The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-06-24
PROHIBITIONS CAUSE.
Mrs. ]. Ellen Fosters Views on the Result Of
the Recent Elections i'm the East.

CHICAGO, June 22-Mrs j. Ellen Foster,
of Iowa, chairman of the WOmans national
Republican committee, and well known as
Republican Prohibitionist, was in Chicago
to-day on her way home from Rhode Island,
where she was actively engaged In the.
amendment campaign. Speaking of the de-
feats in the East, she said: 1T is a new
evidence of the power and extent to which
the liquor traffic has depraved the people
of this country"
Mrs. Foster denied that there had been a
genuine test in Rhode Island and New
Hampshire. but added: I'm Massachusetts,
and Pennsylvania the contest was free and
fair. The Republican party in both States
declared for submission and redeemed its
pledges. The attempt to place the respon-
sibility for the defeat iii these two States
upon the Republican party is wholly un-
warranted. The campaigns, from their in
ceptiOn, were openly and necessarily non
PARTISAN. Party aid, as such, would,
under these conditions, nave peen
An impertinent assumption. 1t Is
not strange that heart-sick reformers
seek to evade the crushing logic of these
repulses, namely, that n majority or the
voters of those great States are still under
the dominance of appetite, avarice or cow
ardice. or that they are lnsuinclenIly ac-
quainted with all the conditions of prac-
teal temperance legislation. In the dlstrac-
tion of defeat we sometimes hastily attrlb-
ute the downfall of our hopes to any agency
among the least of the forces involved. NO
political party is responsible for the success
or failure of this politico-moral question. In
such contests the people are directly re-
spOnsible."
What will the temperance people do
nowiD
Keep right on in the old lines of moral
suasion work, reclaiming drunkards ana
teaching the children, who VIII soon Dc
voters. When the time IS ripe, ana the IN
tolerant assumptions of the liquor power
In politics reach point BEYOND ehuuIahcc'
an outraged people will sweep this un-Amer-
lean oligarchy from the country. as tney
once swept away slavery. To-day is our
Bull Run, but tomorrow Will see our Ap-
pomattox." ,,y
will prohibition work be Abandoned
Never. We believe all other Legislative
remedies to be transient and superficial
1hird-party Prohibitionists shout on 10
Washington.' They allege that these de-
feats are n death-blow TO State pronlp,i.tion,
amendmsnt to the federal Constitution
must. TO become q law, be adopted Dy lho
States Thus tne question will be hnaIly
brought to the very tribunals Wnicn 'niio
party people now seek to avoid.
Are you opposed TO natlohai PionioA
uon!' Mrs. Foster was asked. Ava
Not at all. / believe it will some time
be accomplished but it Will come when i..i .n, b;
ground Las been prepared by State action"
DO you think the third party VIII gam
strength from these defeats!
81 think it is possible. Those WHO mo Re' R,e
determined on the destruction Oh INC !o H.
publican party will doubtless resume tns
denunciatory ,I vocabulary which they laid laid
aside during the work III these campaigHiiSii ~ I
but / believe sincere. thinking people wi,l rIx
conclude that q party. which, after 's nua',5 ~
twenty years of hard labor III the nahi9 ~, "a
holy cause. can only muster. less than
10000 votes at national election, canno'
Reasonably hope to do for the entire ,ars coan,
Try what the combined prohlDltlon o,,ab vo,ub
OF all the parties were not numerous enoueA
to accomplish in a few States"