The Washington critic., 1886-09-04

companies Hnl other corporations
set the good work in motion! They
have the resources ut their command,
and representing al, they do in their
stockholders, a very large number Of
representative citizens, such a course
would he in the nature of popular
movement Il would furnish sub.
stan,ial basis from which to op,rltr,
and there is no doubf bu, what an up
peal for aid from such n source would
be responded to with great liborality
and promptness.
PROHIBITION pOIITTC9.
The legislative experiments which
lave been made in various sections of
the country, notably in Maine and
Iowa, with a view to prohibiting the
liquor traffic and preventing the use OF
intoxicating drinks by statutory enact
ment, have not proved altogether salts
factory. These laws have, no doubt,
exercised an effect in the direction OF
the end desired, because no business
can be safe, desirable or permanently
profitable where they are enforced, and
men as a rule are cautious about invest.
ing in trade which is not recognized
as legal, even where the laws are only
partially enforced. Yet we are told
that while intemperance has decreased
in certain localities of the States named,
thrn,tuh thn fArpn Of l,n ,N,,lli,
sentiment which made prohibitory
legislation possible, there is just as
much drinking as ever in certain other
localities where public sentiment is less
pronounced, and, as consequence, the
enforcement of the law less stringent
and systematic.
Hence we conclude that the evidence
furnished by the experience of Maine
and Iowa is not entirely conclusive as
to the wisdom or efficacy of their pro.
hibitory statutes. Opinions still find
ground on which to differ, and what
makes the question more difficult OF
determination is the fact that it has
entered as an element into the politics
of the day and been resolved, like any
other current political question, into
merely partisan issue As Il matter of
course the advocates Of prohibition
insist that here alone are to be found
the panacea aud preventive of the
manifold evils of intcmperance, while
the opponents of this policy take the
extreme contrary view aud protest
against prohibition rs Ineffective, i'm
practicable and at war with personal
liberty.
For opinions that are really disinter,
ested aud conservative, therefore, we
cannot look to the politicians, nor to
those who are welded to prohibition as
n hobby. The best exposition of the
question that we have seen, because of
its brcvity aud evident sincerity and
freedom from controversial prejudice,
is that of Mr.. Francis Murphy, the IA
nous temperance evangelist, who, be-
ing neither prohibitionist nor poll
tician, but total abstinence man, pure
and simple, may be considered n
fairly competent judge of the matter at
issue.
In the course of a recent interview,
Mr.. Murphy expressed the following
views:
Laws can help, but they cannot eiTectu-
ally do away with the traffic. The people
will not put the offenders under liquor
laws in the same category with thieves,
nd nth n,J, al 10 nt In
man nature. They have had prohibition In
Maine for thirty years, 1t being made more
and more rigid each year, but there is still
great trouble about men drinking and sell
Ing. The prohibition amendment must be
In mans own personal constitution to be
effectual. The Dow law lin Ohio is but
the beginning OF the end. In the large
cities 1t Will drive out the little groggeries
by tax, and in the country towns drive
them all out by local option, and much has
been accomplished, The Dow law Will
stand, as the Democratic party found out
with their experience with the Scott law
that 1t would be dangerous to madlic with
1t, and so said nothing about 1t in their re
cent platform, and the Republicans hlviHg
given the law, would not, Of course, mo
lest 1t.
AS to the Prohibition movement il
Georgia, Mr., Murphy has NJ gre con
fdence of its proving Of general utility
because he doubts its hayiag been In
augurated in good faith on the ptrt oI
the white people, but rather for tn.
limited purpose ofsuppresslng drunken
ness among the negroes,
However this may be, NJ. Mlrply
strikes the keynote Of the whole prohi
bition business when he says "Tn.
prohibition amendment must be in
mans own personal constitution to BE-
efrectual."
No great reform eau be legislate
into success in the face Of Il public SEN
timent to the contrary Prohibition Il
question OF morals as we'll US politics
and 1t will never prohibit to the eX
tent of destroying a great traffic an,
enforcing general sobriely so long a
it lacks moral support 1t may sue
ceed in becoming an important poliu
cal factor and effect changes in part,
lines, but as a reformatory agency il
can only follow public opinion. l
cannot lead IT,
THE QUESTION Of light as derive,
from electricity is no longer the mos
important one in connection with tha
wonderful power. The electric llgh
has made such rapid advance in i'm