New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-11
THE RAINES BILL.


Also Republicans outside the comparatively
small body Of politicians who just now seem
to he working their own sweet will in controlling
legislation and in directing upon important
issues the policy Of the party In the State. There
are a great many OF them. AS general ruie'
they do their own thinking. They do not al
ways make their influence felt upon the mem
bers of the Legislature or in the councils OF the
managing politicians. 1t may be that this Is
mistake on their part. Whether so or not one
thing Is certain: that this large mass OF RepuD-
leans in the State outside the Legislature ana
the managing politicians has to be reckoned
with at some time. They will not take their
views of party policy from either Legislature
or politicians without balancing them somewhat
and giving them serious consideration. And the
present is time when both the Legislature and
the politicians who rather loudly proclaim their
ability to control the Legislature might perhaps
do we'll to give themsely es momentary pause
and reflect whether. upon the whole. 1t Is wise
to make policy for the party in this State
which the great mass Of the voters OF the party
are by no means agreed upon. or, rather to state
it more positively and quite within the TRUTH
which will divide and weaken the party.
Let us recall fact OF recent political history,
absolutely patent and undeniable. The last Re
publican State Convention was confronted with
one question more disturbing than all others.
1t had been agitated in the press and In pubic
meetings and by means Of unusual demonstra-
tons for months before the convention met. 1t
was that Of the excise laws. 1t was not ques-
ton Of high license nor Of prohibition nor OF
dividing the tax levied upon the liquor traffic
between the rural districts and the cities. from
which, naturally, most Of the tax would be de
rived. Nor was it in any sense question
whether the morals Of large cities could be bet
ter promoted b. taking away from them the
right and the privilege of home rule and placing
them under the control of State commissions. In
the course Of the agitation all these points may
have been touched upon, but the main question
was whether the liquor traffic and the saloon
business should have special privileges above
any other trade or calling. The liquor cham
pions had not the boldness to stand up and DC
mand that a statute law should be passed In
their behalf They were wise enough to know
that upon a straight issue Of that character they
would be voted down by an Overwhelming ma
jority In the State. But they had more tlial
holiness. They had audacity. They did not
hesitate to say that their business was OF such
general utility and necessity that 1t should be
afforded immunity for violating statute law.
That was the sum Of their contention Out OF
the situation thus evolved came the conditions
which confronted the last Republican State
| Convention.
That convention, according to common report
and current belief was under the same guidance
and control as the Legislature now in session.
What did 1t do? Did Il meet the question
| squarely? No. 1t is matter Of history that its
leading and controlling spirits SHE'D at 1t, lodged
1t, and were getting ready to ignore 1t entirely
when Warner Miller put 1t to them squarey In
! the face and made them consent to say that the
maintenance Of the Sunday laws was necessary
In the interests Of labor and morality. They did
| It, but when they had done II got frightened at
their own work. and here in NewYork County
| tried to undo it through Mr.. Lauterbach's COun-
| ty Committee by the passage Of an ambiguous
resolution, which said nothing, meant every
thing and lost the county And these are the
statesmen who, being in control Of the Legis-
lature as they were of the last State COnven-
ton. have taken up the excise question and de-
cided to formulate upon It policy for the whole
party Not only that but TO force it through the
Legislature by caucus rule and gag methods, as
though It We're something settled and agreed
upon by the voice Of a unanimous party Here's
q different sort Of courage from what was mani
tested in the State Convention. There they
stood and shivered Here they stand and crack
the whip of the caucus. Then they knew they
had the party and the people to reckon with
Now they evidently think they have enough
power in the legislative and executive depart
ments Of the government TO make them safe
through the strength they can gather from the
| M iron IN no dpriypd from an Excise bill
which Is sweeping In It's changes and absolute
ly bewderng in Its scope Isn't 1t worth while
for this Legislature and these politicians to stoI
and think for moment Of the risks they are
taking? Why should measure Of so much
importance this be rushed through with hard
~ the opportunity for debate? The convention
faltered. Why shouldn't the Legislature pro
coed slowly?