New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-18
FIDELITY TO FACTS.

Tbose who appeal to a sense OF right or 10
ro,;oiors conviction in the advocacy Of any
n,oasure need 10 remember that strict fidelity
70 truth is for them essential, even more than
for the defenders of any other cause. For others
can win recruits among people OF low moran
sense and small regard for facts. But voters
who are governed by religious convictions, or
bv a high sense of right and Of duty, II they
find themselves deceived by false statements
which leaders cannot have made ignorantly, arc
exceedingly apt to reason, false in one, falSo
in ALL" To such voters personal dishonesty in
leader is fatal.
Recent defeats OF Prohibition in several
States, its expected defeat in Pennsylvania, and
its threatened overthrow in Rhode Island, have
subjected the virtue Of Prohibition lenders to
severe test 1t is not easy for men to admit
that their own errors of Judgment have brought
disaster 10 the cause they advocate; not easy
to confess that they have passonately dc
nounced others for declining to adopt methods
which, upon trial, have proved impractlrdblc
or ineffective. The political Prohibitionist, II
a thoroughly honest and candid man, is obliged
to acknowledge that the msjudgnent and mis-
conduct of Prohibition leaders have brought de-
feat upon their cause Being human, be IL
terribly tempted to put the blame somewhere
else. and so the cry rises, "The Republicans
have been false" But that is dishonest pre-
tence. The Republican party as political or
panizaton has not committed itself TO Prohibi-
ton as the best mode Of dealing with the liquor
traffic. Where 1t has consented to submit tho
question to the votes OF the people it has done
so without any conccament Of the fact that
MANY Republican voters did not believe that
method the best and therefore could not conSci-
entiolrly vote for it. The decision to submit
implied no pledge to overcome the convictions
of such voters. and no assurance that their op-
position would be overcome. PrOhibuonlst'
having demanded decision by the people, Re
publicans have answered let the people de-
cide,n and no nan can honestly say that they
have promised to control or represented tina,
thew could control the votes Of all Republicans
on that question.
Mr., Wheeler, chairman Of the Prohibition
State Committee is reported as saying that the
success of Prohibition in Kansas is conclusive
proof Of the wisdom OF that policy. But Mr.
Wheeler must know that there is sharp con-
fict Of testimony Us TO the practical working
Of Prohibition there. Some assert that 1t II
successfully enforced. and that liquor selling
has ceased Others, equally entitled to credit,
state that there has been only moderate change
in the amount Of liquor selling or Of drunken
ness, and that the law there as elsewhere has
been found one that could not be enforced in
localities having large part Of the population.
The question is one Of fact To conscientious
voters a false statement by Prohibition leaders
is fatal. But the official report Of the Internal
Revenue Commissioner shows that last year
there were l,277 retail liquor dealers who
actually paid taxes In Kansas, and ll9 retail
malt liquor dealers. The number Of the latter
has more than doubled in five years, for 1t was
81 in 1888, but the number OF spint-Scllcr'
has diminished from 1913 in that year. A de-
crease Of about one-quarter in five years in the
number Of saloons which pay tax Is crafty
ing result, but it is not Prohibition.
Thus, the very experience to which the advO-
| Gates Of Prohibition appeal, as afording proof
| Of their wisdom. when truthfully stated in Off
| cial records, shows that Prohibition does not
prohibit, even in Kansas. Few States arc rs
| well adapted as Kansas 10 employ that method
with success. The conscientious voter who
wants TO know the truth and 10 do what is
right finds that the test in Kansas sustains tho
objection which sincere opponents Of Prohibi-
ton have always made. The test proves that
the suppression Of the liquor traffic has not been
found possible, even in Kansas, as yet. The
honest doubt whether it will be found prac-
ticable in other States, far less favorable in
character necessarily increases. Confidence in
the integrity and truthfuncss Of men who as
sert that Prohibition has been complete sue
cess in Kansas is necessarily impaired.