New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-07
FOR HIGHER LICENSE.
BISHOP DOANE'S PLEA FOR THE HEN
bricks BILL
A STATEMENT THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL
SIGN TIE MEASURE IF 1T IS PASSED.

rBY TRLEoRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEI
Albany, March s.-The noble countenance, gold
eyeglasses. black silk apron and knee-oreeches
Of Bishop William Crosswell Doane, Of the Diocese
Of Albany, attracted the attention Of visitors to
the Senate Chamber this afternoon. The Bishop
was not at the Capitol on ecclesiastical business
but to speak in support Of bill and he spoke so
eloquently and so much to the point that every
body who heard him was sorry when he stopped.
The measure in question was Mr. Hendricks
High-Mcense bill, framed on the lines of last
years Commission bill, and an extended summary
of which The Tribune recently published. The
announcement that the Senate Committee In
ternal Affairs would hold public hearing had, of
course, not been UNDECIDED by the liquor dealers.
Bishop Doane, who Is a member of the High
License Committee, appeared alone in favor Of the
measure, Mr. Pine the secretary of the committee.
having been detained in New-York. His areu-
mcnt dealt less with the details of the BILL which
he declared should speak for itself, than with the
inconsistency and wrong-headedness of It's op-
ponents, and formed, in fact mastery, though
entirely dispassionate summing up OF the whoc
case against the extreme Prohibitionls's Inc
brewers sent to combat him were Gallus Tho
mann, OF "The Brewers Journal and Adolp d'
Hupfel. Charles Schultz and Herman Scharman, oil
che State Brewers and Maltsters AssoCiat on judge
Albert IIessberg, the Recorder of Albany, had also
been retained. The Senators forming the COM
mittee on Internal Affairs are Mr.. HendncKs, OF
Syracuse; Mr.. O'Conner. of Blnghamton, ana
Mr. Stadler, of New-York All three were present
Il am sorry Mr.. Pine cannot be here. Bishop
Doane explained to the committee. but he 'cie
graphs that he hopes the committee VIII report
the bill without further hearing, because he
wishes to avoid any more postponements
Judge Hessberg at once arose. u was asked
to appear here only this morning" he said "Ihe
local organization Of brewers which retained me
thought the bill related simply to the question OF
license, and not to the entire excise laws OF TIC
State, as 1t does. Since Mr.. Pine and the otner
friends of the bill are not here, and am entirely
unprepared, ask that the hearing be put on Tor
another week or two"
The Bishop limited that the policy of delay
had already become familiar at previous sessions
IL am told" said Judge Ilessberg. that tha
bill differs in many important respects from the
Commission bill.
WELL" said Mr.. Hendricks. we Will oecloe
after this hearing 10 future one"
Bishop Doane then proceeded with his address.
He said in part:
The component elements Of the Joint Committee on hsh
License which prepared this bl are the Church temper
anco Society which belong the Society ior I'e 1ic
vent0n OF Crime and the hlsh
are three bodies pursuing similar, but at the same n
different objects The Church Temperance Society Dehe'cs
the bill Is In line with the religious method OF oeas WIZ
evil that Is that 10 remove evil from the "od Is al
imnossbity and IS against the Divine intention and the
whole system Of religious teaching and training Is 70
ify and minimize evil and not TO attempt the mpossio'
Of banishng It, 1t is the old heather wisdom that you
expel nature with pi,hfork 1t Will come BACK ana M
Christian function is not 10 busy itself with such po's
ions as will make progression impossible Therefore We
think that the best thing DO to reduce ntoxcaton Is 70
advocate best for its control The Society
for the Prevention Of Crime believes that the mutica
ton of saloons fertile Of almost all the crime
committed in the world and they desire to reach
that crime, 50 far possible, BY removing
tho cause Of IT, The reason the High License
Commission has taken hold OF the Dill, and
it has been thrown In teeth that we have Is not that
we consider HichLicense bill. but that we Know II
to be higher license bill than has ever been prepared
before.
All things are relative and the practical knows
hat II he cannot his ideal that the wise thing TO
10 to sit with his thumb IN his mouth ana cry
about IT, but TO whatever rational measures will help
him. free that II this bill Is passed ~
NAV be step toward still further Increasing license fees
when the community shall become satisfied that If one
advance Of such importance larger advance would
DC o. greater importance stIi
There are four classes who oppose the bill One is the
class with whom neither nor have very much con-
Germ namely class whose aim and object j. %
have LIQUOR easy and cheap and free OF course they
OPPOSE anything that puts any Limitation whatever upon
what they regard as the highest conceivable human
enjoyment. They are put out OF court oy
their aims objects and desires. Two Of
the other three classes consider cminenty rcspccaba.
one the Prohbtionists who have been the STEADY per-
sisent and believe. conscientious opponent, OF High
License measure but not meaning to the word in any
ohy than that In which could be quite free 20
apply It, for instance. St. Paul himself. they are
fanatics. They pursuing impossible and unattan
able end being unable TO that end because it
is unattainabie they won't have anything else think
10 the boundcn duty OF legislators to remind such people
by the enactment OF laws that II they can't get exactly
what they thing DO to submit TO that which
any rate, aims at the very end they pursue Their
object not course to vindcstt the Prohibition theory
IL is 20 prevent drunkenness. and we have made sure
the way do this IS 70 have clear and oper
alive Excise bnl, such as think have here and
make the licenses high that it will put
tAe sale Of liquor into the hands 0;
responsible and consequently more
respectable class Of people then 70 the Pro
hibtonists: O. We cent give you what you want. but
obliged not to regard your opposition, because
We believe attain in wiser way the end sou
yourselves desire"
A second class 1 have called respectable. don
utter word with any ba.ed breath have friends
among the who manufacture and sell liquor. and
know there arc cmincDtly good citizens and esrnes
Christian among them. 1t is perpetual surprise
TO that their associations think 1t to retail
counsel oppose such bills this. Counting them a
reputable persons understand why they moi
among the earnest OF all people advocate any
measure that separates the dealer In liquor a. far q
possible from the degrading uses TO which We al! lccoe
nize It be put
The fourth class. eonfes, have doubt. arc
tuincncy respectable though | sorry TO have
been able 70 bring myself great respect fo
them. They are the people with fsds. wien
end man spinning out ingenious cobwe'
OF arguments against High License against the fcsi
ton OF the sale OF liquor to the conclusion that III
foes not dare say ayOwcdy and openly lol
political rcasons-and politics makes coward, thai
almost ANYTHING else 1 for personal
perhaps that he s. opposed TO the whole thing Instead
aying: 81 do not dare TO resign standing with tia
soliticai party TO which belong by putting myself for
yard either advocating voting any
Will be considered Objectionable by manufacturer
and sellers and users Of liquor" sincerely hope Tn
committee In their good judgment viii through tn
specousness and hinnc Of this Kind Of defence and vi
recognize the fact that this High License bill Is them
the prevention OF crime and Of reducing the cN
that exists In the world 70 the lowest possible degree
While 1t is not actually and absolutely High Lccns