New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-27
MORALS AND THE LIQUOR LAW.

TO let us know that they do not share 'r'' 'i
ION of the new Liquor Tax law. fres"iiino'!
there are others in similar stare OIL n'h'
though we are rather surprised lh'' pio
tests have been so few, considering the Srohs
feeling to which any measure os'eHSioi! ue
vscd 70 restrict the liquor tIafc Appeals. WIN
ort imnuting conscious insncerity 10 any Oh
these critics we venture to say that not one OF
them Is entirely candid. They all assume as
much as Is convenient for their argument ana
ignore everything that would emDarrass It,
Thus one reader asserts that ''the Governor Has
"eiyen the people Of New-Iork the strongest
measure for the cause of temperance ana sood
"morals we have ever had; and another VINO
sunnosel that "The Tribune could be counted
on 70 second every moral REFORM, Is srcved
that II "should OPPOSE this bill. which really
.n,oces wholesome restriction on the liquor
traffic" In a word, these friends beg one ques-
ton outright and leave two other questions uli-
touched Moreover. inasmuch as the fact OF
their surprise and regret is itself an acKnowi-
edcment that The Tribune has heretofore Deeh
in their oplnion n stanch and efficient supporter
of social and political righteousness II seems 'o
us somewhat ungrac.ous on their part 10 say
the least Of ii. that they should now assign us
TO a lower plane than they profess to occupy
merely because they happen TO hold different
opinion as TO this particular matter
We have said repeatedly. and say again. that
thc Raines law contains provisions which on
the;r face oppcar meritorous and likely TO pro-
ducc. If faithfully enforced results which would
be salutary in case they were not offset ny o'her
consequences But there has been vast deal
of audacloI,s assumption in the discussion OF
this measure. lis eulogists. following the LEAD
Of their preccntor have announced. as II IL were
Il matter Of mathematical demonstrations mat
il would reduce the number of saloons In TINS
city 10 per cent. and have depicted IN glowing
colorS the blessings which would inevitably fol-
low such cllrtailmcnt OF the traffic. Inc truth
is that nobody knows. or can know. To what
extent the number Of saloons Will be diminished.
or whether il will be diminished at AL. or what
the character of the licensed places left IN eN-
istcnce will be. or how many Illicit dives VIII
he opcncd or whether there would be more or
les drunkenness and crime In one csiab-
lishncnt Of superior enterprise and attractive
ness should be enabled to mOnOpOlizc and cult
yaie the business which several now divide" II
IS always permissible to hope for the best hut
II IL seldom wise 10 set down everybody who
is less sanguinc ms a knlvc or n fool. Many
persOns moreover. who are quite aS moral
and rs sagacIous as orr corrc.ppnd'nis ap-
prchcnd evil consequences from Il law which.
in addition 10 other drboIS provisions. seems
10 IN; Il large premium on the drinking ~ ardent
spirits and TO discourage the less harmful re-
s,rc,on Of appetite TO wine and beer We say
again that il is impossible 10 predict the ELECTS
Of This law on me lIGuor traffic. TINT those who
assume 10 know what II will accomplish are
dlslrgcnuous ard that 1t is indecent to accuse
of immortality those who fear thai ~ the best
Il will prove m.sch.cyouS.
But If any reader If The Tribunc inag.ncS
that our objections 70 The Rnines law are based
chiefly on these considerations he has read The
Tribune with Il clrecssucss that il extremely
dlscr,diiahlr in Il censor. If we were certain
that every one Of lis provisions >ingiy and in
combination with the rest. were intrn.lcilly
sound we should consider 1t foul blot on The
statute book. We believe. rs everybody be
Heres. and as nobody, not even Governor Nor
ton has pretended TO deny or even doubt that
the law was expressly conrryc,l as means ~
strengthening a political machine and cnlarg
Ing and sollh.fyng HE power Of bosS's such
supremacy. whoever wlcld> II. in Whatever party
name It Is os;cnsbiy cZcrcisci. invariably ogr-
aics 10 plumber. onprcss and demoralizc the
I
sooner or later. they resume control Of their
| own affairs the party that they rcpullai" is Tho
! party which has been made the instrument Of
their betrayal Blu, even putting this consldera-
| ton aside for the moment. we still maintain
that for another reason the KalncS law Is exc
! cradle II is exccrable because II was passed
| by methods Of lawless tyranny. with full knowl-
edge that il could not bc passed in any other
way There Is not \ single citizen of the State
| Of New-York. saint or sinner. who does no, know
that such performances as those which dis
graced the Assembly when this bill was driven
through have no logical outcome except anar-
| chy Every citizen knows that II such conduct
on the part Of lawglvcrs should often be re-
| sorted TO and Grow into Il common practice. ii
would require and surely invoke revolution
to put II down. IL there any reason why II
should be cOndOncd or ignored because the meas
ure which depended upon II for enactment IN n
measure which purports 10 be an ally Of TEN
| pcrance and morality? II seems 10 us rather
that It Is doubly odious on that account. To The
Legislature and the Governor we have already
| said what II seemed 10 us desirable to say on
this subject. but are disposed 10 remind our
correspondents who bring religious appeals into
the discussion tnat the most repusivc Of all
vices Is hypocrisy.