Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-06-03
,thers equally prominent in the cause.

there are factors entering into this cam paign that are likely to affect the vote powerfully for or against the amend ment, and it is for this reason chiefly that there is no great disposition to pre- dict or speculate on the probable result Certain it is that at present there is predominant sentiment against prohib.- tion, but whether that sentiment will hold fast or whether it will augment or decrease is beyond the ken of the best informed observers on the field. And especially since Senator Quay and Gov ernor Beaver have declared themselves in favor of prohibition is the situation complicated to a degree that puzzles even the most astute prophets. There are very few persons, of course, who believe that these willy politicians have any in- tention of allowing the amendment to be carried, and it is generally supposed that in declaring for prohibition they are giv- ing the followers of St John and Fisk a little harmless tatfy. It may be, however, that the sequel will show that they have overreached them selves Certain it is that, whether as the haps the cause of it, the republican party in Pennsylvania is more openly com mitted to the movement for constitu- tional prohibition, than it was in Mas sachusetts or than it will be found to be in Connecticut. This is true, as noted by an acute observer on the ground, not only as applied to the leading politicians, but to the influential republican journals in the state. In this respect, it is noted by the same authority, the prohibitionist leaders have played their cards skillfully. Beaten within the past twenty months in pitched battles for constitutional pro- hibition in seven states of the Union, the zealots for that idea fully perceive that in the pending campaign in Penn sylvania they are in the last ditch and that nothing short of victory can save the cause of prohibition from annihila- ton. They may be expected, therefore, to throw themselves into the battle with the courage and the force of despair; and it is this grim determination, coupled with the pecu- liar political conditions of the contest, that makes men hesitate about predict ing with emphasis the outcome.
 It is interesting, in view of the repub- lican party's position in the state-for it stands now squarely pledged to the support of constitutional prohibition at the polls-to speculate on the effect of this position as to the future align ment of political parties ill this country. It is clear that, if the republican party supports the amendment in good faith, it will be adopted, which would have
 the effect of recognizing political lines l in the state on the basis of sump-
 tuary principles. In that event we
 might see the presidential battle of 1899 at least so far as Pennsylvania is con- cerned, fought out on the prohibition
 issue. The republican party would then
 be forced into the position of being the
 party of prohibition, while the demo-
 cratic party would naturally and prop
 erly become the party of personal and
 property rights. It is not difficult to
 predict the outcome of any such cam
 paign in 1899, for the people of this
 country have not yet reached the point
 where prohibition has anything more
 than local influence or importance. | At any rate the republican party of
 Pennsylvania has placed itself in an ex- asperatingly embarrassing position, and it may be found that in planting itself, through its leaders and influential journ- als, on the side of prohibition it has bit off very much more than it will be able to masticate. It will be interesting
 possibly as much as to note the result of | the election itself--to see how the re- | publican party will extricate itself from its embarrassing position. Like
 the squirrel it may have to be smoked out of it's hole, and if the prohibitionists do not part with their customary stead fastness they may be relied upon to do the smoke act when the proper time ar riveS.