New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-24
WB1TA DEMOCRATIC ASSEMBLY WOULD
MEM.

On his way to Ohio the other day Governor
Hill taTried at Utica long enough to make
brief stump-speech and give audience to such
Democrats as ho delights to honor. Among
these cherished brethren of his whose hand ne
ora sped and into whose ear he whispered was
George Campbell Who is George Campbell?
He is known in tho saloons OF the State as the
president of the State Liquor Dealers Asso-
citation. and since like loves to conSort with
like. il was only natural that Whskey's Gov
ernor should embrace the opportunity OF con-
ferrinp with tins official head OF the rum power
of New-York.
The incident derives peculiar significance from
n niece of news contained in the letter from
Utica which is printed upon the tenth page
f. will be remembered that it was given ont
several weeks ago that the Committee on Legs
lation of this State Liquor Dealers Association
was preparing several amendments to me ex-
istinp Excise laws, and that the amendments
would be presented and pushed in the Legs
laturo of 1891 The news in question is that
the committee has perfected its precious piece
of work Its nature is what might be expect
cd The saloons, of course, desire to have the
Excise laws 50 amended that they shall be
rendered as useless as possible. The commit
tee which evidently proceeded on the theory
that too much whiskey is just enough have
periectcd amendments which have only 10 ne
adopted to open the saloons on Sunday, GRIPPE
not TO say destroy, the Civil Damage Act ana
place such restrictions on policemen that II
will be practically impossible t, appreh'nd I'M
scr,lpulous liquor dealers who keep their places
omen ON the sly during the hours when the
law requires that they shall be shut.
We call the attention Of the reputable at
liens Of New-York without regard to politics
10 this thing However they may differ, they
are at one in aiming by their votes to make our
public affairs clean and wholesome to conserve
the forces which make for order, virtue ana
genuine progress. What then must they think
of this ncfarols conspiracy of the State Liquor
Dealers Association against the Excise Jaws
q conspiracy which derives its significance from
the fact that the association seeks to carry II
tbrouoh bv the election of Democratic Assem-
blymen. II the Democrats should have ma
iority in the next Assembly the liquor lobby,
hacked by big corruption fund, would come
TO the front and wage fierce war for the rum
power. And, of course, GovernOr lilll co'uu
he counted upon TO use his influence In us De-
half. There will be no attempt made to break
down the Excise laws if the Republicans con-
troll the Assemby-everybody comedies that.
Our party is pledged by its platforms, and, bet
tor still, by its record and its character to pro,
mote practical temperance reform. For sevelaI
wears il has endeavored to secure the passage
of judicio,ls High-License bill, but the Gov
crnor has never hesitated TO use his veto to
bring reform legislation to naught. Let the
friends of law, order and progress stand to-
ccthcr. The next Assembly will then certainly
be Republican. But the majority ought to be SO
large as to teach those who are conspirlng for
the overthrow of the Excise laws that the
masses Of the people of New-York have too
much regard for their own best interests to
play into their hands