Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-29
The KNELL OF PROHIBITION.
Comments on the Recent Election
In Massachusetts.
TEMPERANCE PEOPLE AGAINST 1T
che New Engianders Have Prohted
BY the Experience of Sister
States and Repudiated the
Prohibitory Humbug.
The LeveI-Headed Bay state.

The Level-Headed Bay State.
Boston journal: Many good citizens,
who have voted together upon local pro-
hibltion as involved in the annual vote
Tor no license, parted company upon
this issue. For this reason the vote in
favor Of the amendment can not justly
be taken as an index to the temperance
sentiment of the state. For this rea-
son, also, the defeat of the amendment
can not nationally be interpreted as
blow at temperance. 1t Is only ques-
tion of method which was settled in the
election; the broader underlying ques-
tion of principle is undisturbed, and we
look to see a continued growth in the
forces which make for sobriety, good
order and the thorough enforcement of
restrictive laws. The advocates of the
amendment will not complain that they
have not had fair play. The pledge
which the republican party made to sub
nit the question to the people has been
made good by the concurrent action of
two successive legislatures. The day
fixed for the vote was one agreeable to
the advocates of the amendment. The
campaign in their interests has been
ably organized and pushed with vigor,
skill and intelligence.
st. Paul Globe: All the New Eng
land states have tried prohibition, and
four of the six have within the past
month or two pronounced it unsatisfac-
tory land refused to have it in the con-
stitution. New Hampshire and Massa-
chusetts have had votes of the people
adverse, and Rhode Island and Con-
necticut have legislatures opposed. The
latter by narrow vote refused to sub
init the amendment. Maine and Ver
mont worry along with the law, but the
people have become adopts in its evas-
ion. TO the average vision it would
lnt hA ,,i l,,, t,
thevicious appetite for drink by put
ting its satisfaction out Of reach is pith
less, but those who have a theory in the
grip of conscience will pust right on re-
gardlcss of results. One OF them finds
cheer in the reflection that disaster is
wholesome test Of faith, and that it is
the darkest just before the break OF day.
Kansas City Times: Prohibitionists
cannot attribute the tremendous ma
jority to the preponderance of the igno-
rant vote, for there is as much intelli-
gence in Massachusetts in proportion to
the population as in any other state in
the union-a Massachusetts man could
not be induced to admit that there was
not more per capita than in any other
two or three states. There is only one
explanation of the vote and the prohi-
bition;sts can scarcely help realizing it.
The mass of the people do not believe in
prohibition as principle or in it's
practical workings. They have watched
its workings in the states in which it
has been tried, and they are convinced
that it is not n success.
Denver Republican,: Several years
ago it looked as though the prohibition.
lists stood n good chance Of securing a
general adoption of their policy in re-
spect to the liquor traffic. But the pros
pect before them is not so bright now.
The defeat of prohibition in Texas and
Tennessee hurt their cause in the south.
Their success, in so far as the adoption
OF the amendment in Rhode Island was
concerned, and the subsequent failure
to enforce the law, hurt them In the
north. Now comes their defeat in
couragement. They will. probably, be
defeated in Pennsylvania also.
Denver News: The recent votes in
New Hampshire and Rhode Island with
the result in Massachusetts, which may
be accepted as an omen of the Pennsyl-
vania struggle that will be decided in
June, ought to suggest to prohibition
lists a suspicion that in the present tenn
per OF the American people their plan
OF fighting the liquor traffic may not be
the most efficient. If prohibition can
not be sustained in New England what
hope IS there of extending it over the
countryl True, Maine clings to it, but
the results there are far from satisfac-
tory. The courage of the most Jealous
prohibitionists would yield before the
news from Massachusetts, but that Kan
sas and Iowa remain as props of sup
port. Yet these states offer the key to
no general result, as the proportion of
agricultural to town and city population
is unusually large, while it is known
that at the populous points of both the
liquor traffic continues to be surrepti-
. tiously carried on. In some instances
the trade defies any pretense of conceal
ment, as in Keokuk, Ia, where the sa-
looms are conducted as openly as in New
York city.
Chicago Ipter-Ocean: There is a
growing conviction on the part of TEN.
perance people that prohibition on 9
state scale is mistake, that it only
makes bad matter worse in cities, and
has no advantage over local option in
rural towns. This conviction is gradu
ally permeating the ranks of those who
were once unit in favor of prohibition
The irrational attempt to develop ma
tional issue out of prohibition was SC
destitute of good judgment that it set {
good many people to thinking tina
propositions which they had been ac
customed to accept automatically were
really open to discussion. Once get
ting their thinking caps on they wor
into the wisdom of prohibition which
while it did not prohibit, prevented re
striction, and so, in the end, amounte'
to free trade in whisky. kln othe
words, Massachusetts sat down on pro
hibition, not to give freer range to the
liquor traffic, but because the mor
sensible citizens think that every feast
BILE protection should be afforded sc
ciety against the evils of intemperance
Minneapolis Tribune: The recen
general election was marked indica
tion of the decadence of prohibition n
political issue. The vote in New
Hampshire and Massachuse it's, and tn,
almost certain result in Pennsylvania
emphasize the approaching death o
The prohibition party. 1t will soon g
the way OF all third parties. Histor
has demonstrated that there is room /
this country for two great parties onl,
and that the people are pretty evenl
divided on the lines which separat
them. The recent vote on prohibitio
emphasizes this fact.
New York Herald: We hope the pre-
hibitionists will accept the result sc
renely. 1t win never do to declare thf
Massachusetts is "a rum old state,n o
I knt oh 10 snnlsau in haA xuh md