New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-26
PROHIBTTORY LAWS.
NO OTHER MEANS so EFFECTIVE TO SECURE TEN
PRRANCR.

NO OTHER MEANS so EFFECTIVE TO SECURE TEN
PERANCE.
TO hs Bdifor Of The Tribune.
SIR: In an article on "ProhibtiOn at Home
and Abroad" published recently in THE TRIBUNE, you
assume to show that prohibltory laws have proved
failure, are really doing more harm than good" and
that the license system IL the only panacea for ncmpe
rance The license system which you claim has pro-
duced such bene1cent results in England has been in
force there various forms for while the land Is
filed with drunkenness. pauperism. and crime 1t has
produced similar results In Ireland, Canada, and this
country Intemperance can never be suppressed by
licensing grogshops As we'll attempt to suppress other
crimes by licensing men to commit them. Prohibition
has been but partially tested. It was tried in New
York short time, when through the influence OF the
whisky Ring" and corrupt, partisan Court, 1t was
declared unconstitutional During its operation 1t was
claimed by THE TRIBUNE and other journals that IL pro-
duced marked reformation intemperanee and crime
having nearly ceased throughout the State There Is no
evidence prove that prohibition ia doing more harm
than good" in Maine and Massachusetts, for there is not
1.-THE much nemperance and crime in both those
States combined there is in the City OF New-fork
alone where the license system has been In force scores
Of years and in the Neutrality-suspicious. OF which deadly
assaults stabbng ARRAYS, and homlcdes are constantly
occurring
You argue that the "new temperance crusade proves
the failure prohibition, instead Of which 1t proves
the failure Of the license system, which Is now III
force where the crusade is in operation. Does any
one suppose that those ladies and gentlemen you men
ton expose themselves the cold aud storms OF
Winter imporing those lquorsellers. who treat them
so brutaly to desst from their criminal traffic II they
had prohibory laws by which they could compel them
TO do sol
Few would think OF licensing men. however respons
BILE" they might be- to sell whisky to the Indians Cen
Harvey considers 1t a grave crime. aud would nave
those engaged in 1t "hangedor shot, Prohibitionists
think 1t equally criminal to sell 10 to white men, and
would license man. matter how much money ne
might pay, to engage In 1t. Make 1t a penitentiary
ofense to sell intoxicating drinks as beyer-
age, and drunkenness would soon be suppressed
You oppose prohbtory laws mainly the ground that
hey are frequently violated and not properly enforced
The objections might he urged against most or our
criminal laws and especially lin your own city, where
Judges been npcached and scores OF indictments
found against city officials including Mayor; ana
where g. scarcely possible to convict murderer as the
repeated tra,s Of Stokes and others chow IL seems
strange that You should apply the term fanatic TO
prOhDiiiousts, when IL Was so persstety applied 10
THE TRBU and its readers, together with all the op
ponents OF Slavery. quarter Of century ago Doubt
less nine-tenhs OF your readers today. with almost
every clergyman, church member. temperance man ana
IN the country rrohbitionis. AT east it u
here only votes having been given N this tPreSl-
dcnt) townshiFin favor OF "liccnse." d. l.. c.
Eagle ROch finn, March 10, 1874.