New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-09
COMMENTS on TIE SITUATION.

sArIsrAcTfON EXPRESSED By TIE REV. DR.. CROSBY
--rNFORCrMrNT OF THE LAW or 1897 AS
VIEWED BY DIFFERENT INIEREsIs-oPlNIoNs OF
IIQvOR DE ALFRs.
The Rev. Dr. Howard Crosby, president OF
the Society for the Prevention % Crime SAID yesterday
An conversation on the Legislative vote on the Excise
hill There isn't much be said on the Day bill ITSELF
very dead OF the results OF the action OF the
LEGISLATURE however. much may he said lam conndent
that the action of all the authorities in this city Will DC
Immediate decisive. In fact have no hesitation III
saving that six months hence there will not be groggery
left in New-York CITY"
"A the trouble heretofore he continued. has been
thatthe executive officers have had firm basis of law
10 stand upon. From my knowledge of the Police De
partment know that the superintendent will cause the
law TO be enforced, and am the police officers Will
make the arrests the police justices in the dnereht
courts. am also confident, will hold the offenders for
trial Tho DistrictAttorney I know to DC
a thoroughly honest man. He will find lnalst
ments against them. In short. there will be no
break in tie continuity of legal action Before this there
has beeb hitch somewhere. Arrests could be made Dut
no convictions would follow Hackett Pheps-all those
irtbe DstrictAttorney's offce-would say: we can't
do anything while the law is unsettled Wait until
the Legislature decides or the other The pres
ent Excise law is mere temporary arrangement Now,
however the LEGISLATURE has spoken am sure the
Distrct-AttOrney will say TO the hquor'eaiers
who come before him. The Legislature has pronounced
Won have violated knowingly; you shall feel the heavy
hand of the law at last This decision brings back the
old law OF 1857. The Excise Commissioners will be
bound 10 enforce its provisions The welworn dodge OF
three hunks will do service longer. The man who
sells liquor be drunk the premises must Keep
hotel in fact as well He must he able to fur
pish regular meals to have kitchen AS an earnest
Thereof; TO exhibit genuine bin Of fare The
enforcement Of this provision WILL OF course.
root out the low tipplngs shops. The law
does not interfere with the Licenses OF drug
glsts and grocers. rney may sell as many
bottles OF liquor they please Only there shall he no
Tipping on premises II has been charged that the
efforts OF our society persecution Of these people
Nothing could be more senseess On the other nand
The teetotallers denOunce for favoring the liquor
sellers do not think there is the remoles possibility
OF enforcing prohibition in this city, ana II there was
sbonld be- against making it, Ii is dangerous TO
liberty and to all our institutions 10 step in with pro
hbiiiOn il is not right any more than IL would De 10
prohibit the sale OF gunpowder' ,,D
THE best statement OF the question at Albany" Dr.
CROSBY said. "Was made, thihk Py Mr. Ieck. ne
showed how rum had always ruled TINS city now u
KEPT Tweed IN power long after the better class OF peo
pie knew his character now nnaly eieclcd nm 10 ,ne
Legislature. No one would DE senseess enough 10 say
that he represented, in any measure. the sentiments 81
The propcftyowuers OF Ncw-York. or was indebted to
them Tor s:ngle vote. Rum ana the ~hoie WORE. NO
mOle powerful Mrugnmeni OF tAe cause OF TIE ilq9oi
nG1ence has lifted Ncw-Yorks present representatives,
In LegsatuTesnto power Dr. Hayes tAStor ana All
try to plaster over Asors conduct he fully much
to blame the others. Ali Republicans, as wei as
moral question: Ihcy were elected by the lower elr
ments OF the population. oar representatives, Will fan
To represent iUy, just long elections continue
W sbnmi6 ha 'ostD1 today to yofe on t1c
single question, " shall uppling-houScs be stopped
I'm iMs city 2" there would be" overwhelming
yctc I'm rho affirmative Even the Dlv men recogn zed
the potency oil puOc sentiment Oh this point and Put IN
the plea 10 make the Till popular that II would suppress
that he drank liquor from cndhoOd-in the Legsla-
tre reminded strongly OF tie evidence oil an DAD man
In he trial OF tie Columbia Opera House people, at the
Jefferson Market Court on Thursday. He SAID lie went
TO this low resort almost nightly, ana he saw nothing
Immoral IN the performance. IL was found on exdulna
our society has been dong work quietly during
been very satisfactory Its latest effort to suppress
The Columbia Opera House II - constantly working up
eases TIA; 10 its aieDt ON. We nave unlimited
means for The work In fact pe'er knew none! 10
ago handed 5000. ana SAID. II you want aD0ther
Two weeks ago | learned from friends there that
stimulus 10 renewed effort regular tax was levied
on an the quor>elers IN this CITY 10 pat through the
thai the money lost, and there 10 small dOuO OF
this, as the NAV ohe lobby lie large Our work here Is
carried feeling that the great neart Of the city
Is with People know that We are not radical; tat
there temptation to work out temperance theories.
