New-York tribune., 1895-12-11
4 WORD 70 LIOUOR-DEALERS.

WORD 70 MQUORDEALERS.
The Tribune it hardly need he said, is not in
favor of the unrestricted sale OF liquor, ana
certainly not in favor Of any legislation granting
special and exclusive privileges to liquor-deaers
and saloonkeepers to pursue their calling on the
ono day i'm the week which, by common con-
sent. traditional observance ana statute law'
has been from time mmemorial regarded us
dov of rest from labor and cessation or all eA-
cept the most necessary business pursuits. IL
recognizes the generally admitted fact that the
traffic in liquor is productive or more evil thah
good results But it Is forced to recognize as
well the somewhat important fact tnat, under
laws which have been deliberately enacted aftcr
thorough and exhaustive discussion, and so may
he supposed to represent definitely public opin-
ion. the traffic in spirits wine and beer is just
as legal and in itself just reputable as any
other department of trade or business 1t must
be viewed in that light in any serious discussion
Of the rights and privileges Of those who are
concerned in il. For we assume, what is only
a patent fact in the situation, that the excise
agitation. which began with the enforcement or
the Sunday-closing law last summer and was
continued with more or less outbreaking de-
lriousness during the campaign, does not relate
is not demanded by sufficient number Of per
sons to raise the issue in practical form The
question before the coming Legislature will not
be whether the liquor traffic has the same rights
and privileges as other trades and occupations.
but whether it has rights and privileges superior
TO all others. 1t should be discussed with rea-
son and moderation. and. as The Tribune has
always insisted, with fair hearing of all sides
And It is by no means Of the least importance
that the representatives of the liquor interest
should be afforded by a Legislature supposed
to be hostile the fullest opportunity to present
their case.
In view Of the pending discussion before the
Legislature The Tribune takes leave to make
one or two suggestions TO the gentlemen who
will represent In it the interests OF the liquor
dealers In the frs place. we venture mildly
TO suggest that the LiquorDealers Association,
which, we presume, will appear asking for what
are called more liberal excise laws should be
careful to come into court, as the lawyers say,
with clean hands. By this we mean that 1t
would greatly strengthen their position as peti-
toners for the relaxation Of the Sunday law
If they were able to show that as a body they
had obeyed the law rs it now stands. This
might give some assurance that, II relaxation
were allowei-as, for instance, in the granting
Of certain hours Sunday for the sale Of beer
and wines-they would feel bound by the re-
manning restrictions, and neither sell beer nor
wine in the prohibited or spirits in the privileged
hours We do not forget that in the height Of
the agitation Of the Sunday closing question the
LIQUOR or-Dealers' Association resolved as a body
that they would obey the law and assist in its
opf Ep
what we said at the time that the liquor-dealers
as an organized body did more by that act to
elevate their calling and make 1t reputable in
the eyes Of the community than anything they
had ever done What was more, they raised
themselves in their own estimation and pro-
NOTED their own self-respect. For when one
stops to think about it, the violation Of any law,
whatever the pretext or however unjust the law,
is lawlessness, and the violatOr Is a criminal.
That alone is fatal to any standing in court.
SO long as they say that they obey the law
they can with perfect propriety and justice 90
to the Legislature and urge that the law is OPP
pressive and should be repealed or modified.
The moment they claim the right to disobey
the law because it is oppressive they put them
selves out Of court petitioners for its repeal.
Why is it not possible for the Liquor Dealers
Association TO put themselves on record as
aw-ablding citizens not merely by resolution,
but by such an enforcement of the resolution
as would clearly distinguish and separate the
self-respecting and aw-abiding from the vicious
and lawless: And why may not liquor-dealers
themselves, If they are sef-respecting, and hon
estly believe their vocation to be legitimate and
useful, be advocates and champions of temper
ancc: not Of total abstinence to be sure. but Of
temperance? They occupy a place where they
can. if they be so disposed, draw the line be-
tween temperance, or reasonable indulgence,
and the intemperance which is undenably the
most fruitful source of misery and crime. Isn't
the difficulty right here, that moderation and
temperance are Incompatible with a profitable
liquor trade; that intcmperance and excess are
absolutely essential 10 make the business ply
And Is not this demonstrated by the general
demand OF those engaged in the traffic for special
and exclusive privileges-that they be allowed
tweny-four hours in the day and seven days i'm
the week for their business. There are intpllI-
gent and reasonable men in the Liquor Dealers
Association. Why can they not address them
selves seriously and houghtfuly 70 the consld-
Grafton Of the question whether or not they can
put themselves IN line with all law-abidinr citI-
zens in the consideration Of "A matter in which
the interests of labor and morality as well az
their own business are involved? Ii is the
lquordealers themselves who do themselves
most harm. not only by demanding special priv
ileges, but by insisting upon immunity for
fagrant violation Of law. 1t is in their own
interest that we make the suggestion to them
t1.aN1 1.r.a