New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-18
LlBOR AND LTQtOR.

An interesting feature OF inc irNllbltoH '"H'
vass in Pennsylvania, which closes with tho
election to-day has been the effort 10 win over
tho laboring class 10 the amendment. II was
hoped by its supporters that they might gam
their cause hy convincing the class in whicA
tho liquor traffic finds its greatest number Il
f, tins that the remedy was 10 be found IN
Prohibition. Trio manufacturing Ccatrs with
their large artisan populations have been wig
orously attacked. Frequent meetings have
been held The influence Of women has been
enlisted, both upon IN" platform and in the
homo. Hundreds NJ children have marched in
procession. singing pmhlbItlon songs l. does
not appear, however, that a very deep I'M
rrcssion has been made upon tho lahohng poo
pic THE Philadelphia Press hns made a
careful poll OF o, 900 wo-kingmcn IN PhiIa.
dclpha, and prints the results In detail The
inquiry included s'ccl-workcrs. iron workers,
carpet wcavcr>. shiphuildcrS, cigarmnkcrS. car
drivers and conductors, ropcmnkcr', boot and
shoe makers sugar rciincrS, clerks and sales.
men In wholesale houses. and many other repre-
sentativcs Of workingm"n. Ont OF lo,l6i only
. ,O3i declared in favor Of tho amendment
Gl0 wcrc doubtful, 81 will not vote, and
6, 9j7 wc;c against the amendment. or thu"
number. therefore, 60 per cent wcro a2anS
Prohibition. and only > q per cent for II. pom
a vote Of 90. 600 in tho city this would give
majority against tho amendment OF 5000.
Adding the doubtful votes and tho stay lat
homes to the Prohibition column tho adverse
majority would still be -, 900. Two interest
ing features were shown by tn" poll. Ono was
tho amos. absolute unanimity Of forcgn-born
,hn Inn
hans ., 900 naturalizcd citizens not more than
40 intended TO vote for Prohibition. Another
was that great numbers Of men who practise
total abstinence intend TO vote against the
amendment because they have no faith in Pro-
hibtion.
canvass made by the same paper based
upcn estimates received from the leaders OF
both poticaI parties and Of the Amendments,
movement forcShadowcd its defeat by at least
% 900 according 10 the estimates OF It's own
supporters. If the predictions Of ~ opponent"
arc fulfilled, the majority may approach
| | 90, 600. II will be the old story OF light
| vote, from which tho Prohihiti0niS'S Will de-
| i've some advantage, inaSmurh ~ many stay
| NJ home who, if they went to the polls, would
vote against the amendment whereas every
man who is earnestly in favor Of it will make
| sure to 60 These figures show a remarkable
change from the widespread impression at the
opening Of the campaign that the amendment
might possibly be adopted. The verdict against
| Prohibition in New Hampshire, and again, still
more dcclsvcy, in Massachusetts, and tho
sober second thought Of the people that it would
he taking a great risk to discard the Brooks
| High License law, have had much to do with
this result Tho JohnStown disaster undoubt-
cdly diverted the popular mind for consider
able time, and there is some disposition to be-
licve that this ha, had a marked influence upon
the outcome But this seems unlikely. II
was not an event that had any relation tn the
question at issue, and it is not probable that
the result would have been much altered by
two weeks moro OF spcochmaking and appeals
10 voters.