Wichita eagle., 1889-12-21

In that state in favor of high license a.
the first step toward temperance reform
and who was himself total abstainer
once remarked to the writer: 81 favor
! prohibition, but / am against the Prohi
; bltion party. 1t is utterly useless to tall
OF practical prohibition in these times
l myself do not believe in the use oil
wines, ales, or liquors in any form, and
yet may | say TO my brother in the
church who likes an occasional glass OF
wine or glass of beer at his table, that
he cannot be a Christian and drink his
wine or beer? / can tell him with truth
that he cannot be Christian and a
drunkard: but have no more right to
go to his table and take away glass OF
wine or beer than l have to remove an
indigestible dainty that he likes to eat,
but which is not, as a rule, good thing
for his digestive organs"
The prohibitionists of the third party
are fond of comparing the anti-slavery
contest with the fight for prohibition,
but beyond the fact that both the aboli-
ton and the prohibition parties aimed at
the determination of an evil the analogy
ceases. Temperance men like DR.. How
ard Crosby and Bishop Potter are as
much opposed to drunkenness and in
temperance as the most ardent prohibi-
tiOnistS can be.
The analogy between the anti-slavery
and the prohibition movement would be
complete if the original abolitionists had
not only opposed slavery, but also in
sisted that no man should work for any
master. That. upon its face, would have
been ridiculous proposition, but the
improperly and the inconsistency of the
prohibition proposition that even the
most moderate use of alcoholic beverages
| is sinful, if not criminal, is equally
apparent.
| The time has come to meet this uues-
ton just as the Church society is meet
| ing 1t. Prohibitionists have carried their
fanaticism to such point in politics
that they have almost succeeded in bull
doing both parties into sullen silence.
The Prohibition party lost its strength
the moment the people discovered by ex-
perimental knowledge that high license
and nigh taxation were more practical
and more successful IN combating in
temperance than prohibition. State after
state has passed high license or high tax
laws, ana IN no instance has one of these
statutes failed to meet every expectation
In no instance has it failed to realize
more than the expectations of its pro-
moters and defenders. On the other
hand, in no state has prohibition proved
to be entirely satisfactory. In fact, in
the majority of states where prohibition
has been tried the voice of the people,
freely expressed at the ballot box has
favored the repeal of the prohibition
law.
Here we have the theory of the prohi-
bitionist confronted by the practical ex-
perience OF the temperance man. The
result has been decided wane of the
Prohibition party and strengthening of
that earnest and powerful public sent-
ment in favor of restrictive, but not
prohibitive, liquor legislation. 1t re-
quires no trained eye to see in the rapid
development of this sentiment the germ
Of movement that will do more for the
cause of temperance in a year than pro-
hibition has accomplished in dec
ade. In short time the friends OF tenn
perance, excepting a few hide-bound,
selfish and self-conscious fanatics, will
unite cordially in the high-license move
ment in every state, New York included
Conceding the lofty aims of those who
organized the prohibition movement,
and of those who have directed it-with
the exception of little clique of ambi-
tious political tricksters-and believing
they are animated by the purest and
best motives, we feel assured that they
are amenable to reason, and in the light
of experience will join forces with the
temperance masses IN favor of restrict
i've legislation 1t is time to abandon
the clique of impracticable and intoler-
ant political prohibitionists, who have
accomplished utterly nothing to excite
the affection OF inspire the admiration of
the people.