The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-09
Tn. mon..t Bsn Puneh.

considered In two .aSpects-as revenue
measure and as temperance measure. Its
in other States than Virginia
is a pending question in several Legisla-
lures, and as means Of revenue, at least,
there is no State where its adoption would
be so important as in New York. More
liquors are drunk in this State than in any
other, partly because New York is the most
populous State in the Union; partly because
its city population bears larger proper
ton to its rural population; partly on
account of the greater ratio of people OF
foreign birth among the inhabitants of our
large cities. In few Western cities the
European contingent may be nearly
as large in proportion to the whole, but
those cities are small ns compared with
those OF the State of New York, and their
population is Insignificant as compared
with that Of the agricultural parts OF the
States in which they are located. New
York is, therefore, altogether the most I'M
portant and promising field for testing
this novel method Of regulating the sale OF
intoxicating drinks. It is a curious and
piquant experiment which is well worth
trying
We should hesitate to recommend its
adoption in States that have license laws or
prohibitive laws which are working well or
are tolerably enforced, since it is wise
maxim in legislation to let we'll enough
would ensue if this experiment should
be tried and break down. The retail liquor
traffic in this State is SO nearly in condi-
ton of chaos that it could not be made
worse. This would, indeed, be no reason
for floundering through an experiment
which had nothing to recommend it. But
the Virginia experiment has great deal to
recommend tits success in the place of
its origin; its analogy to the means by which
street railroads everywhere have found that
they can protect their revenue; the
prospect it holds out Of large relief
from the heavy burden Of local
taxation. If there is any State in which its
merits may be tested with safety and advan-
tage it is the State Of New York, where
confusion worse COMPOUNDED" reigns in the
liquor traffic and where deadlock in the
Legislature between the temperance men
and the license men blocks all other hope
Of extrication. 1t is futile triumph which
the temperance men have achieved in this
Legislature. Licenses are, indeed, restricted
by law to innkeepers, but every paltry grog-
shop has suffered "a sea change" into some
thing strange if not rich, and with every
grogshop recognized as an inn there
is no impeachment to free trade in
drinks. So egregious sham brings
the law into contempt and exposes
the friends of temperance to derision by
exhibiting their zeal as impotent. In the
city Of New York, at least, there is not
gill less liquor sold over bars than was sold
q year ago, or than would be sold now
under a liberal and tolerant license
law. In spite Of the strenuous efforts Of
the philanthropic temperance men, in spite
Of their late signal triumph in the Legisla-
ture, the retail liquor traffic goes on, and
larger proportion of it is absolutely illicit
and law-defying than was the case before
the Court Of Appeals delivered its memora-
BILE decision. Since experience proves that
the trade in liquor cannot be suppressed
is It not better that il should be, in some
way, regulated and restrained?
The Virginia expedient presents an easy
method Of releasing the subject from the
present improbable deadlock. 1t is SO
novel and curious and popular that its
adoption would require no sacrifice Of pride
on the part either of the temperance men
or of the liquor men. It would at least
have the merit of making the retail liquor
traffic means of alleviating the burden Of
local taxation. The statistics of this traffic
in the city of New York show that it -
enormous and even appalling If the
State cannot stop it it can at least tax it.
The law committee of DIR. Crosby's praise
worthy society declare after investigation
that there are in this city 10, 995 persons
who pay tho United States revenue
tax rs retailers of intoxicating beverages
s, 449 Of these selling wines and spirits and
2,444 selling malt liquors. OF this vast
number only about one-third have been
licensed by the Board of Excise. mod
crate tax on the separate drinks would yield
money enough TO pay the interest on the
entire city debt, large rs that debt is AS
the suppression of this traffic is o demon
strated impossibility why should it not be
made productive rs fruitful source Of
local revenue? BY this means we could tax
not only our resident inhabitants but the
strangers within our gates" The i'm
mense number Of transient persons always
present in this city from all parts OF
the country and all parts of the
world consume ardent spirits more
freely than our permanent population.
They regard themselves while here as on q
sort Of spree. and drink a great deal moro
than they are accustomed to do at home,
and great deal more than our own people
do with the exception of the lowest and
vilest class. 1t is impossible to prevent