New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-23
MR. DEPEJY on THE EXCISE.

The portions Of Mr. Depew's eloquent address
at Carnegie Hall last night which will attract
most attention and be read with most interest
are undoubtedly those in which he refers to the
excise issue the questions Of local option and
home rule and the maintenance or the SUNDAY
laws. though the whole speech will receive-as
all OF Mr.. Dcpew's public utterances do-carerul
and attentive perusal. 1t will be observed that
he differs with ex-senator Warner Miller upon
the referendum. or submission to the voters OF
cities of the question whether, and TO what ex-
tent there shall be free and open liquor-selling
ON Sunday Mr. Miller holds that upon this and
all similar questions the Legislature should enact
general laws, which should be OF equal force ana
effect everywhere throughout the states 1uris
dcton. and that local communities should nave
no more option as to the application to them
selves of Sunday laws than Of laws against gam
bling disorderly houses, or any other form OK
vice and crime. Mr.. Depew, on the other manu.
is quite willing 20 have the question Of Sunday
saloon opening and ilquor-seng submitted TO
the voters Of the cities; and supports his view
of the nracticability of such course Of action
by the precedent of Local Option. which he saw
in satisfactory operation many years ago ana
which is still the law in many States. To which
Mr.. Miller might perhaps reply that local option
In the cases referred to related only to the sale
of LIQUOR on secular days, and not to Its open sale
on Sunday.
1t is also worthy Of note that Mr.. Depew's
willingness to submit to the city voters the ques'
ton of an open Saloon Sunday Is based some
what upon his confidence that the voters would
by large majorties disapprove and veto IT. In
this we have no doubt he Is entirely correct. his
picture of the campaign Of education ana emo
ton" which would accompany the SUBMISSION
to the people Of the question OF an open Saloon
Sunday is not overdrawn. And, as matter OF
fact, the Saloon Sunday advocates themselves
we nrosume. would not agree to submit the ques-
ton 70 popular vote if they believed they were
10 he bound by the result. What they want Is
not local opton nor Home Rule, but immunity
and exemption from the equal operation Of laws
which in their general scope and operation are,
as the Republican platform puts II, 'in the in
terest of labor and morality" Mr.. Mers posi-
ton. as we understand It, Is opposition to the
referendum as wrong in principle and liable to
be mschevous and vicious in effect. Mr. De
pew. on the other hand adopts the principle. and
In doing so expresses the greatest confidence In
IT'S beneficent operation. And perhaps the secret
Of his support Of the principle is his faith that
the voters. when the test comes, will disappolnt
those who expect to profit by its application.
Nor is it at all unlikely that this Is the view
taken by a considerable majority OF the voters
of This city. They are in favor Of Home Rule,
no doubt. and 1t is quite possible that they are
I'm favor of some modification Of the excise laws,
which will remove what seem to be unnecessary
restraints upon rational enjoyment on sunday.
But no sensible person believes that they would
vote for an open Saloon Sunday.
In his advocacy Of what has been called the
American Sunday, Mr.. Depews downright ear
nestness and eloquence will meet with re-
sponse from all law-abidlng and Order-loving
citizens who read his address no less warm and
hearty than the ringing applause with which the
great audience greeted it last night. And mat
beyond all the quibbllng and pettIfogglng OF the
political demagogucs who have been panderlns
10 the avarice Of the liquor-deaers ana the ap-
petites Of ignorant and besotted consumers, is
the real excise question. 1t Is simply whether
the American Sunday, so fifty described by the
Rev. DR. Huntington as that venerable social
institution known as the Weekly Rest" shall be
utterly abrogated so far as lquorselling and
liouor-drinling are concerned upon the demands
of the brewers, distllers and saloonkeepers for
privileges neither sought nor desired by any
other class in the community. 1t Is not ques-
ton Of blue laws or Puritanical bgotry, or per-
sonal liberty or anything else, except the main
tenance Of wholesome and beneficent enactments
in the interest Of labor and morality which have
the sanction Of immemorlal usage and the sup
port Of all good citizens.