The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-06-21
Defeat of the Amendment.

No temperance VS.. whiskey election ever
created so much interest as the struggle in
Pennsylvania, which closed on Tuesday.
No one expected the amendment to be car
ried unless it was few oversanguine spirits,
but so large a vote against and so small in
favor of the measure was not expected by
either party. The majority against the
amendment foots up the enormous lumber
of 1877 900. There were many causes for
this result but undoubtedly the main cause
WAS that hope which will in the end prove
delusion and snare; the belief that high
license with theoretical restrictions could he
successfully substituted fer the old time
system Of the whiskey trade, and that the
government of the State is too weak to sue
cessfully cope with the whiskey power; in a
wo.d, that costitutional provision could
not be enforced against the whiskey power.
That statuary provisions could be made as
efectual to serve the purpose of prohibition
as u constitutional one. These considera-
tions were urged by large, Intelligent
genteel, conservative element who come up
last always in every reform and constitute
strong barrier to progress in every move
ment toward a reform of old abuses.
One of the most God forsaken of the
whiskey papers-if it is possible to conceiV We
that God has any regard for any of them
closes a leading article on the result with
the following tribute to the cause il was
bribed to oppose:
cit leaves the whole issue, from high
license even TO absolute prohibition, open
for consideration in our legislative halls,
and there will be constant pressure for ad-
vancement in every line that promises the
promotion of public sobriety. Prohibition
is beaten; temperance is not beaten, and it is
now safe TO say that il never can be beaten
10 Pennsylvania"
The public will be persuaded TO try the
delusion of high license till they have been
made sick unto death by its false promises
and deception, when prohibition will pro-
nounce the decree Of outlawery against the
liquor trade, under its new name Of high
license and place price upon lis head.
Let no man say in future that the republi-
can party is good enough temperance
party for him while he is claiming to be an
enemy.to the saloon and seeking its abolition.
1t is just as good a temperance party as the
democrat party. And as a party it is no
better, no worse. The whskey aud beer
power control the organizations of both
parties, and no person possessing fair
share of intelligence and honesty will at
tempt TO deny it. Both these parties are in
favor of high license, and the liquor inter-
est to a man is in favor of high license.
Between these three IN this question there
is 70 ground of difference. And when you
hear man declare that either one of these
three is ''good enough temperance party
for me-" it is safe 10 class him as friend
of the saloon. The saloon has placed its
feet on the rock of high license, in fellow
ship with both the political parties, and will
promise most favors 10 the one that gives it
the most licsnse to do as ii pleases Maryland
is TO be asked for high license next winter
by the three parties, the democrat, the re.
publican and the saloon. This trinity as
far as the liquor trade is concerned, being
the same in substance, equal in power and
infamy, is it ''good enough temperance
party" in any Of its individual parts for
you?