New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-27
THE DISGRACE or CROSSE.


THE DISGRACE or CROSSE.
rhere is no statute law against any mans
making such an exhibition of unreasoning pas
sion as Mr.. Edward Crosse was guilty OF at the
meeting OF the Columbia Club. thursday even
ing. at which the Excise question was discussed
under the auspices Of the organization known as
the State Democracy. And perhaps If there WERE
it would have made no difference from the Crosse
pout OF view. as the pith of that gentlcmans
hot and eager contention was that laws are m'''
10 be obcyed only when they WORK 10 ihcoh-
venence, or put upon the citizen no restraint
10 which he Is not entirely willing to ycld. Ac-
cordng TO the reports published in all the news
papers. Mr. Crosse considered simply as prl-
vate citizen, with no public relation OF olhc'ai
responsibility. but only rs Il laxative person
laboring under the hallucnation that he mas
intellectual processes that begin somewhere anu
reach TO something. made what common, every
dav persons using the vernacular In crude Out
nosjtivc way call IAN ass Of himself We re-
cret TO be compelled 10 say this. But in saying II
we only give expression without circumlocuiion
To the general Judgment. Even The newspapers
which on account of Tammany affiliations have
leaned toward the Crosse view OF The nrNiDni'y
~ stotlt, laws treat him either satirically or
with oman dorision "Thc \rw-Iork sun" play
fully sneaks Of his .untangling the connections
between his thinking and speaking apparatus
and adds that "he went on To argue hotWi'h-
standing" The New York World,' also when
has been in a great state OF excitement l"r 'n'
last two or three weeks from the same cause
which has produced Mr.. Crosses agitation re-
ports him with running comments no less caicu
lated to make him appear in Il silly ana rldicu
lous attitude.
Now Mr.. Crosse as private citizen may not
be OF much account. But he puts himself Tor
ward AS the representative Of The German he
form element in municipal politics. ana some
what ostcntatoIsly undertake, 10 speak for the
whole body Of American citizens ana voters VINO
are German by descent Leaving aside his angry
and abusive attack upon Commissioner HooSr-
Welt whose position H. 10 h- own duty III me
enforcement Of law i absolutely imprcgnabl"
from every polnt Of view except that of The law
hreakcr and backmailcr Mr. Crosses cpnien-
zion. 50 far as II was coherent and inclligiDlr
WAS that because. the SUNDAY closing provision
Of tbc Excise law worked Inconvenience 10 clu-
zens Of German descent who have been in the
habit Of getting their beer fresh from the wood
nm Sunday. # should be- dsrcgaricd And he did
not hesitate 10 say that III Mr.. Roosevelt we
ouote from THE suns" report tried 10 enforce
the law prohibiting from giving away beer
which he said was a part OF 'h" law ne
"would find the city ~ New York too hot for
him" Il do no, consider II crime. H. con
Timed "to sell n glass Of beer behind n curtain
on Sunday although The law SAYS II i crime
That Is To saw Mr. Crosse does not consider
what the law calls crime crime. Ana II
Commissioner Roosevelt. who is commissioned
and sworn 10 see 10 the enforcement OF al m"a'
does not make an exception II this particular
law and forsw"ar himself by permitting III
violation he will find the city II New-lork 70"
hot for him" And in saying this MIR crosse
asserts that he represents all American cltlehS
az German birth in this city. That IL. all ciilIchS
~ German birth will unite in making the ciiy
~ New.York too hot for the public oihccr VINO
does not annul statute law III thclr p'ha'i'
Since when was Mr. Crosse Invested win Inc
authority 10 speak for the thousands 81 law
abiding ms well as libcrty-loying citizens OF
German birth in this city and put them III me
attl,ude Of defying the authority ~ law: Nh"
mad,. him the mouthplccc Of lawl'SSn'>> ana
anarchy
There is another aspect Of this case which
concerns not only Mr.. Crosse IN the oiiiciai rem
ton which he happens 10 hold, bn' IL also Oh
considerable importance 10 the Administration
| uhich M, him in place lie holds Federal
Office: Is Collector of Internal Revenue for one
Of the most intelligent and wcalhlcNt districts
! IN the country. The execution IL law Is II part
az his official function. But what Is his concep-
,ion ~ law? Can he discriminate as To what pro-
visions OF the laws for the collection OF revenue
| he shall enforce and what he shall permit 10 De
| violated with impunity! Can he collect other
,,xes and remit those on whskcy or beer be
couse he believes them 10 BE- an unnecessary
| burden upon the deserving poor! Here Is f"|
oral officer inr,istcd with the execution OF Fed
erol laws who says. openly ana erusively. con
corning a certain offence made penal by STATE
| law. II do not consider II n crime. although the
,aw savs II IL a crime" Not only that, but he
| d.eont,v adds that he and others whom he
represents as In sympathy with MN VIII maze
NewYork City too hot for any public olhccr
who treats as n crime what the law calls crime
| IIere seems TO be case for the Federal appoint
Ing mower 10 look into. Upon his own admission
this Federal law officer IS n conicmncr OF law
and a violent and reckless lnclicr 10 awlessnrsS-
As a private citizen railing at law and ulterng
empty threats against those who are sworn to
enforce it, Mr. Edward Crosse Is supremacy
silly and ridiculous person, But as Federal
officer he Is public scandal and disgrace.
THE RAILROADS AND THE BRIDGE