New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-14
TEMPERANCE IN NEW-JERSEY.

Discussion has begun in Republican papers
Of New jersey regarding the position to be
taken by the party on the liquor question In the
coming campaign. In quarters where the
Option-License law was popular there appears
strong disposition to embOdy in the State
platform an approval of that measure, making
it an issue in the coming election of members
of the Legislature. In other quarters where
that policy has not been sustained by ma
jOrity, there appears a desire to put aside the
whole question, on the ground that the party
has redeemed all its pledges with regard to
temperance reform, and, the people having de-
cided against the measure must now acquescc
in their decision and let the matter alone Sc
veiely.
1t is emphatically true that the Republican
party has redeemed to the full and at It's
cost, every pledge it has made on the liquor
question. On that score it cannot be asked to
say or do anything more But honest parties
make pledges, not for the purpose Of securing
votes, but because convinced that the thing
promised is just and right. If it was duty
to promote a certain measure two years or ono
wear ago, it would be well to be sure that it
has ceased to be duty. The pledge has moth
ing to do with the obligation of the party to
promote wise and useful legislation. The OBJ
legation existed before the pledge was behind
it, and is at least as sacred. The question
whether it still exists is not answered. as some
suppose, by the bare statement that the policy
advocated has been defeated. When did it
become a fundamental law Of the Republican
party that it must folSake every defeated cause
or measure? There are times it must be
granted. when further adherence 10 particular
mode of promoting a needed reform becomes
the height of folly, and neglect Of duty, be-
cause it sacrifices things which can be done
and ought to be done in vain endeavor to ac-
complish the impossible But the very root of
the question at issue in NewJersey is whether
this is such case
That State has no seat in the Senate or in
the House depending upon next falls election
lis State Government has been completely sur
D, ndcred 10 the Democrats already, through the
willingness of professed temperance men to
help the saloons If there is any State or
National interest to be sacrificed by asking
another and more deliberate decision of the
people on the temperance legislation which the
Republican party has favored, that interest is
not now remembered Possibly there may be
some Republicans who would like to express
their contempt for the men who profess a
zeal for temperance only where it will help the
saloons and the Democrats, or keep themselves
before the public. But the party cannot afford
to dignity these persons even with It's con-
tempt. A change of its policy that could be
attributed to any desire either to please or to
spite these persons, either to placate liquor
dealers or to win temperance voters, would be
liable to do as much harm as good. In this
case, as in so many Others the most honest and
candid course is certain in the long run to be
the most profitable. If the party goes straight
ahead to advocate what it believes best for the
State, it is likely to gain strength, but is Ger
tain to gain respect.
So the question comes back to this " Is the
hgh-license and local-option policy on the
whole the best to be urged for the State ?" In
other States the issue has been joined between
Prohibition and high license The New
Jersey law was measure of Pro-
hibition where the people wanted to pro-
hbt, and of high license everywhere else.
1t therefore differed to some extent from the
measures favored by the Republican party in
other States, where it has definitely committed
itself to high license for all towns and counties
alike, and it differs equally from the position
of Republicans in other States still, where they
are committed to Prohibition for all towns and
counties alike If the New-Jersey treatment
has the merits it was supposed to have, there
may be valuable public service done by press
ing it upon public attention again. But if
Republicans Of NewJerSey still think it has
such merits, suppression of that belief would
be liable to misconstruction as possibly prompt
ed by motives not altogether oreditable. On
the other hand, if they now think it a mistaken
policy, their path is plain.
THE ULTIMATE APE