New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-04
MR. VAN WICK AND THE LIQUOR LAWS

having whom Police Commissioner in this city
enforced tho law exactly as he found 1t on the
statute books. where 1t had been Piaceu u!
Democratic legislation. Or course, Ooionei
Roosevelt made himself unpopular by doing his
duty as Police Commissioner. ana there are
doubtless persons who will vote against MIN
because he interfered with the criminal DUST
ness of themselves or their friends. III tnls
criminal business was carried on by Mr.. Van
Wyck's friends he will doubtless the more
readily get their votes 1t Is reported that the
brewer, are organizing campaign asaihs'
Colonel Roosevelt because he cut off the profits
which they derived from the illegal tranc
which they carried on under cloak Of saloon
keeners A great cry will be made about the
rights of the poor people, but that cry VIII pe
the cry of trust, the gigantic Brewers lrus''
which owns almost every liquor-shop in town
and compels many a poor saoonKeeper VIII
would prefer TO obey the law TO sell at pro
hibited hours in order to work on on the pup
lie the quantity Of liquor which MS masters
the brewers who hold mortgages on everything
In his possession. demand that he shall dispose
Of These great corporations are insatIaoie'
They must have privileges given to no o'her
| business and because Colonel Roosevelt would
not give them special privileges in Violation OF
law they abused him and row threaten to de-
feat him.
It Is interesting to see the Democratic party
TINS allied with the great brewing corpora
lions. which demand special legislation and
snaciol Indulgence In lawbreaklng to enable
them to empty poor mems pockets by forcing
drink down their threats whether they wish it
or not. 1t is perfectly well known that, sud-
iect TO the local option OF communities, any
body who wants drink can get one anywhere
at any reasonable time at a reasonable price,
| and that there is no popular demand III city or
country for greater drinking privileges. Inc
cry for more liberal excise laws Is pure dema-
ooqv Such laws are not sought for the people,
but for these rich corporations whose prohfs
! are so enormous as TO make brewing syno-
| nvme for sudden wealth. The demand is for
bigger brewery dividends and Senator Edward
| Murphy is leagued with his fellow-brewers TO
! secure them.
Rut more interesting than to see Democracy
thus trying to help the brewing corporations
| by championng the rights of the poor man 10
| be pestered by liquor dealers at all times anu
In all places is the spectacle OF Justice OF the
! Supreme Court leaving the bench to lead hgh'
| against Colonel Roosevelt based largely on the
ground that as a public officer he would not
! violate his oath. Colonel Roosevelt dld apso
| lutely nothing but enforce the law as he found
| il. He did not make It. IT was made by Dem
| ocrats When Justice Van Wyck asks votes
| or permits his friends to ask votes because OF
| Roosevelt's "blue law administration he VIII
| advertise himself as judge VINO thlnKs OIL
| GERS are above the laws. and may enforce them
| or not as their own ambition or convenience
| dictates He will advertise himself as a poll
tician who thinks parties are jusflhed IN pass
| ing laws for buncombe and not to be enforced
| He will advertise himself sympathizer
| with the old corrupt police rule Of Tammany.
which allowed the liqucrdealers and divekeep-
ers 10 carry on business in such utter viola
| ton Of law that when Colonel Roosevelt at
tempted to enforce the simplest mandates or
the statute II almost created revolution.
| We hope Justice Van Wyck will explain how
| he would have had Colonel Roosevelt act after
no had sworn to execute the laws of New-York
as Police Commissioner. The explanation may
throw some light on the CrokerMcTaughlin
! idea of the administration OF justice and inter
nretaton OF the law We hope he will tell the
honest, straightforward people OF New-York
| State why Democratic Legislatures and Gov
errors nut upon the statute books excise laws
which were so outrageous that the mere at
| tempt to enforce them was crime which
should debar Colonel Roosevelt from the Gov
ernorsbip. II those laws were made to fool
the church people. with no intention Of having
| them regulate the liquor traffic. It will be In
! teresting to the church people for Justice Van
| WICK TO tell them so. If li1uorsen at GER
| tain times and places was made criminal ID
| order 10 let a corrupt police force have twist
on lquor-dealerS by which they could prosecute
| into oli mo, ptrib 10
and Mclaughlin treasures. Justice Van Wyck
shouId avow IT, and then we might reasonably
! blame Colonel Roosevelt for failure to carry
| ont the true intent of the law and permit police
| Matchmaking to flourish Only before we blame
| Colonel Roosevelt we want Mr. Van Wycks
| judicial opinion as to the real intent or that
law And when Justice Van Wyck seeks the
votes of respectable people IT is in order TO ask
what kind of excise law and law enforcement
he and his party desire. since they find fanlt
with Colonel Roosevelt for enforcing the Demo
| cratic law. If Justice Van Wyck wants TO
lower the license so that every country village
will be flooded with saloons and converted into
q little Tammany. let him say so to the fathers
and mothers of the state. t. he wants TO ex-
tend the present liberal provision for all legiti-
mate desires for Sunday drinks and make n
| Sunday OF free drunkenness and consequent
disorder let him say so TO the people who have
no sympathy with blue laws" and think that
II a man wants drink on Sunday he should
have n chance to get il quietly but who do oh
iect TO wide open" Sunday. which converts
the day from time OF rest and decent order
into one Of debauchery for the benefit Of the
brewing and dstlling interests. II Is easy for
the Democrats to abuse Colonel Roosevelt but
let Mr.. Van Wyck tell us what he would have
done in his place, and also what he would dc
about the liquor problem II he should he put In
the Governors chair.