New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-06
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
THE "QUEsTION OF PRIVILEGE" AGAIN.
AssEMBLYMAN DAILY TO DIR. CROSBY.


AssEMBLYMAN DAILY TO DIR. CROSBY.
To the Edttor p me Tribune.
SIR: viii You be kind enough to give insertion
to the following contribution to the literature OF the
Excise question: Yours truly, JAMES DAILY.
albany, Feb. 8, 1873.
To The ReU. HOWARD CROSBY.
SIR My attention was called last evening" 10 letter
under your signature in TIE TRIBUNE OF yesterday III
rectcd to me- to some points OF which feel that justice
10 others, as well as myself. requires some reply
from
You accuse me OF ignorance OF what our free insttu
tons arc If say that you made attempt to die
tate to the Legislature Now you have said very pun
lIcy that you intended to organize thousand societies
in the which would say to the Legislature. You
shall not change the law" If this cannot fairly DE
called attempt to dictate to the Legislature, then
must acknowledge myself In error.
You that the only barrier TO free rum presented
by the bill which have introduced Is that one qualifca
necessary The granting of license. Is that the
applicant shall be person OF good moral Character
In this. / conceive, you are mistaken The only
difference between this bill and the law OF 1897 In TINS
respect that it does not provide that no one but an
nn-keeper shall be licensed, provision which every
one knows is impossible to enforce in large Clues
In other respects, the bill, think, makes
ample provision against crowding the city WIN
ruurshops" and 1t WILL when 1t becomes law, put %"
unlicensed selling; while your plan does not ana
cannot fail to crowd the city with thousands upon
thousands OF shops without licenses and Of very much
worse class than cOud arise under the proposed law
And here permit me to say that think sometimes you
err in arrogatng yourself all the virtue, sincerity and
informal on in the community am quite as anxious as
you to aid and promote temperance IN our city, Ddt
think honestly that your plan will not work. and that
mine VIII. saa not presume 10 que ton your auhori'
y in theOOglc purely ethical problem; VIII You
permit 10 have in matters relating To SO
cia science and the OF government 10 NOT gue--
ton your right to combat ali eYl wherever
you II, but mildly suggest 10 you that your uOS
tic and well calculated 10 achieve
the ends for which yOn striving And ask Won Ia Ie
member that AN not representing You here but the peO
pie district. Fifty thousand voters In the city have
Informed that thew want the law changed some
what less than thousand have said thar they do not,
and challenZc comparison Of the merits good cl1iI ~
Their T. scctive spheres al lie OF The incrs Oh your
sid ard on mine. Those who drink champagne or san
day the clubs not the Ouy citizens OF heN-lOrk
VINO are worthy 81 consideration.
10 is easy tor you, dDcTtHdre, 10 WHO essays q"
these and similar subjects. but You mus, bear "a mai
that my duy requr,s TO have some regard 10 the
practical working OF the measures | advocate.
In CONCLUSION, You say that you intend 10 persist ~
calling the cnucIty Jt action OF the Governor III par
dOuing CosgrOye and Eusace an outrage against the
Oricr aud dcceucy .. society.
You know The old Jda gc about those whom Inc gour
destroy, ana II you VIII persist IN saving that
those iaId TIER licenses, know OF no
stop yOd, unless they nt To bring an action
against you Tor de rlm itiOn
IL be- done, the records OF the Executive ana inc
opinion Judge Daniels viii firmly esab isn the jueicc
of GUyernUIs action and put you % shame An nom
est cause needs sOghisry to sustain H. Yours re-
spcctluy. JAMES DAILY