New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-15
PROHIBITION IN POLITICS.
ATTITUDE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
A LETTER FROM THE REV. EDWARD BRYAN OF
BRADFORD, PENN.

BRADFORD. PENN.
To. me Fdnor OF The Tribune.
SIR: The objections entertained by many
Republican temperance people with respect TO Pro-
hibtonsm embodied IN third party are not by any
means m lnly OF a political character To throw away
ones vote" to help the Democratic party 10 DC
recreant to party aegancethes are not bughears 10
deter them from acting in accordance with tneh con-
victions But net the other hand, are they IN
ueuced by the exaggerated and deusve analogy when
Is 30 diligently existing between the slavery
reform and the temperance reform and the impeuous
claim that light OF this comparison it evident
that the liquor traffic be abolished only through
Prohibition party
The consideration that Influences lem in altering 10
the Republican party simply this that the te erance
nocv which has heratoore been promoted through the
agency OF that party aud which enjoys the reaso"aoe
prospect OF steadily increasing Advancement IN lhe
future through the same agency Is sound sersoie 'nu
true: while that position which is represented ~ INC
Prohibition party and mutt necessarily be lniorsed py
those who identify themselves With it, essentially
un.ound and untrCe Alcohol a poison whether taken
by the drop or gallon, expressed in recent pull
Dit utterance the sale OF alcoholic drinks the giehno
crime OF crimes - the frrvld rhetoric OF Mr. Gladstone
suggested by those iniquties which commonly accom-
pany the ira c being appropriated to characterize
apv sale whatsoever OF alcoholic beverages all Licensing
or avorng or voting tho licensing Of this traffic being
OF itself wicked and act accessory to crime ana no
state policy reference to the business being mofaS
permissible except that OF absolute, Immediate ana UNI
versa prohbition-ths Is brief summing up OF the
position assumed by the Prohibition party Contrast
with this rtreme and untenabe theory the policy whch
ia fostered by Republican party AID I, which move
mani is now fairly inauguated TO commit the party oy
formal platform utterance According to this THEORY
restrictive looking toward the OIL
the quor business within narrower limits, either by
taxation by high lieense, are recognized as rguae
and advisable or unadvsable. according to the public
ht%fh ar rio nj he neOn
State to vote on the question OF prohibiting the liquor
bu.,nes Ia Also recognized and the opportunity so TO 90
is IN be guaranteed At the same time the shamefui
abuses and suicidal crimnaty OF which the liquor usc
is guilty are held Justly to demand it's early ana per-
petua forfeiture OF all legal sanction and necessitate as
an heroic and for the public welfare Tue HAi
adoption OF policy OF utter extermination-
According the theory prohibition Is an nEe1ipe
uripcipe admitting OF alternative; according TO tue
other 1t lie suIpressiye measure the Justincauoh Ior
which grounded IN the exigencie OF the ues' Inc
one has its aim 10 render by law the an
sale of alcoholic beverages an imposSioll'y' 'uis
goal coul be reached the OF such beverages Wouu
1,l,vi.e becorne impossible, ard the said legislation
roud therefore be all ntens and purposes snnptu-
ary in It's character The other theory seeks TO restrict
and eventuly condemn the liquor trainc a. private
business TO complete Government control. In tue uu-
mate adjustment OF the question 1t would not DC incon
s,ent tn this theory provide for the sale Of liquor
through state agencies, il now done IN prohDiiory
States where the evils resulting from the sale as source
OF proat would be avoided. but where the Accountable
bvpoerises attending the requirement OF medical pre-
scriptions woud be no longer fosterei
rbe charge is made that the Republican party COM
mited TO the liquor interest and that genuine temper
ance re.on work can expected through its instru
mentality Time will establish either the truth or the falls
ity OF tais In the meaniine rs past perform
aces present activity ana is pledges Tor the iutu.e
M the prom Of temperance measures are sucet to
merit a reluctance 10 believe what IL at present. n
and m ID q Ot mare "A
Premature but entirely mistaken Judgment Then,
100 rather ominOus uncertainty attending the course
which viii pursued by coDpIoted south IN the as
tendency which /, las now atiainei III the National
Government ought TO be sufficient 10 check any i'm
nt &c that may FELT with regard TO the secondary
position IN winch the Republican party CONTINUES 10
Keen tne temperance issue Dead issues should indeed
Inc buried they actually dead; but when they show
signs Of resuscton it Is often UNSAFE even 10 retire
them 10 a subordinate place.
In the midst Of the Jealous and somewhat noisy adj
vocacy OF political temperance views thee are already
signs OF s1iexhaustion IN this deeetoh from Tue he
publican ranks froai itionsn The mass o. temper
p-ople rapidly reaching te conclusion that 10
have temperance Issue kicked ABOUT ~ tle present
fashion as tue football of political strife, boies naught
but evil to the temperance cause thst 10 otee tne Issue
Incorporate opinions ana meas ra'neI nan on
we'll ascei tained principles both uawse and unjust
that the apparent differentiation Of temperance aims
to An ambition for political preerment FOR the securing
of which recourse j. nal to the popular uprising v
me welcome which Is 80 hastily extended sorrhe..d
political seceders and asprants the 'ercton and tie
I'M some laudAfOn u, candidates whose temperance
record is tAiuted by the raekest sort OF hTpocrs, to-
gethcr With the sus ieousiy ostenaons advertisement
of their clean handedness and hOnestythat all this is
speedily bringing this entire political temperance move
lleut INTO merited contempt
No Individual and no political party can rifhtiuly
Withhold any reform both genuine sympathy
and active participation; bat tue time for action - well
A. the method Of action. must be u1iciousy chosen.
And tile caution which Is contained III those pregnant
words OF In rrson's may well be- heedrd: Those VINO
are urging ardpr what are called the greatest
OF mankind are narrow self pleasing. conceited
men aud affect the insane do They bite Us AMI We
run mad also think the work OF the reformer in
nor.n as other work is done around him bat
have II near do not ike II better 1t Is done IN
the way. IL Is done prof nely not pousy by man
ageueut. bv tactics aud caMOr. IL IS buzz IN the
Inc relorlLH have thtT hl-h orlSln III "u
ideal hut they DO not retain the purity o. an
idea They are quickly organized IN some low. made
quae form present more poetic Image 10 the mind
tnan the evil Tradition which they feprOOatec
We saw then tina. the reforming movement i sacred III
its origin; IN management and details. tinid and pro-
fame. . . The impulse is good ana the theory; the
practice = less beautiful EDWARD BRYAN.
nd Ic,Ll- g. l--N