The Washington critic., 1886-09-17
"ANTI.SALOONIsM.n -


the latter has the logical advantage.
1t has started out on a definite line of
action, for the purpose Of consolidating
the Prohibition sentiment Of the coun.
try in one organization, which in tine,
It's leaders hope, will become powerful
enough numerically to control the leg
islation of Congress and possibly
the Executive branch of the Govern.
ment.
The Anti Saloouisis assume to have
the same object in view, but propose to
reach it solely through the machinery
of the Republican party, Independent
of all outside help The success of
such an undertaking depends, of course,
upon II wholesale Republican CONVEX.
ion TO Prohibition principles.
The Chicago convention declares in
favor of Prohibition, but against the
only party that makes Prohibition its
distinctive issue aud rallying point, II
says, virtually: We are resolved upon
putting stop to the sale and manu-.
facture of alcoholic beverages, in order
10 deliver the country from the rum
POWER" and provided this result can
le brought about as Rcpub lean
n easure; but otherwise not.
So far as the convent II dorses
high license or loc'l option measures
its platform is commendable. but this
is what the platform of all parties
should do. The Republicans at Chi
cago would place partisan and re-
strictive limit on such policy.
Evidently then the inspiration OF the
present movement is political rather
than moral. 1t is to check the progress
of third party organization, which,
drawing largely upon the Republican
party for recruits, may endanger in To-
calities the future success of that party.
To say, as both Senator Blair and ex-
Secretary Window suggest, that there
is such an analogy between the Anti
Slavery cause and the Temperance
cause as to give the Republican party
an exclusive proprietary right over the
latter is absurd. Whatever analogy
exists is in favor of the Prohibitionists.
When the Anti Slavery crusade began
the Republican party was unborn and
unthought of. 1t was only by the
gradual creation of new party on
purely sectional lines that the over
throw of the slave power was made
possible. Republicanism did not make
Abolitionism; 1t was Abolitonism that
made Republicanism and drew upon
Democrats, Wings, Free-Soilers and
Know. Nothings alike for its nutr;-
ment. 1t was through just such
independent action ~ the Prohibition
lists have taken that Mr. Lincoln came
10 be President; and 1t will be through
such action, if ever that Prohibition
will gain control of Congress and the
Administration,
Prohibition is matter Of principle;
Anti Saloonism is simply n matter of
politics; with the Pfohibi ionists, the
Democrats and large majority of the
Republican party left out.
PUESiDENT DIAX FOR PEACE.
President Diaz, in his annual mes
sage to the Mexican Congress, disposes
If the Cutting and Arresuris cases in a
temperate but somewhat Off hand man
n.r. He congratulates Mexico for
having avoided a conflict with this
country and yet preserved its dignity
and good name. That it was able to
do so was due, he says, to the strictly
legal conduct of the Mexican courts
and authorities OF the State of Chi.
huahua; to the good sense of the Mexi.
can people, and to the good sense of
the Government of the United States,
which, "when better informed, did not
insist upon Its demand which gave rise
TO the transient dif'c ilty."
1t is evident that President Diaz re.
CARDS the Cutting affair as finally dis
posed of, and does not attach any great
importance to Mr.. Sedgwick and his
mission. He is equally emphatic in
regard to the case of Arresuris "the
author of various crimes committed on
our territory" The Arresuris affair is
very simple one, says President Diaz,
and all the attention it is worth is
simply to note that Arresuris was OF
Mexican nationality, and was volun,a
rily delivered up by the Texan authori
ties without any previous demand iol
his eXtradition. $50 it will be seer
that as regards the supposed citizen o.
the United States there is no occasion
for controversy between the two gov
ernments."
President Dlaz is serenely and salts
factorily convinced that Mexico 4
right in both cases and does no, allow
II em to bother him in the least. 1t Il
also evident from the tone of his mes
sage that war with the United States /
contingency not for moment to b.
entertained. 1t takes two parties L
get up quarrel, ana so long as Mexico
is determined not TO be one of them
the danger is certainly remote.
A CONGRESS to promote the colonia
Interests of Germany is in session a
Berlin, the object OF which Is to devise
practical methods for extending trade
and encouraging immigration in direc
tions profitable to the revenues an(
power of the Government. The out
come will doubtless be the organiza
tion of party favorable to the saga
cious policy of Bismarck and the i'm
partation of new and vigorous i'm
petus TO his schemes of colonial ag
grandizement. However much Of
1yti1a thfo ,,ni{ou m N fact fha nnt,1 m y