The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-10-02
REPORTER.
The Anti-SalOOn Movement.

Anti.SaloOn Republicans at Chicago
has adopted platform which may be
regarded as the first step toward or
ganized and practical action within
the Republican party for reform of
the saloon evil. The convention has
been sneered at as unrepresentative
In fact it represented faithfully the
strongest temperance element in the
country that element of clear-seeing
Republicans who, while profoundly
convinced of the need of temperance
reform, believe that the right and
onl y sure way to secure 1t is by COM
polling the party with which they
are identified to make it leading is
sue. 1t is only few months since
the Anti Saloon movement was be.
gun. 1t started in the face of ridicule
and detractiOn. From the outset it
was misrepresented by the unscrupu-
lous masquerading politicians who
| are endeavOring to create third par
| ty which shall act as a tender to the
| Democracy, under the pretence of ad-
vancing the cause of temperance.
| Against discouagment, however, the
movement proceeded, gathering
strength continually, and indicating.
| by the earneStnesS of its subsidiary
conventions, the sincerity anu deter
minati0n which have produced this
national expression.
The thoroughly practical character
of the movement is shown in the rec
concentrations of the platform. No
time or energy was thrown away in
mere vague and general demands for
measures too sweeping to offer any
present hope of enactment, but it was
proposed that the party should be re-
quired to effect everywhere the most
and best mode possible by local con-
ditions. The practical tendency of
such programme is clearly shown
by comparing it with the Prohibition
policy. The latter aims at obtaining
the final results at once, and by pure
ly independent means. The result,
as experience has shown, is negative,
or when not negative, suicidal. For
either the prohibition is thrown
away, or it goes to reinforce the De-
nocracy, which is the bulwark of the
saloon in politics. The Anti-Saloon
movement proceeds differently. 1t
begins by deducting from the facts of
history the conclusion that the Re-
publican party embOdies nine-tenths
Of whatever reformatory and progress
siYe tendencies are eXtant. Itargues
from this that whatever reform it is
desirable to urge must, to succeed ,ob.
tain the support of the Republican
party. 1t then facilitates reform by
adapting its measures to local condi-
tons, rightly reasoning that it is bet
ter to secure even partial improve
ment where no more can at present
be had than to attempt too much and
consequently fail in obtaining any
thing. And finally, to the objection
that Republican politicians have of.
ten shown themselves subservient to
the saloon influence, it answers that
the Anti-Saloon Republicans intend
to devote themselves to remedying
that, by exercising all their political
influence against it.
There is not step in this pro-
grarlme which ought not to be heart
lily approved by disinterested and in
telligent advocates of temperance
Thu oughout the country. To the gen.
uine ProhibitionistS it offers for the
time practical and rational means
Ofcarrying into effect the convictions
they entertain most strongly. To
the friends of Temperance who are
not yet prepared for Prohibition, the
new movement holds out hope of
gradual popular education which
may produce permanent benefits. To
all the proposal to remit the question
to the popular suffrage must approve
itself as thoroughly consistent with
Democratic doctrines and institu-
lions. Nor can there be any serious
question as to the possibility of in
forming the Republican party with
the spirit and purposes OF the Chicago
Convention. The issue is one about
which all men are thinking. The
evils of the saloon, both in politics
and society, are being recognized AS
never before. A spirit is growing
up among thinking and patriotic men
of kind to sweep away any selfish
obstruction, and this spirit has its