New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-02

since the adoption Of this now law the screens nave
there is a bar inside and liquor for sale, and as
though further to advertise that fact n9tlcea .ne
other day that one of the dealers bad employed Two
little girls who sat back in the bar-r9om SINGING
for the purpose of entcinQ customers These saloon
men have paid their tax. They are now N ,Ir
making up FOR ii in trade. And what eiiect tnelr
ness may have on the temperance OF moras y, .n9
town is of no concern to them They arc autnorizeu
by law to sell liquor and have had 70 pay LOT tne
authority. New they will make the most OF IT.
Can any one suppose that will check temperance
Are the wills arising from the traffic to be restrained
by Iegalizng a business that has heretofore 93een
merely tolerated on condition OF gooo oeha'iol'
PROHIBITION AND LICENSE.
"Wouldn't the Democrats legalize the business IL
the power of legislation were theirsr.
mot in way to encourage incompetence. Inc
mass of the people favor temperance IN Its proper
sense-not prohibition. Legislation has not been
fair. The Republicans have listened too closely to
Prohibitionists. Consequently they passed bills to
submit to the people proposed amendments to the
Constitution one to vest in the Legislature power
to regulate the traffic. and the other for prohibition
outright and they refused to submit On amend
ment on the simple question of license. We should
return, in my opinion, TO a license system. well
remember under the d-fashioned system how bar
riers were thrown around the business in such
way that 1t was made as respectable as liquor deal
ing can be. The tax was fairly adjusted, ana re-
member that TO get his license dealer mad 10 prove
good moral character-funny rs that may seem IN
these days-and had 10 get consent 10 open OF every
tenant real estate owner IN the BLOCK IN whch nc
proposed to locate Then If he didn't behave OF ms
saloon grew disordery complaint IRON one OF MS
nelghbors might shut up the place as nuisance
l have known licenses in those days to be refused
on the ground that the applicant was not OF good
moral character.
IF there must be tipping houses, as l suppose
there must be, the way to legallze thom is under
fair license system. IL would then be easy ior tne
\ olat,r 70 mi the collection OF
the tax while now and so long as stands the constl
tutional inhibition upon license, the very means
erty lien and permit from the landlord-must al
most inevitably fall on the ground OF uncoustitu-
tionality. So should the tax clause stand tne
law must be deprived of the provisions drawn soiey
TO secure the tax With those provisions out there
will be security"
ATTITUDE OF THE SALOON KEEPERS AND THE
COURTS.
Had YOU heard the claim that tho bettor class
of saloon keepers favored the law and would not
oppose the Republicans this year on the ground OF
such legislation and such tendenciesf"
Eyes. but can't believe it. They say also that
the saloon keepers taking comfort because they
are not 20 bs taxed heavily as in some other
States. don't believe that. 1t 10 as much as 10
claim that the saloon keepers are grateful TO the
Republicans for saying: We are beginning to choke
you; are not choking you as hard as you would
be choked In Maine but II you Will vote with us
and help adopt our constitutional amendment 10
put the regulation Of this thing under the Legsla-
ture, we will choke you harder don't believe
saloon keepers of any class will jump at that pros
pect."
at seems that the Supreme Court will not pass
upon the constitutlonslty OF the Scott law until
after the date set for tho Republican Convention.
Do you think in that event that the convention
will lndorse the Scott awf"
II should regard such Endorsement as unfortu-
nate for the court. IL might throw unjust suspi-
cioa on tho court Yet the law Is Republican of
spring and suppose independent Of the case before
the court they will feel bound 10 approve of 1t in
their platform STILL il Is unfortunate that it's con-
stituionality could not be passed upon IN advance
of the convention. The entire subject for that
matter unfortunate for the Republicans for after
passing the law. whose design and terms ayow
restraint and regulation. they submit TO the people
an amendment asking, and which If adopted shall
give the Legislature constitutional authority TO
regulate. This is nothing less than a confession
that they had authority TO pass this law. They
passed the law and then asked permission, which
permission the people are TO grant or refuse after
the law shall have been IN operation nearly SIX
| months. unless the Supreme Court meanwhile deny
its constitution lity.'