform, and fail to
find in 1t any challenge to the Prohibitions
lists to wrestling match. On thecontrary,
1t presents that which should prove to be a
very satisfactory reply to the demand of the
Prohibitionists; 1t directly recommends that
the legislature shall provide for submitting
the entire question to the decision Of the
people themselves"
II majority of the voters of Pennsyl-
vania do not want prohibition they will
not get 1t. We do not believe they will
care to try the experiment. But II a
majority OF them do want 1t, 1t is their
right to have it, else the minority, not the
majority, should rule.