New-York tribune., 1895-10-19
A FAKE ISSUE.


II was apparently thought necessary two or
three months ago when the brewers and distll-
lcrs discovered that the enforcement OF existing
laws made a hole in their revenues. to msrepre-
sent facts. indulge in wholesale denuncaion or
honest and faithful officials as the worst of GRIM
inals and by the grossest exaggeratlons ana
most brazen falsifications undertake to make
voters believe that they were the victims or mex
cusable and unheard-of tyranny That sort OF
thing is not nfrequently done. Political dema-
gogues and the newspapers they control seem TO
think it is smart and effective. They exhibit in
this way a certain lack Of intelligence on their
own part in assuming that the average voter Is
so easily fooled 1t is not impossible TO be sure
that this sort Of hubbub created by political
fakirs. if started just on the eve of an election.
NAV sometimes rattle the voters to such an ex-
tent that the fake succeeds. But this hubbub
was started too early The voters who when
they first saw the bowling dervishes dance up
heard the noise they made thought for the mo-
ment that there was real trouble and their per-
sonal liberties had actually been infringed. have
since then had time to think. They see now that
all the fuss these fakirs were making was over
always from the foundation Of governments,
and without which any form Of government
would be a failure and farce; that is, the orderly
and equal enforcement of law. So then the
fakirs quieted down and the hubbub ceased.
And now that the misrepresentation, exag-
gerations and falsifcatons with which the
fakirs undertook to fire the popular heart have
had their day; now that the most ignorant voter
understands that all the outcry about the danger
to personal liberty was the claptrap and gibber-
ish of the whiskey and beer sellers whose trade
was interrupted by the simple enforcement of
law. one might suppose that even the fakirs
themselves would see the futity Of pursuing
their game by such methods. 1t would seem to
be good time to stop lying and treat the voting
people like intelligent persons, whose reason
could be appealed TO, instead of like fools, whose
ignorance could easily be imposed upon But they
learn nothing. They are talking now about the
maintenance Of blue laws" and "Purftanical
bigotry," and "cold-water crusades and THE
policy of Prohibition and 1.-THE poor mans
beer" and the domestic customs and social en-
ioyments of German-Americans, and all that
sort of thing just as though they were relevant
and pertinent: Just as though we were in the
midst Of revolutionary movement against the
use of whskey and beer, and in the event OF
Republican success in November there would
be no more cakes and ale, no chance to get
drink any where nothing but dismal drOuth
of everything but cold water. That's the game
they are playing; the fake they are working now
What nonsense,
Why not stop it and treat the voters as though
they were possessed Of common sense and ordi
nary intoIliDonpnr WHY fry tO friphtpn them
with scarecrows? 1t is not, as any sensible
voter can see, a question Of cold water or pro-
hibition or abolishing cakes and ale. 1t is
question which has been raised upon the de-
mand of distiIlers. brewers and saloonkeepers
whether special privileges shall or shall not be
granted them; whether, on their account and for
their benefit, We shall upset existing laws and
immemorial usage and abolish "the venerable
social institution known as the Weekly Rest"
That is all there is to it and all there Is Of it.
No one has proposed TO limit or circumscrlbe
them in the exercise of their calling, except as
all other callings are limited and circumscribed
in the observance of the Weekly Rest in the
interest Of labor and morality. They themselves
have raised the issue; made the demand for priv
iegcs and immunitics which no other class in
the community ask for or desire In standing
AS It does. for the maintenance OF Sunday laws
the Republican party makes no new issue; pro-
poses nothing new or novel or revolutionary
The simple question for the people Is whether
they are willing to accedc TO the demand these
people make for privileges which no other class
in the community enjoy; a demand which is
not only revolutionary in character, but sub
versive Of the best interests of labor and moral
ity Let this be kept constantly in mind. that
the Republican party is not making war on
personal liberty or proposing to interfere with
existing laws or established usage. 1t IS simply
fighting against the arrogant demands Of a par
ticular class for special class privileges and ex
emption from laws whose wholesome character
and benefcent operation have never been dis
pued.