New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-24
MAssAcHusETTs AND PROHIBITION

The effort to inaugurate constitutional FRO
hibition in Massachusetts, has sustained orusn-
ing defeat. The adverse majority is little less
than the highest estimate made in advance py
the opponents of the amendment. Many con-
sentative persons had predicted majority Oh
l {, 200. The most sanguine Of its opponents
hoped for $4,000. The majority exceeds
A. 600 on a light vote-a defeat so emphatic
that it seems to have completely disconnected
the prohibitionists The hghtness OF the vote
Is in itself surprise, following campaign OF
extraordinary earnestness. 1t would seem to
prove that large number refrained from
voting who could not support the amendment.
and yet were unwilling to oppose it openly.
A significant feature Of the canvass was that
many fought the amendment who, nevertheless,
were on record as fsyoring Prohibition in their
own localities. The great majority of these
doubtless disapproved it because they believed
universal Prohibition to be an impossibility, and
not because they were opposed TO that policy
under conditions where they thought 1t could
be made successful. This fact is strkingly
shown in the returns. For example, Cambridge.
which voted Prohibition for itself under the
Local-Opdon law not long ago by 4,483 to
1919, voted against Prohibition for the State
by 1891 to 1888 In other words, nearly
$500 voters in the university town who voted
No License did not'vote for constitutional Pro-
hibition. Precisely the same result was seen
in number of other cities, which lately voted
No License and now vote against Prohibition.
Almost every city in the State voted no-and
only one Congressional district out OF twelve
voted yes. The strength of the opposition was
not seen only in the cities, but in many small
towns and rural districts as well. The adverse
majority was one-ffth Of the total vote. This
result is the more significant when 1t is remem-
bered that the campaign against the amend
ment has been confined to the newspapers, It's
advocates have held hundreds of meetings, but
not one has been called by the opposition. 1t
Is also to be borne in mind that the verdict
cannot be charged to the "rum power.p
large proportion Of the opposition came from
the most intelligent and moral classes in the
State, including those who believe in high
license, as well as those who believe in local
but not general Prohibition.
This Unexpectedly decisive vote, following
the defeat Of the Prohibition amendment in
New Hampshire, and the vote to reSubmit IL
in Rhode Island, must be taken as increased
evidence that the policy Of general Prohibition
Is losing ground in New-England. In New.
Hampshire, although q law prohibiting the sale
Of liquor has been on the statute-book more
than thirty-fonr years, an amendment to the
Constitution to forbid Its manufacture as well
as sale not only failed to secure the requisite
two thirds vote, but was defeated by large
majority, as New Hampshire majoriHes go. In
Rhode Island the vote to resubmit, after three
years trial of the system, Is an even more posi-
tive reverse.
Massachusetts is the seventh State to refuse
in the last two years to adopt Prohibition
amendment following Michigan, Texas, Ten
nessee, Oregon, West Virginia and New Hamp-
shire. The next to be heard from is the great
State of Pennsylvania, which will vote on the
18th Of June. At the time the date of the
special election was first fixed, predictions were
rife that the amendment would be adopted, but
it is apparent that the tide of expectation has
turned, and its defeat is now looked for. Six
teen years ago forty Of the sixty-four counties
voted against license, and twenty -four for it
the latter, however, including the large cities
which are expected TO record o heavy verdict
now against the amendment. In Pennsylvania.
as in Massachusetts,, the amendment will be
opposed by a large body of temperance men, be-
cause they believe ii does not embody the best
method of dealing with the liquor problem.
The great reduction in the number Of saloons,
and the diminution Of crime, under the Brooks
High-License law, will make many unwilling
to exchange q tried and successful system for
an experiment of doubtful issue.