The herald., 1894-11-22
TEMPERANCE REFORM.


given out, with eorrowful confession
that in many quarters drunkenness il
increasing. and the physicians II
and about New York, Brooklyn and
other places have been giving testimony
to such effect. We notice that in the
very center of reform efforts, the state
of Maine, several leading public men
have declared against the sumptusry
laws that have existed there for more
than 40 yeare, end in favor of local
o. on. In the home Of Neal Dow. a
little city OF not much over 10000,
where there is a special set OF officers to
enforce the law against liquor selling.
outside of the regularly organized sher'
ff and police forces. they have not been
able to lessen the visible results Of dram
drinking, as is shown by the fact that
week before last 45 persons we're ar
rested for drunkenness.
In fact. many of the most devoted
workers OF the w. G. I. U. now declare
that there is small use to attempt to 90
on with the work unless and until the
ballot can be giver to women. This
they regard as the laat hope. How this
will work in practice they DO not seem
to have very seriously calculated, but q
recent experience in a western town,
where women do vote now. would ap-
pear to be in point. The question was
as to licensing the sale of beer. and the
wives and lady friends OF the beer deal
ers made 80 determined and successful
demonstration that it was not deemed
prudent for the other side to insist upon
the tests that were bound to follow, and
the crusade was abandoned. How it is
that any fairer trials OF prohibition can
ever follow than have been had in the
New England states. where it has been
80 long tried, is mystery, and yet
nothing seams to be accepted as settle d..
The very latest move is one now being
urged by the Rev. Joseph Cook, who
recommends that all the church MEM
bers in the land band themselves to-
gether ami resolve to cast their votes
solidly in favor of the utter extinction
OF the liquor traffic. He declares that
no party would dare to ignore such a
political force, and that they could die
tate the policy and the platform OF the
party they would ally themselves with.
This. be it said in all seriousness to
Mr.. Cook, has been tried on a small
scale in many field, and been found q
weak device. In the frst place, not all
church members agree in their views as
to the way to reform men. In the sec
ond place. If they did think alike in q
general way, not all OF them belong to
the same political party: and even II
they did, they would not agree that the
temperance question overshsdows all
things else, and so would not ignore all
else for it. even il by 80 doing they
could win the temperance fight.
Worldly wisdom seems to be lost on q
certain eort OF reformers. They appear
TO be incapable OF taking into account
the limitations, the fatal limitations, OF
party politics when invoked for such
purpose as is here involved. No politi-
cal party has ever been formed yet that
has been able to dominate political af-
fairs upon a platform 80 narrow as q
single doctrine-much less a theory.
In every case they have dwindled
away or held together fruit,essly. For
a single compaign they have often been
able to make temporary alliances for q
seeming gain; but generally every such
attempt has weakened rather than
strengthened the party, and if it has
gone on at all it has been without &C.
complaining anything at oil commen.
surate with its claims or hopes. Before
it measures itself in conflict it may have
a certain power like all unknown quan.
titles; but when it once risks battle
and discloses its power it 10 either
crushed between the other contending
forces or is quietly dropped. How this
inevitably comes about is thoroughly
shown in the case of the Prohibitionists
in Iowa. for instance. The Republican
party, after much importuning, adopted
the prohibition plank into its platform,
and as consequence it WAS beaten
until it cried out for relief from its bur-
den. " hen this burden was thrown of
the party came to its natural proper.
tions; and 1t will be long time before
any groat party will try ouch an expert
ment again.
And so it would be with Mr.. Cooks
alliance Of church members, even II he
could muster such force and put il
once into the field. There is nothing
new under the sun. A moral reform
must be borne along upon moral forces,
ss everybody will find out who will read
the lesson of reform in the light OF its
actual conflicts.