New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-29
TIL SALOONS CAN AFFORD n.

The statements made about the sums OF
money the liquor dealers have been raising to
elect Hill may seem extravagant to some. Yet
a moments reflection will show that it is not
only very easy matter for the saloon-keepers
to raise huge corruption fund, but that it
would be a paying speculation. Every man
who has any connection with active politics
knows that an effort has been made to collect
81 90 from every salOon-keeper in this city. II
this were successful there would be fund of
81 900, 600 raised in this city alone, for we
have 10000 saloons But some might
not give at all, and many would not give
so much. Suppose that the average for each
saloon was reduced to 500 then we would have
fund raised in this city alone Of 100000.
There are in this State about 49, 900 saloons.
Suppose that the average for each was only
S25. The total would be more than $500 900,
a sum of money the like of which was never
used in State campaign before.
These figures are so large that some may
refuse to credit them. Yet every sensible man
knows that the certainty of making $500 or
81 900 by paying out $50 or 500 offers
very good bargain. II Warner Miller is elect
ed we shall have IIighLicense law; if David
b. Hill is elected we shall have no High-License
law for at least three years The saloon keeper
who pays out now $50 or 500 to buy votes
for Hill, will get ten times, and
in many cases probably twenty times,
that amount back, if Hill is elected, in
the saving on license fees This is, in fact,
low estimate The High-License bill of this
year made the minimum rate for liquor Ii
cense $500, and for beer license 500. Ac-
cording to the Internal Revenue statistics, there
are 81 001 retail liquor-dealers in this State.
Charging each liquor saloon and each beer
saloon the lowest possible fee under the Crosby
bill, the amount to be paid into the treasury
would be each year S7,7O7,702. Last year
the total estimated amount Of license fees paid
by the saloons was 50 O95,224 20. Gov
ernor HIPS veto therefore costs the people of
the State and saves the lquor-dealers at least
S5,612 All II a year. If he is elected the tax
payers of the State will lose, and the liquor
dealers will save on this basis, in the three
years he is in office, no less sum than
S16,837, Abb. These figures look larger
than the others, don't they? Any one can see
that they are the lowest possible figures. What
would million dollars be to the liquor dealers
to get back sixteen?
But there will be much quicker return than
this. The $50 or $40 the saloon-keeper will
subscribe to Hills campaign fund will come
back over his counter in week. if not day.
in the increased trade that the jubilation over
Hills election will bring in. 1t is evident then
that we must not Judge the situation in this
State by our ordinary notions Of campaign
funds, which are usually raised with difficulty.
The liquor-dealers are shrewd, practical men.
They arc soidly organized, and determined to
carry this State for Hill without regard to the
result of the Presidential canvass They have
plenty of money, and they are willing to spend
it because they know Hills election will bring
it all back.
Now what are respectable Democrats going !
to do in a situation like this? Is reputable
citizen going to vote to put into Office the ally
and instrument of liquor-sellers and vote-buy-
ers, simply because he may favor President
Cleveland's tariff message? Are men who be-
lieve in an honest ballot and an honest count
going to help to success probably the most
gigantic conspiracy of bribery ever known in |
this country simply because they belong to the |
party to which Mr.. Hill belongs? Are Demo- |
cratic cergymen going to vote for him? Are |
Democratic fathers Of families going to vote |
for man who refuses to help to close half the |
saloons that now tempt their boys? Are Dem
ocrats who had the courage and manliness to |