New-York daily tribune., 1854-03-13
orR TEMPERANCE LAw-rI,rE.

The Assembly will this week proceed 10 act upon
the Liauor Prohibition act Of the Senate and pre-
sune will get promptly a, we'll dectively We fear
il is fixed that the law is TO take effect on the st OF
Deceu Der next-almost nine months hence. And yet
that period seems to us so i'll chosen AMI PsrOus that
we cannot refrain from making one more effort TO
change it. n the faint hope tba. this may even yet oe
possible
Mr.. DICKINSON, ia moving the amendment whch
postpoues the taking effect Of the act from August 20
DeceB ber deprecated the excitement and bitterness
Il at this measure in its orena form would ntuse into
our next November Election. But how does the post
popement better this VIII next Election be more
pleasant and peaceful with twenty thousand open and
legaized grogshops each with halter round ts nee.
and barely months life left yet fighting for fresh
repreve or full pardon than it would be If the grog-
shops were all closed or driven down cellar Nh0can
believe it
The fact is just here-the great obstacle to the
enforcement q Maine Law in State is the amount
Of pecuniarv interest which it assas If no one were
making money out of Liquor, or hoping to do so, we
should have DO trouble in sustaining and enforcing
most stringent PrOhbitOry Law. The tpplers are half
of them on our side of the really moderate drinkers
incline to aid US and nobody will spend money and put
forth exertions to defeat but the disterf brewers
and sellers They will fight to the death and the
immediate question is" Shall we supply them with
earns and ammunition ~ That we do by covering
their business with shield Of legality until just after
our next Election.
The great mistake was made when the idea Of post
poDement was entertained at all The act should have
been passed ia January February and made to take
effect in April, except that existing licenses should
have been allowed TO run TIL the lst OF May, when
the whole business should have been absolutely forbid
den. Then thousands would have RETAINED from
hiring premises for grsgshoPs or rum taverns after
May, in view OF the prospective effect OF the act
They would have stepped out Of rumselling as bus
ness unlikely TO pay and found something else to do for
the business year before U.s. But now they will be
coursged TO hire premises which they must take for
the year and, having taken them. they will convince
themselves that they must worry through the year
somehow and may as well go to prison to the ams
house The 1st Of December is notoriousy the worst
time in the whole year for embarkingin in new bus
ness and the rumseler will hold on under the plea
that he can't let his children starve This will excite
sympathy for him. snd the simple fact that the law is
not generally enforced will be urged by the Pra3'
and BrOOkses next winter good reason for repeal
irg it.
81 But" say soue, do give the dealers time TO
wind up their business-they have grain or liquor on
hand and they will be ruined if brought to halt too
suddenly, We'll Sirs, every distiller or brewer
ruined in that way will fifty families of drinkers
from ruin and the lesser evil should be preferred to
the greater And beside, there is better for all
the grain on hand than making liquor Of it. The
poor have hard word to get bread at present prices
and it is sin TO burn up grain in the distillery or
brewery when it is sorey needed for food. There
never could be better time than the presen. for
stopping the manufacture of alcoholic liquors.
But suppose we give them till next December to
wind up, 'riH they DO IT. Not they They Will make
all they can sell and more to give away in order to
beat us next fall and upset Law after Election,
they will claim that they have succeeded, aud 90 on
distlling and selling under the pretense that Prohbi-
tOn has been condemned by the People; and when at
length open their eyes by voting down repeal aud
starting few prosecutions, they VIII plead that they
have been deceived mistaken that they have not
yet begun TO wind up, ard ask for time. And
their plea will be quite cogent then as it is
We hope to beat them and sustain the Law any
how but it is rather hard that its enemies should
have all the benefit of the hostility il will excite and
its friends none Of the advantage of having n opera
tOn the great struggle to sustain or repeal it next
fall One would hardly suspect that such posting
of the antagonist forces had been effected by the friends
Of the measure.