New-York tribune., 1886-04-20
TIE PROHJBITORY AMENDMENT.

IlOndl alltntlIn III DIOUlDillUR iut UldUuldtlUIt
or sale of intoxicating liquors in this State is
expected to come before the Assembly to-day.
Some members are inclined to avoid letting
this measure go 10 the people on the ground
that they do not believe in it Themselves or do
not think enough people believe in 1t to make
its enforcement practicable But they ought
first to regard carefully the present aspects of
the temperance question. THE TRIBUNE took
great pains lately 10 ascertain the real state of
public feeling on the subject among the readers
of its weekly issue, aud the results merit care
full consideration -
l. The interest seemed less widespread than
we had been led to believe and less than the
more ardent temperance advocates have gener-
ally believed. When only one out Of twenty
four in an exceptionally intelligent constituency
takes the trouble to express himself on a
subject on which we have been told that the
rural communtic, are especially aroused. there
is obviously a mistake somewhere.
2 The feeling though not so widely diiiused
was quite AS intense as has been supposed.
The thousands of meu and wo men who did
take the trouble to respond were in dead
earnest. We have rarely read letters bearing
the impress of such unm;stakable sincerity and
depth of feeling There WIS no more devotion
to principle, no more conscience, in the Free
5 ii party in its earliest days than is shown in
these letters.
g. This feeling exists mlnly among natural
Republicans, people who belong in the Repub-
lean party and can only be curied ont of 1t by
Il conscientious conviction that the Republic m
party will not do its duty. They inclade the
very best classes in their respective neighbor-
hoods, the sober intelligent, industrious, III oral
men and women, who are the pride and the
strength Of any community.
i. 1t is growing feeling. In the State of
Ncw-Yorll the vote for s.. John in 1SS was
24.909 out of a total vote of 1,17l,263. In
1851 the vote for the Prohibition candidate for
Governor WAS ),s67 ont of total vote of
1,O2G,239, showing positive increase OF
5,S6S votes and Il comparative increase much
larger. In the State of OhiO the vote for st.
John was II ,OG9 while year later, in spite
of obvious disadvantages in their candidate,
the Prohbitionsts polled 2S,OSl. In Rhode
Island the PrOhibtionists, by avoiding the
pitfalls Of a third party movement, ard thus
securing the votes of their friends in both
parties have just surprised themselves as well
as everybody else by sweeping the State.
g. The election returns are no index to the
real temperance feeling of the county. The
great majority of the Republican party in the
rural districts, and probable majority also in
the cities, earnestly desire TO get and enforce
the best means for abolishing or restricting
The most of them believe their
object will be best attained by keeping the
qucntion ont of politics. Within a recent
period, too, there has been developed a new and
most formidable Temperance force in the labor
unions, and particularly in the knights of
Labor.
Well, these being the facts, what should the
Republican party do about it
One thing seems to us clear. 1t should at any
rate do what 1t has promised. The Republican
party has been heretofore a party Of perform
ance. The moment it c0nvinces the people that
its promises are now made only for effect
before elections its hold is hopelessly broken.
On September 10, 1883, the NcwYork State
Rcnu blican Convention at Rlchfield Springs
adopted the following as part of its platform
We bel eve IN the wsd III 4 the people deciding all
questions per aiming the public welfare and would
asccde the desire OF lare body Of citizens
submit to tie voter OF the State a cOnstuto al amend
in Ieeard to the manufacture sale OF intoxIcat
Ing liquors"
The Republican party in New York ought to
fulfil that promise at this session of the Legs
aturc. We suppose majority OF the Repub- !
leans believe that such a constitutional |
amendment could not be adopted in this State
md that, even if adopted, the enforce
nent of plohibtory law framed under it
SOuId, in the large cities at least, be im-
But why not lot those who |
litfer from them express their opinions |
At the polls Why not let the honest !
,Iiizens of whatever party who believe in
prohibition stand up and be counted We |
hall then know better wheie we are. The pro-
libllonists Will see what a length of road they |
ave yet to travel i'll State like New-Yorl be-
ore they can get a chance TO test their fayorlte
emedy. The Republican party Will see what
ne real feeling of the people Is on the subject,
nd, as the party of the people, will be better
repaired then to take the next step in practical
forts for Temperance reform.
That next step, we have no hesitation in say
ng should be-nOt license law, whether high
II lOw-but Il discriminating tax on every
establishment where either malt or distilled
J. rs are sold. exceptionally light on the sale
malt liquors alone, and exceptionally heavy
II distilled liquors. We should be perfectly
'iihng 10 couple with this Il Local Option bill,
Ddcr which rural communities, where the ma
,rIty really prefer prohibition and have such
eminent with them i'll the community that
ley can enforce 1t, may have a chance to do so.
But the first thing is to fulfil the promise of
Ss3. Pass the act giving the people a chance
vote on a prOhibtOry amendment to the
tate Constitution. Then let Governor Hill
ice the question of signing it or vctoing it.
he Republicans will at least have kept their
ord and done their duty.
THE NIJOhIIY RULES
Judge Pdrdee, OF Texas. uses strong and
dignant language in sentencing the con- {
cted strikers, and his sentences are not {
lnnnifinns adlrnssnl To the nncknt n,l,r |