The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-22
AIistak an Prohlbitlonists.

The Prohibition party does not appear to
be as strong as it was four years ago, bat
the sentiment in favor of prohibition is
much stronger. The belief is steadily gain
ing ground that politics is harmful rather
than beneficial to the prohibition caase, and
there Is, therefore, a growing disposition to
separate prohib.tton from politics. Prohi-
/ olflon has a tirmer hnll in the Sta-ei in
which it has no conn ction with politics
than in those in which it has and PrOAi il
tionists who aim only to establish prohib-
tlon are beginning to und irstand that in
trying 20 build up u political party upon
prohibition the chances are that The origi-
nal purpose Of the party viii he lost sight
OF. There are now many men in the party
who do not care anything about prohibit
ton. Their object is to secure prominence
and to get Offices. Every man of this kind
who becomes a member of the party weak
ems it,
The true policy of Prohibitioni,ts is to re-
tain their allegiance to the great political
parties with which they have always acted,
and 10 depend upon them for such legi,la-
ton as they think advisable for the restraint
or suppression Of the liquor traffic LII this
State there is no Prohibition party, and yet
the Prohihitionists have had very little
trouble in getting the Legislature to pass
bills in the interest of prohibition. In the
course of q few years, il the Prohibitionists
receive no set-backs, there will be very
little intoxicating liquor sold in Georgia
There are other Southern States in which
the success Of the Prohibitionists has been
almost as great.
Although there are few, IL any, Prohibi-
tionists in Congress, the prospect is that
that body. will pass a local option bill for
the District Of Columbia Il will do this
because Of the strong prohibition sentiment
throughout the country. If, however, the
Prohibition party were really strong po-
lltical organization, neither the Democratic
nor Republican party would favor a local
option bill for the District of Columbia
Both these political organizations would do
what they could to defeat a rival political
organization. They would certainly do
nothing calculated to strengthen it. 1t is
evident, therefore, that it is better for the
prohibition cause that Prohbitionists should
be members of the two great political parties
so as to influence them. The probability of
the Prohibition party becoming so strong
as to dictate the policy of the national gov
ernme t is SO remote as to be hardly worth
considering.
There are Prohibitionists. however, who
insist upon continuing their political Or
ganization. Their National Convention
will meet at Indianapolis on May 30, and.
doubtless, they will nominate national
ticket. They may poll as many votes as
they did in 1884, but the prospect now is
that they will not but, even if they should
poll few more, they will be in no better
position for advancing the prohibition
cause than they are row.
Doubtless there will be some very earnest
and sincere Prohibitionists at Indianapolis,
but to great many of those who will be
there Prohibition will be a matter of sec
ondary Importance. Knowing that the
Prohibition party can accomplish nothing,
their motive in taking part in its convention
will be to secure little temporary notoriety
or prominence in their respective localities.
The Democratic party, of course, has no
reason for desiring the DISCRIMINATION of
the Prohibition party. The Prohibitionists
in the doubtful States are mainly Repub-
licans, and the increase of the Prohibition
party, therefore, improves the chances of
the Democratic party for success.