The evening world., 1895-07-29
And That He Has Saved the Money
Of Poor Men Who Formerly
Drank II Away"
DEGRADING HOMAGE TO TAMMANY."
Mayor Hewitt and Supt, ByrneS
Couldn't Close Saloons" but tie
the New Police Board Succeeded.
TO the Editor OF The World:

I think that The World has rendered
a great service to us and to all people
who believe in the honest enforcement
OF law and In decent government gem
orally by printing the answers from its
readers on the excise question. | have
read them all with great interest. Not
only am ] surprised and pleased by the
large number of writer's who have so
strongly upheld our hands, but I am
also pleased at the great contrast in
tone and character between the letters
which supported tho position Of the
Police Commissioners and those which
we're against us.
a bad cause is very apt to make a
Dad temper. There is really no argu-
ment to he made against us. and natur-
ally those who strive to argue against
us must take refuge in villihcation and
misstatement.. They are advocating
the dishonest enforcement OF law
nothing more. nothing less. They are
advocating malfeasance In Office by
sworn public officials. and lawlessness
tho community. II some OF our op-
ronents would only take the trouble
to think. believe they would be rather
frightened at the logical conclusion to
1e drawn from their arguments.
Draws a Parallel.
If II Is rignL to violate this Excise
,aw because a large number of the
people want to violate II, then Il is
right to violate any law for the same
reason. II It is right for the poor man
" for any other man to violate the
law In order to get beer on SUNDAYS.
then 1t is right for him to violate the
law In order to get bread on any other
day. 1t Is more important for him to
get food than II is Tor him to get drink
and there Is much more to be said in
favor OF the relaxing OF law for the
cake OF the hungry thief who would
steal bread than there Is to be said IN
| favor Of the relaxing of law for the
sake OF tho man who Is not hungry at
ALL but who chooses to spend on liquor
he money that he ought to keep for his
wife and children.
The poor man is not the sufferer by the
policy which IL now being pursued In
enforcing the Excise laws. on the con-
trarv l contend most emphatiCally that
he Is greatly benefited by II. The rich
liquor-srller. who used to stand in with
the police. and the big brewer who made
his hundreds OF thousands OF dollars by
the illegal sale OF beer are the men who
are hurt by the enforcement OF the
Excise laws. l cannot get up very much
sympathy for them, because they are
| hnrt only n far 10
bi eakets.
The liduor-scller ard the brewer who
oheycd the law even when 1t was not
strictly enforced have been greatly hcn-
ehted by our action because We have
rid them Of the advantage which their
less honest competitors used to have
| over them
The Root of Corruption.
The people who have clamorcd for
honesty In the Police Department could
do well to remember that the counivance
of the police In the old-ttme Illegal sell
Ing OF liquor was the most fruitful
source OF corruption that there was in
the Police Department. There were
many other sources Of corruption. but
this was the original source. This was
the root OF the evil. We are digging up
this root: In fact may say that we
have Lot II dug up already. and no ar
Sumcnt that can be advanced 10y any
of the adhsrents OF the old system of
| things will shake our resolution,
The reform victory OF last November
gave expire ssion to the ovcrw he ming de-
mana of the people Of New York city
for honesty and for the honest enforce
I