Washington sentinel., 1901-03-30
BAIT
Democratic Apathy Our Creates
Danger.

1 ATTACKS upon tnG hdu uOi NaAiA'
in many States--in all the States,
we might almost say-attacks
which, when successful, strengthen
the hands OF our opponents, and
even when unsuccessful, weaken
our friends, because every appear
ance OF yielding to them in the
hope OF avoiding more stringent
measures, displays the lack of
unity IN our ranks and the pres
enee OF a desire to advance self in
terestS at the sacrifice OF the COM
mon good-calls TOR comparison
of the methods OF the friends and
opponents OF prohibition with a
view oi discovering our shortcom-
ing and remedying them. ...
Replying to inquiries regarding
the attitude Of the Prohibition
party towards organizations hav-
ing for their object the advance
ment OF the temperance cause
presumably along the lines fol.
lowed by anti saloon, local option,
high license and similar projectsl
the NeaV V0ice. OF Chicago, whose
aim has always been Prohibition
pure and simple and whose pub
fishers have persistently refused to
be swerved from their course by
side issues, reiterates its position
in unmiStakable terms as follows:
Here we are on the field Of duty and
we will welcome anybody and every.
body who moves up to our position. for
the purpose of fighting the enemy. To
those who answer; "We don't like your
position; we want to talk about finding
some other place." our answer oil neces.
sity, has to be: I'VE are past the talk
ing stage of the campaign. Go talk
where YOU please, about what you
please, and with whom you please II
your talk develops into any plan that
you like better than ours. go ahead and
carry it ont for all it's worth. We are
where we are from profound conviction
OF duty; and until the battle is won, or
it is made clear to us that there is a
better way Of winning it, we stay here,
We did not come here for picnic nor
for an excursion, nor vet for union
meeting but for a fight. We have
found plenty Of fighting, and it agrees
with us
Here is the Prohibitionist idea
in a nutshell. They want national
prohibition OF the traffic in liquors;
they don't'propose to submit the
question OF the sale Of liquors to
communities nor to sanction it
under high or low license or
any license at all; they oppose its
regulation or restriction in any
manner short OF absolute suppress
sion; they will not be influenced
by the apparent successful work
ing of this or that plan in any
locality; they recognize no dis
tinctions between alcoholic bever-
ages; distilled or iermented. all
are equally Objectionable to them.
all alike are under the ban Of their
condemnation, and all must sink
or swim in the same boat. For
them there is no 'just as good"
substitute. They have taken their
stand, and until the battle is won"
there they will remain.
How is it with their opponentsa
Are they as hrmly fixed in their
oppositlon7 All over this country
today is sweeping a wave OF intol-
erance the point Of whose attack
is the liquor traffic1 Our ex-
changes are full OF It, and for sew.
eral weeks the SENTINEL has
availed itself OF their columns to
arouse its readers to the danger,
to show them the futility Of making
concessions to this clamorous ele
ment which only seizes upon a
point yielded today to base claim
for another tomorrow, and to inn
press upon them the necessity OF
united and determined antagonism
to any and every attack upon their
business whenever and wherever
il may be made.
Has Raines law in New York
silenced the enemies of the trader
It is at best but an armed truce, a
breathing spell, which will con
tinue only until its opponents have
gathered strength to renew the
battle.
Has high license or a limitation
Of the number oi saloons in Massa-
chusetts or the District Of Colum.
bia given immunity to licensed
dealers in those places2 Were dis
cussion confined to the matter OF
rejection or renewal of permits at
the license period each year, some
benefit might be laid at the door
OF the system, but it is well known
that restaurant keepers are under
a strain from years beginning to
years end to meet the harassing
| exactions Of people who. given an