The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-22
DRIES ARE AGAINST LOW.
PR0HIBITIONISTS CALE HIM THE
TOOL OF THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

mayornity Candidate wardweIi Dcnounces
Lows Attack on Cen. Trncy-Georss or Van
NSct wouldn't Do, Rither-A Debate on Io-
cniOption ON the Question OF sunday OpcRinE
The Prohlbitionists opened their campaign in
brooklyn last night with u mass meeting In tho
Academy OF Music In that city. There were
about 5000 present, and the Prohibitionists
trottcd out their best speakers to address them
and tell them why they should support William
s. Wardwcll for the Mayoralty.
According 10 custom, the ProhibitionIsts
opened their meeting with prayer. Thcn tho
Rev. John II. Carson offered n set Of resolutions,
which set forth that mo political party nor
Citizens Union has n right to expect tho sup.
port OF Christian men so long as 1t stands conf
mittcd to n license policy or refuses to stand In
open hostility to the saloon" and that 1.-The
liquor traffic should have tho right OF way over
oil questions Of municipal reform, and that no
crisis can be superior to it," The resolutions
were adopted.
J.P. Smith OF the Vine and Spirit Gd=et'e
took the affirmative sido in a debate on the
question OF whether or not the Sunday opening
of saloons should be submitted to q vote in the
Greater Now York. He said in part:
Experience with prohibitory legislation has
brought into clear relief tho fac! that sumptu-
AIRY legislation, which is not supported by
local public sentiment, is apt to provo a
failure locally, or worse. On this fact is
based tho principle OF local option which has
found an expression in many provisions In tho
liquor laws OF the various States OF the Union.
what is the liquor problem, in the Greater
New York; 1t is bound up principally In tho
question of the sale of liquors on Sunday. Fine
the true answer TO this question and you have
solved tho liquor problem in New York. And l
want to say right here that this problem is an
! eronprnfr rnfhcr than n moral opp IL the cnn.
sumption of liquors on week days is not a sin
the consumption OF liquors on Sunday cannot be
a sin or immoral act. In fact, all modern Sun.
dny legislation in the Christian countries Of
economic rather than religious or moral consid-
eratiOns..
sale OF liquors on sunday is settled by the abso-
lutte prohibition in the present law, Experience
has imply demonstrated the fact that this sun.
day inhibition is a part OF n law in which agreat
many of our citizens who are otherwise law
abiding citizens do not lclieve."
The Rev. Carlos Martyr, who took the mega
tive side. denounced the saloon and Sunday
THE saloon has no more right than any other
business. and it would, all other things aside. be
giving it an advantage that it had no right to
to allow II to do business seven days in the
tian conduct on Sunday by legislation, but we
10 say that when a man brought up in an allen
tons here. II he is not satisfied with them let
him go homo again, The Sabbath is distine;
1 livery american. ana the Almighty mana SnOnlQ
be ready to mite those who plan to assail It,"
The Rev. DR.. &. ii. Mead said that Theodore
Roosevelt WAS the greatest official who had
come to the front in n decade. He enforced the
Sunday closing law, which was something no
one else ever did before him, he said. He ad.
vised everybody to vote for Mr.. Wardwell.
Mr.. Wardwcll addressed the audience as
Fellow citizens Of Sodoir and Gomorrnh:" AZ.
we'll got to discussing the candidates opposed to
him and said OF Mr.. Low:
II think there must be some fitness and abil'
| ltv in Mr. Law hlt want In 9ay that | do moi
consider his statement in Brooklyn about Gen.
Tracy cithcr fair or right. He said that II Gen.
Tracy were elected he would be n tool in the
hands of some one else, and that the govern.
mcnt of the city would really be in the Senate
Chamber at Washington.
" want you all To vote for me. My party
stands against the liquor ira thc and will Away
he opposed to 1t. We want the world to know
this. II You eject ne l pledge myself to spend
the city's money honestly, to appoint honest
men to office. and above all to make the Police
commissioners Prohibitionists, who will see Il
II that the liquor laws are enforced"
Mary Elizabeth Lease was to have taken the
affirmative side in a debate on tho question oil
whether or not believers in prohibition could
consistently support Henry George. Mrs. Lease
was i'll. and her son Charles read her speech
Prof. Samuel Dickie replied. He wound up his
remarks by saying that Seth Low was n cring
ing coward and the tool OF the liquor traffic, and
that no Prohibitionist could support him,
George. or Van Wyck. because they were all
wrong. on the great moral problem. Judging
from the applause, he won the debate.