New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-05
" ORR FRIEND.v


These are the significant words appended to
several portraits of Governor Hill, displayed by
Buffalo liquor-dealers in honor of the State
Convention of their craft now in progress in
that city. Governor Hill has earned this
tribute many times over. The liquor dealers
cannot expect ever to have more devoted and
useful friend in the Governors chair than
David B. Hill has been, even if they should
elect one of their own number to that exalted
position. Governor Hill has gone as far as
any liquor-deaer could have gone to block
temperance legislation and protect the saloons
against the forces Of law and order No won
der the dealers call him Our Friend" deck
his portrait with flowers and so to work ST.
entIy for his reelection To prove himself
their friend he has twice withheld from the
people Of this State a system of regulation that
would probably have diminished by one-halt
the number Of saloons in the State, and would
have greatly reduced the burden Of taxation.
He has even gone so far, in his anxiety TO curry
favor with the saloon element. that he refused
to protect insane asylums from the demoralz-
ing effects of the liquor traffic
II is stated that the Liquor-Dealers' Con-
vention has had no intention of openly indorS-
ING Governor Hills candidacy. The Governor
is not a fool, and so there is no reason to sup
pose that he would ever have permitted such
a boomerang to he launched. The help OF the
iquor- dealers, to be effective. must be as near
" secret as possible. This gathering VIII
serve notice on the Democratic Convention,
which meets also in Buffalo next week. that an
y IaHN of
influential "wOrkers'' are at the service OF the
party. if Hill is renomnated. And campaign
funds that are raised by the hquor-dealerS
mean something They raise large sums
easily. when ii is to defend their own interests.
They poured ont money like water in Penn
sylvania last wear. and to defeat the Prohibition
amendment in Tennessee. and spent great
deal in this State. But last year they knew
that their friond' was still in the Governor 5
chair. and could be relied upon to veto any
Uigh-License bill. This year they confront
the strong probability that Republican Gov
ernor as well as Republican Assembly VIII be
chosen, nsuring the enactment Of Hlghy
License law What is quarter Of million
Of dollars to the liquor dealers, if it will put
off High License for thee years?
Undoubtedly they prefer Hill for Governor,
because they have tried him and know him TO
he their friend" But il is absurd to suppose
that they will not throw all their influence for
the Democratic candidate, whoever he may be,
and also for n Democratic Assembly. The Sa-
loon Journal says to the convention " Gentle
men, it is for you to prevent his (Waner Mil
Ier's) election, if you have to take off your
coats and work from now until the polls close
on the 9th Of November Defeat Warner
Miller. and any IIigh-LicenSe bill will be We
toed for no one seriously supposes we take It,,
that any Democrat capable Of signing High
License bill would either be nominated or
elected by the Democrats Of Newly ork. But
this is not the whole Of the lquor-dealers cam
paign. IF they can get Democratic Assembly
no High-License bill will pass. So Is. /.
Kearns. president Of the association, says {:
cone Of the purposes for which we meet Is to
take measures to elect members Of the LeSis-
lature who will act in our interest and defend
us from legislation that would be unfavorablc
to us.n After these frank announcements the
voter who votes for the Democratic candidate
for Governor, or for Assembly, will know what
he is doing.