New-York tribune., 1902-03-03
POINTS CULLLNAN TO DUTY.
THE REV. DR.. PETERS SAYS DRUGGISTS
ARE SMALL FRY
To The Editor of The Tribune.

To The Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: May address still a third letter to you on
the subject of the State Excise Department and the
liquor law?
Through the courtesy of the Excise Department
have been notified recently OF the activity of the
department in the revocation of licenses and prose-
cution of bonds and also particularly. of the
result Of investigation Of the abuse OF pharma-
csts licenses. Commissioner Cunan reports that
numerous complaints were received from liquor
dealers paying from $50 to $500 for their licenses
according to locality, to the effect that pharma-
cists, paying annual tax of only s. for the
privilege of racking in liquor the prescription
OF physician. conducting a general traffic, in
Illegal competition with them. las the
services Of the special agent force could be de-
voted TO that work. investigation
menced. which revealed "alarmingly fragrant
abuses OF the kind complained OF in almost every
city and village Of the State" Evidence in about
two hundred cases has been Is about be
ferred to the several district attorneys of the State
for criminal prosecution" in addition to its by
the State Commissioner in civil suits
First, 1 wish TO call attention TO the apparent
efficiency and thoroughness OF the Commissioners
work in this matter, and, second. ! wish to point
out that this report is arraignment of the
department for It's failure to investigate and abate
the much glaring abuses OF Raines law hotels
and Sunday saloons in this city.
At the request Of the liquor dealers, who have
legitimate claim to protection he sets his in
specors to investigate lays his evidence before the
district attorneys and calls them TO prosecute
and himself institutes civil proceedings to collect
money penalties This is, of course. Just what he
ought 10 do.
But have no citizens but liquor dealers any
rights? Vastly more important than the violation
OF the liquor law by pharmacists in the small cities
and villages OF the State in it's to the taxpayer
| to mention only what the Commissioner mentions
has been its violation by the Raines law hotels Of
this city These fragrant vioatiOns--or rather this
condition OF habitual volation-of the law were
| hv
| press, societies and individuals His reply was
! You must take care OF that yourselves" The
| liquor dealers appealed to him prevent the mean
little violations of the Law by the pharmacists and
at once the whole force of the department was set
! TO work, and it shown how effective the law
is when the effort is really made TO enforce it.
1t Is quite right to tithe the mint. and the anise
and the cummin: but One has said: Woe unto YOU
scribes and Pharsees, hypoCrtes, for We pay 1.-THE
Of mint and anise and cummin and have omitted
| the weighter matters of the law judgment mercy
and faith; these ought ye to have DONE and not to
| leave the other undone."
| trust that the department IS at last awake 70
its duty toward the citizens this city and that
the dispatch or thirty 0s that about the number
we are entitled to have all the time special agents
to this city, reported in the press means that the
Commissioner proposes TO do with the great evil OF
| the Raines law hotels precisely what he has done
with the petty evil OF the village pharmacists
collect evidence Of violation. to the District
Attorney for criminal prosecution, and at the same
time use il himself for civil prosecution to impose
| fines, revoke licenses and forfeit bonds And when
| he has somewhat reduced that evil I hope that in
the cause Of common morality he will do his duty
also In the matter OF the enforcement of the Sun
| day closing law. that may know whether this
| law be enforced not.
From your valued columns this morning 1t ap-
| pears that the Governor has addressed a note to
District Attorney calling him TO enforce the
law. / trust that the Commissioner of Excise re-
ceived a similar document, will In fact If not
| in word make a similar reply. Yours respectfully.
JOHN p. PETERS
| CT NicbaaIs Churcb March 7 1an3