New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-12
THE LIQUOR QUESTION.
Kr. Wines Discusses Various Phases Of it
Before Chautauqua Assembly.

Before Chautauqua Assembly.
The complete suppression Of the liquor traffic
is ideal incapable Of realization said Frederick
Il Wines, secretary Of the New-Jersey State Chart
ties Aid Association in a recent ADDRESS at Chau-
tsuqua. n. Y.
Mr.. Wines's subject was Legislative Aspects of
the Liquor Problem" and he said in part:
Complete suppression Of the liquor trade could
be accomplished only by suppressing The manu-
facture of alcohol for in medicine and in the
arts. This IS impossible. Any individual can dis
I'll alcohol with q teakettIe and a prunes or
potatoes. II the manufacture OF alcohol cannot be
prevented, the amount of the product and its dis
tribution through The channels OF trade VIII be
regulated by the law Of supply and demand. whose
action is uncomfortable by any statutory enact
uent.
THE LAW AND THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
The law regards the liquor traffic as an extra
hazardous occupation which requires governmental
restraint and control All extra hazardous occcu-
pations fail within the scope Of the police powers
tnhering in the government That is TO say, the
government determines the conditions under which
they shall be pursued. licenses them, taxes them.
and regulates them in such manner 10 limit the
perils which the prosecution Of them necessarily
involves
The police restrictions upon the liquor traffic
cannot be Identical IN all places and under all
circumstances. They must, however, be such as
can and Will be enforced. Otherwise the law it.
self falls into dsrepute, and the habit OF disregard
for law is engendered.
The extent to which the traffic be sup
pressed is also a question OF local conditions and
public sentiment Iova's experience proves that
drinking in saloons be stopped and the saloon
abolished. by declaring II public nuisance and as
Eessing fines in the form Of penal damages upon
the owner OF the property rented or used for this
purpose.
The experience Of indianapolis proves that the
sale Of liquor in saloons Sunday can be stopped
by statoning officer in plain clothes in every
drinking house he NJ he SalO
simply means the transfer Of the business to blind
ugers and 'booteggers.' 10 the drug stores. or
liquor is imported from outside and consumed in
private. The suppression Of the saloon and
Of the traffic is very questionable benefit"
SOME CHECKS ON THE TRADE
Apropos Of the fact that the government may
control the LIQUOR traffic in any one Of several ways
Mr. Wines said:
Il may assume and exercise the exclusive right
= manufacture and deal in ferueuted and distilled
liquors as in Sweden and In sontb C,aro1iTs or
may delegate this right to selected and apnoint-
aeen1s' VINO carry on the traffic in their own
I1ie d lhelr own cost and risk for their personal
iIoAL or II may, in Ohio where the cons+i+,,
ton forbids the licensing Of The re - -,
'-zsh 70 engage in it under proper police restric
-, o PaslAeht OF special tax which is the
Peeunlary equivalent Of a license fa
4hls IS a point OF secondary i,,-o....-
ever The real question being that of +to s,5
ponce regulations, which relates n rohitt+ad
PAGES persons, times and conditions prara1
800 Fesu4atons forbid the sale OF LIQUOR to
minors and 10 habitual drunkar5s - -
siTeady in q state Of 5ntoxicatiov ~. 80
bo the sale on the Sabbath on legal boIid-- 80
CERTAIN hour OF the night and before = cer+afr
me polls are a I1eTs or during the hours when
re safe WITHIN reasonable disfa1cdi' Ss AoLD4a
require the concentration Of the reta H Ihey may
its character or forbid The ne Gy rot residential in
"a drinking houses IL proximity to ca
or liked or movable screens or n NE WINDOWS
rooms or IN concert or in vaudeville ssIow VINE
pc the use Of drinking houses as Man sg may Tor
cards dance houses and he 4S pool or
5-!.en 70 IheIn as oarkeepers or in any orr %
which alone it can be legally con5I+r9 rules under
t5,syes disor6ery persons proezsoRai sn6 IF
go Ior immoral and anti-socal purposes az TI
tocates disorderly conduct OF any sort in tbo no
Some OF the practical difficulties encorr+..., !,
.1oFi 10 ENFORCE any prohibitory law In a CON-,
Prohibition or ndkerent o ost 5he Subject Is opposed to
ards tS ~ Ihe iaipre TO accept The ethical stand
influences OF pecunary motives Of action go ,lout
Interest which professional politicians fee a. ne {he
pSSer of ~ ts vote fourth the enormous
n5ery' and through organization Of that Ta, Gas
ne inPossbility Of securing convictions for iaIs
ss .. ne nquor law where juries adverse 10 its
r:soner 81 the bar These difficulties are enbancnS
majority OF the population is made up Of the f9 me
DoTn and their offspring e'sH
WORSE THAN no Law
"A law which is not capable OF enforcement =,
worse than no law In representative govern
Tnent officials who attempt 10 enforce laws zvbfoL
nave not had the sanction Of popular approval viii
elmer be thwarted in their endeavors or they will
oe replaced by successor in Office who VIII he ,,o-o
pilsble. II is absurd 70 contend that the go[1srn
Lent IN enforcing practicable police Regulations
= compromising with iniquity and that IL Is better
loI me community 20 endure the evils Illicit
regulated sales Of liquor than adopt a system
q nlgh license with the local option OF prohibition
y limited areas where il can be enforced Where
me law IS noninally bur not actually IN force the
Acense Zee (Which a tax is replaced bv a fine
when Is al least temporary bar 70 further pros
eeulons snd the law becomes q farce The con-