The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-03-13
Friday. March 13, 1891.
A GRAND STRUGGLE FAILS
The Voice Acknowledges Defeat
A Change of Tactics Demanded.

A Change OF Tactlcs demanded.
The Voice says, "You can't beat evil
back to certain line and then capitulate,"
and then proceeds TO draw the following
picture which unfortunately is true one Of
the situation:
No more striking illustration ofthis was
eyer seen than is at present visible at many
places and in divers directions. The COM
promise that has been made with the saloon
on a restrictive and regulative basis is
bringing forth appropriate results on every
hand. Here in New York State the liquor
forces have assumed the aggressive and are
making their demands with boldness and
success. The mandamus law passed q few
years ago was an amazing feat that took
away the breath of some good people. The
Cantor Concert Beer Saloon bill followed
rapidly after. The Stadler bill comes now
upon the scene, ana before any one of its
enemies suspects it is alive it goes bowling
through the Senate with only votes against
it, and stands now good chance of becom-
ing law. Whereun:o this thing will grow
it is difficult TO forsee, but, unless a stand
for the incorporating humiliation of the
plague is made, difficult only because one
can not see to what extent the demands IF
the liquor dealers will 60. They are asking
for little or nothing nowadays that they do
not get"
A vigorous and persistent stand" has
been made, the plan of battle indicated by
the Voice pushed to the utmost, and every
means used possible on that line to secure
recruits, and the result is after years of eff
fort and great expense in campaigs exhibit
ed by the Voice as follows:
In New Jersey the same scandalous
conditions are apparent. The Legislature
might just as well be packed fnll of saloon
keepers SO far as its course concerning
excise matters is concerned
Having pointed out the almost uuopposed
advance of the saloon in New Jersey and
New York legislatures, the same paper
continues:
"The Sunday laws are simply being de-
voured as fast as necessary. Cincinnati not
long ago legalized the Sunday saloon
is deprived of that right, the saloons
pretense OF concealment. All the large
(ftiSoT VI tuC 4duo w lthcWloC Win IlttlC
variation except in the precise deg ee of
concealment. An assault is being made on
the Sunday law in Pennsylvania. The
demand is made that the Worlds Fair shall
not be open on Sundays and shall not have
liquor sold within lis limits. Aad SO low
does The respect for the advocates OF such
restraints seem 10 have fallen, that even a
journal like s1'he Times of this CITY sneers
at the franks who have turned them
selves into volunteer advisers to the
Worlds Fair Committee.
"Of course, similar results are seen 10 the
Prohibition States. The political debauch-
cry that comes of all this parleying with the
worst forms of vice, this condoning of in
EQUITIES if only 'our party has committed
them, the cowardice and craven unfaith and
blind partisanship of voters who have one
code of morals for religious life, and
another cooe forpolitical life--this debauch.
cry threatens, in the course OF two or three
years, TO overthrow prohibitory law in the
Dakotas, IN Vermont. in Iowa, and even in
Kansas and Maipe{& Resubmission has been
already cass4eG "a North Dakota. The
danger Is imminent in Iowa. What little
Prohibition there was in New Hampshire
was in the Nuisance clause, and now that
IS ID Immediate danger of repeal"
This is dismal picture ofthe battle field
over which the Prohibition party has fought
SO long and earnestly and unless hundreds
ofthousands Of recruits can be gathered to
its ranks the following suggestion of the
Voice in another article may as well be
considered now as later.
If our party is to be mere play-pariy,
for purposes of agitation only, then let US
throw aside all other issues"
The party has never been more than an
agitation and education party, and it is now
more evident than ever before that it is
utterly impossible for it to become dis
iinct political party of any considerable
voting strength. Other reform parties are
entering the political battle field that are
overshadowing it, and drawing public at
tention away from it, and lis existence is
hardly mentioned. The fact that it assumed
10 take entire charge of the temperance
movement, dwarfed other temperance asso-
Citations, and taking a position on the polit.
ital battle field as thoroughly equipped
political party, drew the FIRE from both old
parties against it, and enabled them TO work
the saloon for all it was worth as source
of Doodle revenue, and the old parties have
drawn from the saloon for political purposes,
ostensibly to fight the prohibition party,
sums that approach million dollars.
There was time when it did seem to be
part Of wisdom to form distinct political
party whose base rock was the destruction
Of the saloon, but it has failed to receive the
support from the voting public to make ii
effective. while it has served as an outlet
and protest for the conscience vote of the
country. The time in our judgement has
past when there is left even lingering hope
in the minds of the most ardent and earnest
prohibition party workers that the prohi-
bition party as a distinct political party can
secure votes sufficient to give il even bal
ance Of power anywhere. When this fact
becomes manifest to the public the party as
distinct political organization will steadily
lose members. The Voice, the mouth
piece Of the party, has cast in its lot with
the money monopoly element, as everything
in the atmosphere of New York does, and
the money monopoly upholds the whiskey
monopoly, and thar monopoly upholds the
saloon. The saloon represents the gates of