New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-10
THE TEST OF LICENSE Bills.

There is considerable friction still among the
Democrats of the NewJersey Legislature In
regard to the liquor question, but the neces-
sites of the situation push the party steadily
toward the course which has been generally
apticipated. Being what it is, the party is
compelled to obey the liquor-dealers. II has
been served with notice that the liquor in
terests will insure Democratic defeat unless
the Lioense-Opton law Of last winter shall DO
entirely repealed. That, the party is told was
what it pledged during the campaign ana
again during the Senatorial contest, and notn-
ing else but full performance OF its pledge
will answer. Strong Democratic constituencies
which have voted for no license protest against
any disturbance of theelaw but members are
assured that the same Democratic voters VINO
supported no license at a special election, ana
vet shortly after voted for hquor-dealers or
their tools to sit in the Legislature that the
law might be repealed, will in some fashion
reconcile their convictions with their partisan
ship.
In the hope that the temperance voters may
be placated, even while the saloons are obeyed'
the Democratic caucus on Wednesday mghb
agreed upon a bill repeating entirely the Local
Option and High-License law but also re-
enacting the high-hoense part of the law win
the life and backbone taken out OF IT, Maui
rally the Democratic members will profess
belief that the high-icense provisions Will be
eminently helpful to the cause OF temperance
and satisfactory to temperance voters. 1t Is
expected by Democrats, apparently that the
saloons will carefully devise measures which
really serve the temperance cause and VIII
pass such measures by the legislative votes
they control The trouble is that the temper
ance voters throughout the State can hardly
fail to observe the origin of the bill. and how
it gets its support. About the precise pro-
visions of High-License act sincere temper
ance men may possibly differ But one un-
erring guide they have, if they will but OBJ
serve it closely. The bill which the liquor
saloons want is never bill to advance the
cause of temperance, or to promote morality
or reform. Sometimes one would think, hear
ing sincere temperance men dispute about tho
matter, that they really thought they knew
more about the inside Of saloons and the prac-
teal working Of the hquor-selling business
than the hquor-selers themselves. But 10 IL
tolerably safe to assume, in the long run, that
the iquor-sellers know what will help their
business or what will hurt or lessen it. Ii
they want measure passed, men of average
common sense will conclude that it is not
bill to restrain or diminish liquor-drinking.
It happens that in New-Jersey this test can
be applied with no chance of mistake The
LIQUOR interest gave the Democratic party its
victory, elected Democratic majority in the
Legislature, and has in morals mortgage on
that majority. But its political mortgage is
considerably more likely TO be regarded the
men who were elected by the saloons know
that they have small chance to be elected again
unless they obey their owners. The persons
who sit in the Democratic Legislature as the
direct representatives of the liquor-sellers are
known. Some of them are personally con-
cerned in the traffic others are its instruments.
Some threatened the party before Senator Nc
Pherson was elected, and secured definite
pledges. When these men propose bill in
caucus, the one thing certain is that the bill
cannot be intended to serve the cause OF tenn
perance. When these men vote for it in the
Legislature-and it cannot be passed without
their notes.-the one thing certain is that the
saloons want il passed.