The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-05-20
Friday, May go, 1892.
The Tabor Question in Politics, by
r. S. Thompson.

r. S. Thompson.
An exhaustive essay on this subject which
is agitating the whole CIVILIZED world, was
published in "The Question:" monthly
publication issued by the New Era Com
pany, at Springfield, Ohio, in October last.
The publishers have sent US the number
containing Mr.. Thompson's essary accom-
panied with a request to notice the essay
with such comments as we think it merits.
Our notice of the article can be crowded
into few words. Mr.. Thompson has given
the public, on this question, one of the most
lucid, strong, exhaustive articles that has
appeared on the subject: presentation Of
the question which it would be profitable
for every worker on reform lines to carefully
read and study.
The most remarkable feature connected
with The essay is the instrumentality the
writer proposes to make use of to secure the
reforms so forcibly pointed out, and press
ing for adoption. This medium is nothing
more than the prohibition party. AS the
eliminating point OF each reform is reached
in the discussion, the author adds foot
note comprising "plank" Of the Ohio pro-
hibition platform, as embodying such
reform if enacted into law. The platform
of any of the parties may be construed to
embrace the majority of the reforms called
for, if enacted into law. Party platforms
have lost their charms for the popular
mind, because they have generally been
used TO conjure with to secure votes and
not for party guidance after the election.
The marvel is that a man so well in
formed, SO clear thinker and entertaining
such broadened view of the situation,
should lean on SO fimsy reed as the pro-
hibition party or entertain tie faintest hope
that it will ever be able to secure any of the
reforms he enumerates. The party has no
popular element about it, and there is not a
will gain popular following. The prohi-
bition party has always been looked upon
as kind of Sunday school, prayer meeting
arrangement. Both very useful, commend
able institutions in their place, but they
have never drawn round them a political
following. The party has worked for TWEEN
iy years most strenuously on the lines it is
bound to and cannot escape from, with the
word failure" written at the end of severy
chapter Of its history. 1t has reached the
Bourbon stage which every political party
is sooner or later sure to reach, when it
learns nothing and forgets nothing. Its
leaders and managers become crystalized
bigots, and in the evolution of events finally
face about to oppose the changes and new
movements which crowd around and in upon
them. This is the condition of prohibition
party leaders al present. Their mission is
ended and their work done on those old
lines they have followed for twenty years.
The laborers, the people, are going together
in new party, party of their own liking
and their own choosing. They are swarm
ing from the old parties and the prohibition
leaders who have been out so long and have
picked out nice bush for the main swarm
to alight on and prepared nice hive
already for them TO go into, and 10 find that
the peryerse people, the great voting swarm,
will not enter it or settle on the convenient
bush prepared for them is provoking TO
those old zelots, and they shout, halloo, beat
tin pans, ring bells, throw dirt and try
every means to divert the swarm from Its
purpose aud compel it to settle on their
nice "already" prepared bush. But it's no
use; the swarm will not cluster on the pro-
hibiion party bush or enter the prohibi-
tion party hive, and the few who have
settled there are leaving one by one and
joining the grand swarm till none but The
old shiny headed bees remain who 60 about
cursing the perverse generation who persis,
in refusing TO join the nice comfortable party
already prepared for their reception with
all the principles they contend for offered
Stree gratus for nothing.n 1t is with pop
ular movements as with woman "Wher
she will she will and when she won't sh,
won't, and that's the end ont"
The prohibition party laborers hay,
accomplished great work; they have
loosened the chains of party servitnde; they
have exposed the vilainly of saloon poll
tics and laid bare the fostering corruption o
saloon government. They have exhauste,
their best efforts on those lines. The part,
is becoming a hindrance to ref ,rm which i
moving on other lines which involve tn
destruction of the saloon, but not by prohi
bition party methods.