The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1886-10-31
THE TEMPERANCE PLANK.

HE TEMPERANCE PLANK.
The platform of the Republican State
Convention plays fast and loose with the
temperance question. In Cape May,
where the Prohibition sentiment is very
strong, the Republican orators tell the
people that it means Prohibition. In
this section, where temperance is not so
big an issue, the Republican orators tell
the people that it means nothing. There
is no doubt that the platform commits
the party to aggressive action upon the
liquor question. The Germans of the
State regard it as direct thrust at their
convictions, and all over the State they
have organized against the Republican
candidates. 1t is part of the philosophy
of the Germans that the State has no
more right to say what they shall eat than
it has to say what they shall drink And
they are determined to resist any inter-
ference with this principle So universal
is the German revolt against the Republl-
can State platform, that when, after the
State Convention had met, Hen. George
A. Halsey, of Newark, went to Mrs.
Preith, the proprietress Of the leading
German paper of the State, and besoaght
her to support the candidates Of the Re-
publican party, she firmly refused to dc
SO, though the columns Of the paper have
always been lent heretofore to the aid of
Republican men and measures. On the
heels of this refusal came significant
meeting of Turn Verein delegates, at
Ruth's Hall, in Union Hill, and q
great German mass meeting in New
ark, both held to consider the re-
lations of the Germans of the State to
the two great parties in the progressing
political campaign. The Turn Besirk, as
the Convention of Turn Verein delegates
was called, repr esented societies with an
active membership of two Thousand per-
SONS. They declared firmly against the
support of the Republican candidates.
and appointed an Executive Committee
to conductan energetic campaign against
them. The mass meeting in Newark
gathered most of the conspicuous Ger
mans Of Essex county at Saenger Hall,
and there, too, emphatic declaration was
made against the support of the Republi-
can policy or its candidates.
In New Brunswick, Paterson, Trenton
and other places through the State, the
local German societies have all held meet
ings and declared emphatically against the
whole Republican ticket-from Howey,
who says that he is in the fullest accord
with the temperance movement of the
party-down to the Constables.
They are equally firm in their opposition
to the Republican candidates for the Leg
islature. because it is through the Legisla-
ture that the Republican party hopes to
enforce its policy. The presence of a Re-
publican majority in the two Houses of the
coming Legislature will-if the platform
of the Republican party means anything
means the laying down ofgarms to the Pro
hibitionists. The party is committed to
that in just so many words. Their candi-
dates will be elected on the pledge that
they will make concession to the temper.
ance element. There is no escape from it.
A Republican candidate, here or there, who
may find his way into the State House
may oppose adherence TO the doctrine lald
down in the State platform, among his fell
lows; but the party caucus will rob him Of
his independence and muzzle his opposi
ton; and, with the rest, he will have tc
toe the line drawn for him and them tc
"dress" to by the Prohibition Generals
Tho Germans have made up their minds
that they cannot flank the movement ex
cept by defeating the Republican candi
dates for Governor, State Senator and AS
semblymsn.