New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-28
JUSTICE DAVIS FOR TEMPERANCE.
FAyoRING HIGH LICENSE AND PAYMENT OF WAGES
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK.

FAYoRING HIGH LICENSE AND PAYMENT OF WAGES
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK.
At the Phillips Memorial Church, Madison
ave- and Seventy third ST. Chief Justice Noah Davis
delivered address last evening the Relation OF
Incompetence to Crime" Justice Davis prefaced his
remarks by saying that he was almost unqualified to
speak, by Of night Of sleepessness and day OF
pain. lie said, in part:
more than quarter OF q century have watched
the stream OF crime sweeping Its victims past me. Why
should not denounce the world the OF those
crnesl or tue large numbers OF criminals arraigned
before me, have general rule. inquired into the
causes OF crime and it is my firm conviction that Of
such homicide wife beating, assault and battery and
doricrly conduct fully eighttenths due to the
OF int oXcltng liquors. or all crimes, the testimony OF
many Judges for two hundred years shows that at
least two thirds attributable to the II Is
fortunate for that the English law from which our
criminal Is is taken makes drunkenness for
CRIME, ese tear would MT ourselves have had the
virtue to do it. Otherwise drunkenness would he the
preparation for every crime. Three times In the last
four weeks have had young men before me VINO had,
I'm each ease committed q crime late Saturday night
or SUNDAY morning. After having spent the night
lquorsnop with hfteen twenty companions, one was
ia each instance slain. You and are Interested III
preventing the sale OF liquors under such
also in preventing the system OF Iayng on ~orkngmen
on saturday night IT they were pald OH In ma week
aud Ia work next day they would not spend their
money for liquor. have this fact so often III 3
tTated, will and to induce
every to pay of his employ IN mid week
Let the eTcCt III Whero Tue safe OF
is prevented dOur ant Wherever here Is
power prevent the traffic there dminution N the
ratio OF crime Prohibition OF the sale by the united
consent OF people what Is to be desired. But tue
evils from tho traffic, which have TO face must be
remedied IN some way. For one thing. we can teach
children danger Of It. n the business would
abolish the Saturday pay day thero would be another
point gained. The improvements In habits OF temner
country districts have been great and In the
cities they would Too more rad were we not constantly
introducing the customs, tastes and habits or other
countries. Many Germans think their basr is bene
efcia and good think our tea. do not mean To
cast imputations these immigrants hut we have TO
meet and overcome these opinions Under our excise
laws absolute prohibition Is now possible In some parts
of the state. The people elect excise commissioners
who will not grant licenses because they do not think IL
necessary. The law permits this. But here In New
York we have 900 liquor stores and thirteen, think
dnor shop keepers I'm the Board % Aldermen This Is
tremendous power 81 legislation. and we must meet It,
The Prob bitiOii,ts say: Free Rum or Prohibition
But absolute prohibition Il not possible OF enforcement
aud Il law not enforced is no Law. The power OF the
popular vote hero would prevent such measure.
Meantime 1t is duty sustain and support every
which will do something toward the restraint or
the sale Of Intoxicating liquors We must stand By the
excise law until something better IL found For my
own part think Ligh license il the practicable
step toward the end that good citizens desire"