New-York tribune., 1902-01-23

SUNDAY CLOSING UNDER ROOSEVELT.
A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO IT'S EFFECT
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir; hand you herewith an extract from Dis
trict Attorney Jerome's speech before the Reform
club on Thursday evening January g. together
with an extract from Theodore Roosevelt's book,
A dnlinist tration-Civil Service" taken from pages
- - to a. win you kindly submit them to the public
] ]LorIuhlty TO pass Judgment upon these widely d.
New-York, Jan. 13 1902
But there came time when Roosevelt was presi-
in Part Of General Sessions and when I was in
me me aPecla4 Sessions ana We had picturesque
can eliminate, and We got together and discussed
thought that there was posiIy Ity snto5a9 ad
upon us 10 enforce this law. and that the reason
thorities upon whom the responsibility devoIved
d,d not proceed ruthessly to enforce it, and
The saloons were paying s. a month for the privi-
6Gr c2usa6e 2i 966enng % on s1nGay and we
for three months because she sold a glass OF beer
ton that the only result Of our Joint effort was
that during Rooseyets administration the liquor
dealers paid for selling Sunday SO a month in
stead Of 3. 'Laughter)-,The District Attorney.
had one Of TWO courses to follow We Gould either
instruct the police TO allow all the saloonkeepers
them, to allow to be lawbreaiers We fol
to%sd % m the after course because We had some re-
months Wa had n regular f.ht. and on Sundays
hdd TO employ half the force to enforce the liquor
law; for ;he TammaAy legislators had drawn the
law so as 20 make Il easy OF enforcement for Dur-
poses Of blackma but easy OF enforcement
generally certain provisions being deliberately in
versal execution. However. when once the liquor
sellers and their allies understood that we had not
the slightest intention Of being bullicd. threatened
or cajoled out OF following the course which we
had laid down resistance practically ceased Dur
ing the year after we took Office the number Of
arrests for violation of the sunday liquor sank
about one-half Of what they had been during
the last year OF Tammany rule and yet the saloons
most OF them had been open. Ne adopted no new
methods sac in so far honesty could be called
a method.
We did not enforce the law with unusual sever
ity: We merely enforced Il against the man with a
pull Just as much as against the without a
pail. We refused TO discriminate in favor OF in
huental awbreakers. The professional politicians
OF low type the liquor sellers the editors OF some
German newspapers and the sensational press gen
vergcd on insanity. We went our way wi thaiit re-
garding this opposition, and gave very wholesome
the statute books II II was not meant TO be en-
forced and that excise law could be- hon
estly enforced in NewYork II the public officials so
desired Inc rich brewers ana liquor sellers. who
made money hand over fist by violating the excise
law with the corrupt ConnivanCe of the police,
raved with anger. and every corrupt politician and
sstance. But the poor man and notably the poor
mans wife and children. benefited very greatly by
their Monday labors were lessened by nearly one
half. owing the startling diminution in cases OF
injury due to drunken brawls; the work OF the
magistrates VINO sat in the city courts for the trial
OF the offenders OF the preceding tweutv-four
hours was correspondlng!y decreased. while many
a tenement house family spent Sunday in the
country because for the first time the head of the
family could use up his money in getting
drunk The one all important element IN good
nothing is more needed than the resOlute enforce
ment Of law. This gave.