New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-25
THE EXCISE PROBLEM.

Manor Lows frank and manly statement Of
his views on excise questions 10 the Ger
mans was well received, II must be by all
honest citizens Whether they find the en-
foroement Of the excise law personally pleasant
or not. they must agree that under the circunl-
stances confronting him no other course con-
sistent with his plain duty open to the
Mayor If they ask him TO do anything else.
they ask him 10 violate bis duty and 70 tolerate
l'ackmail However much they may want sun
day beer. and however unreasonable THEY may
think the law which stands in the way OF their
customs. surely they are too good citizens 10
a,ut their personal convenience ahead Of law EN-
forcement and administrative honesty.
II is known 10 all men that illegal liquor sell
ing means police corruption. No advocate OF
the policy Of toleratin2 open saloons on Sun
day any longer has the slightest doubt that
such policy IN this city would mean the tolera-
tion Of extortion. Those who plead for it are
pleading for tle re-establshment Of the system
IF police collections. The Tammany men who
complain Of Mayor Low and Commissioner
Greene themselves do not dare promise distinct
~ anything different though they hint at better
Zines for the saioOnkeepers. II they take Of
fee they must subscribe 10 the same oath that
Mayor Low subscribed TO. They must swear
faithfully TO execute the laws. Are there any
men not themselves criminals, who want a
Mayor who viii take such an oath with the in
lention Of breaking it, The law is on the stat
ute book. The Mayor has no alternative but 10
enforce it as fairly and reasonably as he can.
Everybody knows that If Mr.. Mcclellan took
office and let the saloons De opened on Sunday,
blackmail would be regularly levied. Mayor
Low found that even with such lIberality as he
could feel was consistent with his oath OF Of
fee blackmail was levied. and the only way
he could stop ii 10y 81 vigilance more
IRENE than il was at first his disposition TO eX-
ercise In the enforcement of any law there is
certain margin Of discretion in methods and
Afr Low thought that conclliatory methods
would bring satisfactory results in the case Of
liquor dealers and police He found he was mis-
taken. The police took advantage Of every loop
hole 10 levy tribute. and the liquor dealers
though he invited them TO cooperate TO pun
Ssh the extortioners and SO obtain all the liberty
that the law would possibly permit refused 10
do SO. and stood by their oppressors. Only one
thing was left for the Mayor 10 do. He had 10
stop the levy as best he could. in spite Of the
saloonkeepers since he could not do 1t In har-
rnony with them. The result may not suit those
who want more Sunday liquor. but nobody can
Deny that the true situation was described by
the Mayor when he said:
Payment os money determined also the ad
ADMINISTRATION OF the excise law. THIS was the
system that was elected 70 break ur. IL hss
involved an Administration or the excise law
that many OF you DO not like, but am pre-
pared 20 say. after my experience OF the last
Two years that no other administration OF this
Jaw is possible without restoring the intolera-
bic conditions from which the city has been
freed. I used 20 think otherwise. but then
had not cone into close contact with the con-
ditions that Tafnmany had created all along the
line. You cannot allow money TO determine the
degree Of enforcement Of one law and prevent
money from determining the degree of enforce
snent % every other Law.
The excise problem is unquestiona0ly a diff
Gaaif one. II relief is needed, IL should be
ssought in legislation, not I'm lawlessness. The
Germans a lawabiding people. They are