New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-11
FOR TEMPERANCE REFORM.
THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB FAvoRs HIGH
LICENSE.
EMPHATIC ACTION Az IT'S ANNUAL MEETING
PRESIDENT DEPEw RE-ELEcTED-oTHER
oFFIcEns CHOSEN

l
PRESIDENT DEPEw RE-ELEcrED-oTHER
oFFIcEns CHOSEN.
There was an unusuelly large attendance ut
the annual meeting OF the Union League Ciuo
last evening, nearly 800 members being present.
including General Clinton b. Fisk. the late Prohl-
bition candidate for President. Chauncey NJ
Depew presided The election of officers ana
the presentation OF the reports from the several
standing committees were first in order linen
| Mr. Depew presented to the club handsome
Iife-size Portrait Of the presdcnt-clect. 1t is
from the first photograph OF General Harrison
taken since his election 1t was sent to Mr.
| Dcpew last week by Russell Harrison. The
picture wus received with great applause by the
| members.
The Committee on Political Reform offered the
following report which was unanimously adopted
The Committee on Political Reform Of the Union
League Club submits the following report and
recommends the adoption Of the accom- panyinG
resolution:
In the course OF the politics OF Now York, It has
come to pass that the Republican party Is the only
temperance party in the State, SO far as prncncai
results are concerned. Its opponent Is the
democracy, aided and supported by the Prohibi-
| ton party.
the possibility Of that great question becoming a
| party issue. Whatever may have been said as
| sound reasons why il should never be made party
ISSUE IL is fact in the politics OF the State that az
this time, it has become such. The Dernocratc
| party, through its Executive, and party leaders,
has lent itself with all its power to the support OF
| the saloon interest the saloon interest,", on the
other hand he's given IT'S almost undivided support
TO the Democratic party. 1t Is the boast OF tne
saloon interest that no injury can come t9 .nne
His conduct for the last three four years seems
| to Justify their boast
In the treatment Of the temperance question
there appear to be but two remedies u, Apply
to the evil; one Is the moral remedy, which is
only an appeal TO each individual TO restrain
himself from the vice; the other is such legal
limitation and restraint as can be thrown around
the traffic to aid the moral Influences and, as Tar
as law can do so, restrain and uproot the evil;
| No law can be enforced In this country that
Is not sustained by healthy and vigorous pub
lie sentiment Experience has established that
! as true proposition in our political history
There is no public sentiment here strong enough
TO uphold throughout the State the doctrines
Of prohibition A prohibitory law In New-York
would utterly fail OF enforcement In the most
populous sections OF the State. and would, there
fore result only In bringing law into contempt
Tho sole and only practical question for legis.
lators, at this time is whether high license and
taxation OF the liquor traffic are desirable and tend
to restrain the evil. The overwhelming testimony
| from every State and municipality that has tried
IL Is 20 the effect that high license and taxation
! do restrain the evil. IL follows, therefore,
that the only practical aid tho law can give in
New-York 10 the temperance reform at tho. present
time Is TO curtail and restrain the traio By high
license or taxation except i'm those localities where
under the operation Of local option laws pupho
| sentiment sustajns prohibition.
This Is most important and far-reaching ques-
ton. There is no elsss OF the community that
does not feel the weight Of this gre't social cure
1t Is not the victims OF drink alone who suffer- but
the women and children dependent on them for
support, tho Sayprycr when he nays his annual
levy, and the charitable when called upon TO con-
tribute of their means TO abnte the suffering and
| want entailed upon tho victims OF this trafic
The Temperance cause IS the cause Of good gov,
eminent, social order and domestic peace ana
happiness. :,
while there are hosts of Democrats as radically
in favor OF Temperance the masses Of the Re
o & sns' The he fDSanfn Of party 0
such, IS committed and pledged TO the protection
OF this traffic. With equal clearness and certainty
to the paeSaS pith So@ The I Rpuscsns
woald now be able e enforce their policy u
1. had not been for the unpardonsble folly o.
upon itself fearful responsibility when IL defeatei
Warner Miller as candidate for Governor OF TINS
State and allied itself with the friends ana
defenders OF the loon interest II was untloubt-
cdly the intention and purpose OF many OF us
leaders TO produce the exact result that was pro-
duced. a large body OF It's voters. by pro-
doubtedly persuaded themselves that they were
advancing their cause by voting, MS they did, 70
nsSrc. ' 1 t PCw pocs II this state INC
so far rs legal restraint upon the liquor treilio
IL involved in the present attitude Of the parties
in this State the sole and only party 70 advanse
the cause OF temperance Is end must be the ite'
publican partyS IL becomes Of the highest I'M
poriance therefore that the Republican party
shall mountain IFS high standard without varinnee
or qualification. II should press forward this
question upon the attention of the people In all
practical end proper methods; II should compel the
leaders OF the Democratic party either 10 recede
from their position as champions Of the saloon IN
tcfrst, else declare Themselves again and
again, champions of that colossal vice. :, inc
folly OF the psohihitionlss IN practically allylng
Themselves with the saloon interest should be
pressed upon their attention so that they may see
their mistake and be induced 70 abandon their po-
held 10 this question that the real sentiment
OF the people shall find voice and potency In
the Legislature at Albany.
The LEGAL treatment OF the temperance question
Is peculiarly q question for State legislation.
Under our scheme OF government IL is waste
OF energy 20 attempt to deal with IL as Ma
tional question LIS treatment Is not among Ssn
eral Government by the Constitution OF the United
States The temperance battle must be fought
within the limits Of the several States. Inc
Legislature Of this State at this session, should
perfect, as far rs possible, High License Dill
of such character as 70 be effective in restrain
and eurang me fe ana Sst pass = ' The Cow
ernor should persist in his policy OF delenulng
the saloon interest We therefore recommend
the adoption Of the following;
Resolved, That il is the sense OF this club thai
at present, the only useful method OF treating tne
temperance question In this state through tne
Legislature is by high license, or taxation 70 the
highest degree practicable with such other whole
some restraints can be thrown around inc tfnt-
nc and that we respectfully recommend TO the
Legislature of the State OF New-fork TO prepare
and pass such bin, and. II, the same should be
met by the Executive veto, TO use all honorable
means 10 procure its passage over the veto.
Dated January 1, 1889
WIIITELAW REID, Chairman
T. y HINSDALE,
CFpHAS BRA1NERD,
JOHN JAY KNOX.
TIpNAS M NORTH.