The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-02-10
SOME CRITICISM

' tho Sunday Saloon Question In New York.
 To tho Editor of the JOURNAL AND CouRtEm
 Kindly publish the following taken from "The Union Signal" of January 30, 1896:
 "DR PARKHURST REVIEWED."
 After a long period of evasion Dr. Parkhurst has at last defined his posi- ton on the question of Sunday sa- looms. In carefully prepared state ment made before the New York Cham Der of Commerce excise committee on the 7th inst, and given to the press the next day, he says: The poor man should not. on account of his poverty, be denied comforts that are allowed to rich men at hotels, clubs or similar re- sorts. We must either exclude rich men from these Sunday privileges or give the poor man an equal chance. l am in favor of the sale of beer ale and light wines on Sunday as an accompaniment of an honest meal, honestly furnished and honestly paid for. I draw the llne at whiskey and spirits. believe also m providing for the people who cannot go to restaurants, but must eat their sun day meals at home. l believe in open ing respectable saloons at certain hours on Sunday to enable these people to purchase beer and light wines to be talk en away from the premises. The prcpo- sition of the Standardization Reform union, from 12 until and from until D. m. on Sunday conforms with my ideas. I do not think there is any pros- pect of referendum this winter. do not think the present legislature will take one step towards opening New York saloons on Sunday. But if mak- ing reasonable concessions to our Ger man citizens on this excise matter Will gain us their support in crushing out Tammany I am in favor of granting it."
 Why this discrimination of Dr. Park hurst !n favor of "beer, ale and light wines as ie they were harmless bev- erages? He has no excuse for being ignorant Of the history of discrimina- tions in favor of these lighter alcoholic beverages. It is the universal exper- fence that these lighter drinks are the great tenpters of the young, the in nocent and ignorant. They have never acted as a substitute for distilled liquors, but in multitudes of cases have promoted vice and intemperance. The records of prisons, infirmaries and other institutions show that the vast majority of the inmates began their careers of in- temperance as beer or wine drinkers. Dr, Parkhurst's position would have been just as tenable if he had declared in favor of the sale of whiskey, gin and rum on Sunday and he deserves no consideration for the discrimination which he makes. The public has long been aware of the anxiety of the liquor dealers and their allies that the poor man at all times-Sunday included should be able to get his grog. Their solicitude in his behalf would be pa thetic, indeed, were not it's selfshness so transparent. It does not seem to us that there is a person obtuse enough not to comprehend their purposes. From beginning to end this saloon argument has been simply a den1agog'ic appeal to class prejudices in order to secure the poor mans vote, legislation that would enable them to more effectually rob him. Daniel Webster once declared that Whoever has the wickedness to conceive and the hardihood to avow a purpose to break down what has been found essential to the pro- lection to all interests, by arraying one class against another, and by acting on such a principle as that the poor al ways hate the rich, shows himself the reckless enemy of all An enemy to his whole country, to all classes and to every man in it, he deserves to be marked especially as the poor mans curse" These words as just as applica- ble to the present issue as they were to the question under discussion a half century ago. For the liquor dealers or for Dr. Parkhurst to endeavor to obtain support for saloon legislation by appeals direct or indirect to the ignorant preju- dice of the lower classes in New York is moral crime No man can use such methods and escape the just verdict of being ian enemy to his whole country, to all classes and to every man in it." But fortunately for the public, and un- fortunately for Dr. Parkhurst, the motive for this pronunciamento is clear ly stated. ''But if making reasonable concessions to our German citizens on this excise matter will gain us their support in crushing out Tammany, am in favor of granting them.'' Was con- premise deal, bargain an unholy alliance ever more apparent? Dr. Park hurst is making simply an ordinary corrupt political trade-a Sunday sa- loon law for the east side, poverty stricken German beer vote. If such deals are reprehensible in the saloon bred Tammany politician, they are much more so in a man of Dr. Parkhurst's intelligence and environment. There has not been 8 case of more deserving righteous indignation since Daniel Web- ster disgraced himself by his surrender to the slave power. Unless Dr. Park hurst changes his position his usefulness is destroyed. At this moment he is do- ing the cause of municipal reform and esrecially anti-saloon legislation great harm.
 We say this with regret, for Dr. Park hurst has done much for reform and ill him has been centered the confidence and hope of many, D. B. F.
 FOR LAST MONTH.
 Report of the Hospital Aid Society,"
 In January the work of the society