New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-12
MIR R4SCOM Is 4 POLITICIAN.

II. CLAW Bascom. the well known Third party
Prohibitonst has written letter to The
Troy Press " in regard to the varying fortunes
Of tho Prohibition party. In the course of this
letter he says:
All great reforms have arisen through huctuatng
preiminares The political P ohbItlonsts feel that
the legallled drink traffic must be oitlawcd. The
drink traffic Is organized In politics. IL elects and
defeats Presidents at will. Government thus con-
trolled Is an ongarchy and not a republic Admit
that the political chcssboard Is so poised that the
Prohibition party has immediate prospect OF ma
iorities In any state. rcformers know Of no way to
arouse the Republic but that Of pcrslsteny working at
the IN * Of organizing the form Of government which
ON be self per pctustng Government for spolS now
popagatei by both old parties must fall by its own
rottcnncsS.
IL is 10 he gathered from this that Mr. }as-
com has mighty poor opinion of both the old
parties that he does not regard the Republican
party as a better friend OF temperance than the
Democracy that he regards spolls as the sole
end and aim of each. But what are the facts?
Mr. Bascom Is too intelligent not 10 be aware
that so long as tho Republicans controlled the
Legislature of this State the rum power en-
deavorcd in vain 10 increase its power, but that
lust as soon as the Democracy obtained ma
an Excise bill which was so outrageously bad
that it WAS denounced by every sincere friend
OF temperance in the State. While David b.
Hill was Governor the Republican Legislature
made repeated efforts 20 pass measures con-
code dIy in the interest of practical temperance
reform. These measures did not indeed pro-
vide for prohibition, but they did provide for
marked Improvement upon the existing order
of excise legislation, and they went as far as
public sentiment would follow. Is it fair, then,
for Mr. Bascom 10 place the two parties in the
same category? Does he not know that il the
Republicans had had a majority in either the
Senate or Assembly in tho Legislature OF 1892
the Excise bill would not have passed?
Naturally. "The Troy Press " and other
organs of the Democracy are treating the Third
party Prohibtionists with great consideration
these DAYS. Thus "Thc Press" assures Mr.
Bascom that /" if his admirable advice had been
taken in 1888. the 0'rohibition) party con-
ccntrating instead of distributing, and thereby
dissipatin9 its strength it might to-day be
most formidable factor in politics" 1t is not
difficult to understand why the Democracy en-
ploys such tactics. Its leaders appreciate that
TO strengthen tho Prohibition party is to help
the rum power by drawing away votes from
the Republican party. "The Wine and Beer
Gazette in recent number frankly admitted
that the Third-party Prohibitionists are e." the
most powerful and influential allies OF the Dem
ocrats in all political campaigns" The Press
treats Mr. Bascom with the cordiality due to
an ally. 1t is only when Prohibitionists come
before Democratic Legislatures praying for the
massage OF reform measures that Democratic
bosses laugh them to scorn.
There are thousands of Prohibtionists and
other good friends of temperance in this State
who aim by their votes to accomplish immedi-
ate practical results. Will they decide to help
the party which is responsible for the Excise
bill of 1892 or to help the Republicans?