New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-19
TEMPERANCE REFORMS WORST ENEMY.
CONSCIENCE VOTERS" WHO BRING RIDIcULE

! CONSCIENCE VOTERS WHO BRING RIDICULE
AND DISASTER on GOOD CAUSE.
To nc Fdtfor of me Trfbune
Sir: The peculiar class OF voters which affects Ia
see only a dIoll aspect In the anii-saloon party
among the Republicans" Is now posing as the Con
sciences parly.' Did It TO these good pco-
pie that they themselves present droll aspect, IN
thus taking a name which, by Inference at least
would imply a most pitiful and alarming absence of
the moral faculty among population of sixty mil
Ions Claiming to vote as they pray and yet
wasting their sufragcs the within OF forcing great
moral reform ont Of It's proper place In state and
local politics. these conscience voters" tell that
the Republican party has fulfilled It's mlsslonl So
they consider it their special mission as a leading
IrohibitonSt has expressed It, ito Smash tho Repub-
lean party
The temperance sentiment crys tallizng in the Re-
publican party Is Of the most significant signs Of
the times, for which our conscience vocrs- have
no dscernment This reform Is beng directed by
men who have entered into the work Of tho temper
ance cause with earncstness so practical and so
adapted TO lis Immediate and permanent advancement,
al to be entirely overlooked by the far-away vision
Of the Third Party ProhIbuonists. 1t will be seen
before long that temperance reform has received such
an impetus that the law of progress shown In this
movement can no more be snccrcd al than II as
Illustrated in the order OF Nature" first the blade,
then the ear, after that tho full In tn, ear
There are those who would reverse this and de-
mand first the full in the car and will have that
or nothing and strange 10 say among such TO be
found those who teach the law Of moral and mental
growth Let us commend these Irrational brothers
to the application Of law In the temperance causc
which they do not dispute In other realms. and their
vision shall be cleared II by magic. Even the pur
blind Editor of % The Voice. II he would not allow
fanaticsm TO run riot with his reason. might have tho
scales of this singular mental disease removed from
his eyes.
The defeat Of tire only great party pledged TO sup
press tho saloon Is repeatedly invited and aided BIZ
the organized opposition to such progressive steps as
alone lead TO a full frution in temperance reform
The rum power is working TO re-clcct its accepted
and its money Will 1ow freely as its whIskey to
dehauch the suffrage. Yet some men who would not
consciously encourage immoral and vicious influences,
even men supposed 10 have high Christian character
and who really believe In home life and social prog
rss, seem bndly and wlfully to close their eyes to
the fact that by voting this ticket they become r.
sponslble for the evil for the defence Of which the
ticket cOnfessedy stands. But II they do not actively
support this ticket, and yet show an Indifference or
opposition 10 the great party OF loyalty and freedom
Which mas set its fac resoluely against incompetence,
still their possibility for The result Is the same
II there be man who still calls himself Repub-
than The sdmira6io which the Republican party
presents. then he deliberately Ignores great pfin-
seDei II he p"5 sts as National Inc pa sfe
depends entirely upon the success OF their attempt TO
place the canvass npon false basis throng oh an i'm
possible National lssnc II is striking Instrafion
OF the SAD fact thai. even In grand n work as Tho
Temperance cause. 1t sill remains true that &" a mans
every great work We must fight foes without and
foes within" and genuine temperance reform will Win
the day despite the iiijudsed work Of tn Sonscl
Stamford. Conn, Oct 1c, 1898