The Executive Committee Is composed of old New
Yorkers-every man Of them, 10 speak proianely IS
recnlar TRUMP Each one is a power in himself and all
work faithfully for Their hearts i'll the few
DAYS ago introduced new member 10 The board sal
he with an astoushed look, had idea that you nad
80 fine a body OF uien here wonder you succeed and
have the confidence of the public We hope III our next
annual report to present record OF achievement such
US we have not shown before"
VIEWS OF EXCISE COMMISSIONERS.
Richard Morrison, president OF the Board Of Excise
said yesterday "Our business goes on az usual for 1t
only concerned with the granting OF licenses We have
not been issuing many for have been renspecting
the whole CITY. The Law Of 1857 any other law,
be enforced presume; whether is not, is another
question. have paid little attention TO the matters
at Albany that cant make up my mind why the Daily
bin did not pass Ii is obvious that the temperance adj
yoctes IN the Legislature had SPECIAL objections 10 It,
or were satisfied that the Excise legislation of 1897 was
FYcIse Commissioner MeIkle expressed much regret
that the DAILY bin or some kindred measure had not been
have TO do" he said il that the law as TAR az IL
We are very particular about this hotel business. TO be
q hotel "a place where liquor is sold, must have the
5sT tSe ho;e law must be fastened on the back Of tie
bedroom door II the police object or If there is any
we refuse To grant the application" 81 THINK" con-
cuded Dr. Merke. that The present law Is unjust II
certainly is not enforced Thousands OF low saloons are
omen now as everybody can see Yet no great number
OF arres follow. have heard that Mr. Alyord has a
%samby at tins session If possible. WHAT nature is,
do not know; bui sincerely WISE the middle might
be Strengthened out very soon"
POLICE VIEWS OF THE MATTER.
Chief Clerk Hawey of the Police Board was very
sorry that the DAILY bill other equitable liquor
bill had passed by the Legislature. "The pres
cut law as interpreted by the Court OF Appeals" said
Mr. Hav'ley, certainly never intended for the
City Of NowYork 1t only by some accident OF leg
islation that il affects us have no doubt
much liquor is Illegally sold III this city now Doth on
week days aud sundays but the police cannot raid
all the time. There must be breathing spell, and
during that period the hquOrdealers throw on more or
less all restraint aud cOncealncnt thus ancidne opOl
tupty again for another raid the arrests were MADE
NIL Tie time, the number OF courts must DC
multiplied by three, and the DsirIctAttorncy' )
Office by fire bat even then all the liquor cases could
MOI be fried. As the law enforced now the out
for the salOOnkOepers plain They give ball. ana th9t
is the END Of H. IL seems impossible TO bring many OF
them TO trial Ii Is pity the Law Of 1866 is not the law
To-day Then the whole excise matter was given 10 the
SEVERITY. We had clean saDbaths. Temperance and