Barnum On Temperance

Special Dispatcli to the Tribune. P. T. Itarnum left the Murruy Ilill hotel at 8 o'clook this moenlng, Feb. 18, and went to the business ollice of the Bariiuin and London show on Broadway, where lie was for over two hours with the manager of his coming exhibition. It was reported tliat the veteran is the standard hraivr of tbe prohibitiou irty for president in 188S, and a reporter asked hini il it was true. He replied : 'Last yearl was asked to bear the standanl of tlmt party for the prewdency, bat gave no aiiíwer. I have heard ihat Lhe same is to bu teodered to me agaln this year, hut so far it has not been done. I have been a teetotaler since 1847. Dortlüit time I have spoken a ;reat deal agaiast the evils of inteniperance and In favor ot 'total abstinence. 1 ttlU bellere inteniperance is a vice and a curc At tlte same time I do not tliink (bat the issue shuuld Ua made oue for the forination of a thiril party; lor I do not tliink it can be sucwsttil. I believe that no IIcii should be giauted for less than $200, and wheu there are plenty of bidders ut chai prlce th rate odgfttt to be increased. Saloons are a Carte to jountc men. There was nothinjf of th; kind wheu I was a youiij; man. It wc are to have laloons there ihonld he one to every adult; then the evil would die out froni v, rv moiutroefty. My frlenda say li(cnsiiifi saloons is to ({Ive the trade the color of legallty. (Jranted. But with high license and stringent regralatloiM as to the lo ation and character of keepers, the trafflc may be made respectable, it sucli a tliing as a respectablü saloon orsaloonkeeper can befound. Drugeists who scll liiinor by retail do more barm t lian the open saloon. Ia cities prohibition is not potalMe. Temperance ad roe tes IbOUld use all their inlluence with the regular political wartlet and compel ibeni to adopt, temperance Ihws; for positive prohibition will never succeed until the niillenium.'1