The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-23
THE PROHIBITION QUESTION.

Mitchell.
THE PROHIBITION QUESTION.
The Prohibitionists blew the first
bugle blast for the spring campaign
yesterday. Notwithstanding this early
dash into the fray, The News is led to
expect that the vote of this party will at
the next election show decided decrease.
In former years many Republicans, keeny
in sympathy with the anti-saloon crusade,
have dropped vote for the Prohibition
candidates, believing it would make
no material difference in the
result, because no person would
receive majority Of the votes.
This year the candidate who gets the
most votes will be elected; hence every
vote will count, and any Republican
who believes inprotection may safely be
relied upon not to throw his vote away
on the Prohibition party.
Because the tariff question is again
the dominant issue The News had in
dulged the hope that the Prohibi-
tionists would this year have
foregone the pleasure of dis.
covering their weakness. Many
men, now identified with that party, are
ardent protectionists, and it is difficult
to see how they can consistently cast
half vote for free trade, which is the
equivalent of prohibition vote.
Especially is this true of Mr.. Henry
b. Metcalf, who has again been chosen as
the Prohibition candidate for Governor.
He has for many years been known as
prominent Prohibitionist, although
there are those who malicousiy assert
that he finds that party. as so many have
before him, convenient cave of Adullam
for his disappointed ambitions. But
he Is also u protectionist of
the first water SO much so
that during the election of 1892,
when the tariff issue was foremost, he
allowed his influence to be once again
thrown with the Republican party. On
that occasion he permitted circular to
be distributed under his signature, from
which THE News has pleasure in quot
ing as follows:
"Ihave seen Il Co be an actual fact, abun-
Jantly sustained by evidence. that under the
system of projection every hour of honest
toll purchases more of material comfort for
the toiler than II attainable under any other
system.
'I am convinced That the system of pro-
feciion fosters spirit of national self
independence, such as H. indispensable TO
the highest standards ofcitizcnship under "a
government by the people,"
If this was true in 1892 why is it any
less true and less binding upon Mr.. Met
calf IN 1894? Perhaps the reason is that
he is now receiving honors and recogni-
tion at the hands of the earnest Prohi-
bition workers.
In his remarks yesterday Mr.. Metcalf
tried to justify his position by assert
ing that il by prohibition there could be
saved the one billion and more
dollars annually wasted in the
purchase OF intoxicants, greater
benefit would accrue to the nation than
could result from any tariff yet con-
ceived. As Mr.. Metcalf has thus seen
fit TO consider prohibition as "a utilta-
rian and an economic question rather
than moral issue. THE News would
respectfully suggest that while IL cannot
be denied that the abolition OF the saloon
may make many men nobler and many
families happier. it does not follow that
the greater portion Of the money spent
in intoxicants is wasted. On the con
trary. like money expended in Any other
channel, 1t naturally finds its way into
circulation again, aud perhaps even
opens up oppor' unity for employment to
the very laborers who originally spent
il in drink.
Mr.. Metcalf surely will not De willing
To state that the hundreds who have
sought work in Providence and his own
city during this winter are hungry and
idle because they have wasted their
money in drink. Yet such is the legiti-
mate conclusion from his proposition.
Men are idle, hungry aud cold today
because the spectre of free trade has