New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-23

cverv measure OF restraint fought by the putnc
to be necessary fits protection. There Is no vested
right in any man. said Mr.. Mllihen, 70 sell liquor
n no sells #. he must submit to conditions. That
males Iauor selling privilege conferred by The com
munty. Tho grantor Of a privilege always has the
right not merely to namc the conditions, but even
TO discriminate between candidates for IT who arc
equally competent to supply them. Inese liquor
men are all Of them arguing upon the assumption that
they have the inherent right 10 sell They have not,
and that fact knocks the bottom out OF the personal
rights doctrine. The theory Of the license Law is
that man shall have license unless he can show
a why he should have II. They come here
to insist that they shall have IL unless somebody
else can show why they should not
What you making law fort II IL not
for revenue. The public does not wish to share
the profits Of tho liquor dealers. TO become partners
with them In the sale OF damnatIon. Tho public In
tercst In excise law is police interest. II is
intended to prevent the existence OF a certain class
Of saloons catering to certain class Of people, whose
easy access to intoxicating liquors imposes crime aud
distress upon the community. II is intended TO
preserve the American Sunday free OF dcbaucheries,
and to keep all saloons closed during those hours Of
the night when their being open imperIls tho public
safety 1t is intended TO prevent the sale TO minors,
and TO Impose upon the dealer The responsibility Of
his acts This kind Of law is police law, and they
don't want IL. They go 50 far as TO say they
WON'T nave II, anu lney argue nclc as Il ftdsoH WHY
you should not mako II that II will not be obcyed.
What cheerful nsolcnce! Are you going TO wipe
out your penal code because tho thieves say they
will steal all the same, whether you legslae
against them or not II body Of murierers
were to go before the Legislature and demand tho
repeal OF the death penalty the ground that they
Intended to go on numbering, would you think that
reason enough for complying with their demand
Is the test OF the Law the will OF those who violate
it7
These are samples Of the speeches pro and con to
which the Commission has thus far listened They
may be helpful toward the solution Of the liquor
question, but doubt 1t. so long as we keep tho
liquor shall keep the question, and we shall
keep both long people prefer to endure the
miseres inflicted by liquor rather than TO give up
their stmulant. That these mseres may be abated
by measures tending 10 decrease the saloons Is not
to be denied, but It is clear that the liquor men
believe they have power enough to prevent such
measures or in fact any measures. They think they
are on top. They believe that too many people like
their wares to mako any scheme possible that tends
insurance agent that about so per cent of the app-
for insurance the question, DO drink
intoxicating liquors ?" by saying. " No daily habit"
This is, Of course, movable term, and It implies
that 80 per cent of the life insurance applicants
drink liquors to some extent Now, these people
to be reckoned among the best and healbiest OF
Americans. What fact could be significant Of
the extent to which liquor is consumedl / don't
wonder that the saloon people bold and
1dent