The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-19
PROHIBITION JOY.
An Inquiry ms to Reasons for the Re-
cent Jolliication.

TIC the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
There have been many jubilations since
the election. but none has impressed me so
much as that held by the Prohibition par
ty, unless we consider it mere joke as
their cavorting around the country in a
special train during the canvass was He
is a miserable churl who does not enjoy
the make believe of a bevy of little girls
as they spank their dolls, play housekeep
and talk gossip just as bigger folks do. IL
not intended as joke IL was most pitia-
BILE exhibition of dementia or the most
sublime example of that Christian grace
which, though sorrowing. always rejQices.
1t was more sublime than the apostles,
because he qualities his paradoxical state
ment by saying for we sorrow not as
those who have no hope The hope that
better things were In store for them made
them joyful even in SORROWS. 1t would be
impugning the intelligence OF any one who
partook of this Jubilation to assume that
he has the remotest hope of ever reaching
prohibition through Prohibition party;
hence the sublimity of their rejoicing. The
rationale of such joy under such circum-
stances was explained by King George of
England after the close of our revolution
airy war. He had proclaimed a national
Thanksgiving. An old Quaker sought an
interview with the King, when the follow
ing dialogue occurred:
II see. George" said the Quaker. thee
has proclaimed thanksgiving. AS a loyal
subject l have called to learn what we are
to be thankful for. Is it because thee has
lost thirteen coloniesy
"Oh, no. William; certainly not for that,
answered the King.
Then is ii because so many OF thy SUBJ
jects have been killed in battle?" asked
the Quaker.
Certainly not. certainly not" replied
the King. "It Is nothing of that sort; 1t is
because matters are no worse"
If there was anything but joke in the
JOY of that jollifcation IL could have been
hQFafrGa THINGS
For fourteen years there has been moth
ing but constant decline OF the Prohibi-
ton party. Fol-. the first fourteen years
there was a gradual but slow growth, so
that in 1856 the aggregate vote of the party
was 3.45 per cent. of the whole vote of that
year, every subsequent election the vote
becoming less and less. In 1882 II mad
fallen to 2.92 per cent, and it continued
gradually falling until in 1898 IL was only
0.9l9 of l per cent and this was the reia-
tive strength of the party after twenty,
Conference said the religious people OF the
Nation We're surprised and indignant at
the mysterious miscarriage of the anti
canteen law" and all other churches
said substantially the same. This was
seized upon by the few remain
ing members of the party. and they
least to their former strength. but they
hoped in vain. That many new recruits.
at least for the current campaign. did
abandon Mr. Mckinley for Mr.. Woolley
even in Indiana, would have gone is GER
tain, but for the conviction that prohibit
ton is impossible through distinct party.
and the developments of the late weeks of
the campaign which revealed Mr.. Bryan
as a dangerous breeder of anarchism.
And now, what are the results as TO IN
diana alone, whose figures are probably
representative? In 1872, the largest vote
that party ever received, II was 1904; in
1900 IL is only Is, 452, showing an actual in
crease of only 400, whereas the aggregate
vote of the State has increased $3.50 To
have even held its own relatively the vote
should have been 1921 showing decrease
of 1,76S. Notwithstanding the Indignation OF
all the churches over the annulment OF the
anu-canteen law, leaving IL, efter twenty
eight years, only EOS per cent of the vote
of the State. and that per cent. growing
smaller every time. To assume that any
sane man, with such history before him
hope OF success is folly; hence that jollifica-
ton was merely joke. or childs play, In
imitation of actual life. IL was joy In
sorrow. where there is no hope OF better
things to come.
But will the party come again? OF
course IL will. There is too much solid
comfort In playing party and I'm standing
up to be counted for the young men who
are chief managers to disband the ma
chinery which gives them prominence. Po-
ltically, there can be no objection to this.
They have never been disturbing factor
In politics TO any appreciate extent Why
should they be? Politicians stand of and
laugh at their playing party, as one laughs
at the amusements OF children, but there
is no effort to conciliate them, as there Is
TO conciliate the saloon power, which has
too much political wisdom TO segregate
itself into party. The only possible OBJ
lection to their playing party comes from
Prohibitionists alone. These know the
party is a detriment to the cause not only
to the extent that they withdraw some
really sincere and honest men from the
support of prohibition in the only possible
way of obtaining IL, but they do not repre-
cent one I'm twenty OF the jealous Prohibit
tionists OF the country: yet by their clam
orousness they make politicians and the
saloon men believe that they are the whole
thing. In this and other things. they are
an exact reproduction of their proto-
years ago. Imperious. dogmatical and
impracticable. that party assumed 20
| contain al the anti-slayery men OF the Ma
| ton, hence the South became more and
more arrogant. because they magined that
only q mere handful opposed slavery. What