The sun., 1903-02-25
JEROME ARGUES FOR HIS BILL.
10000 MEN 60 INTO SALOONS
HERE ON ,StNDAY.
lie Asks New an Administration Can Be
Expected 70 Enforce tho Raines Law
when 10 DO So Would Mean Defeat ~
Pol,s-<'rowd 10 Hear District Attorney.

pOlls-('rOWd 10 Hear Wstrict Nt0rhe!
ALBANY, Feb 24.-The Senate Chamber
where the Joint legislative hearing was
held on District Attorney Jerome's bill
providing for The opening Of saloons III
New York city on Sunday between the
hours Of / and II O'Clock was taxed to its
utmost to-day to accommodate thoHe
vino wished 10 I've present
Mr.. Jerome was listened to with close
attent ion The point to his argument was
that his bill was not one to authorize tne
sale Of liquor on Sunday. but 10 restr'c,
it between the hours Of and II O'Clock anu
no better standard Of administration pre-
sumably could be secured in New iorh
CITY than that which is in power. MI
Jerome insisted that no public ofiiciai VINO
invited future political preferinent, as EVIL
denced by Mayor Lows attitude at present :
would dare enforce such measure a. the
K8ines law,
-Whoeyer trlc- 10 enforce the law IN inc
CIV Of New York" said Mr.. Jerome. VIII
20 ont of Office rs sure a. election comes
around and when he feels This h" Won't
be earnest or eager about enforcing 'h'
laws. hut will pirate about liberal interpre-
,a,ior Nov. no one dreams. who has
actual experience. that the Raines law can
not be enforced in New York. l. can b"
enforced The Mavor can close every
saloon in Tho city of New York and Keep
il closed In that sense the law - nov
unenforcabl"
Prom time 10 time an effort has beeA
made TO enforce the.e laws, but is an Office
of the city going to enforce its law when
he knows bv go doing he will lose ms onclal
head? City officials are human ike IN"
rest of US and Il YOU find that men are gong
10 cnforc. a law that defeats their own
ambition then your experience has been
different than mine II you cannot GET
this law enforced in an administration or
ability and holiness, how on earth can We
ret il enforced when here is a Tammany
admins, ration?'
Mr. Jerome turned in clever way
question of Senator Green, chairman Of the
Senate Taxation Committee. Senator
Green thought the excise law should not he
made more liberal than other laws tha'
were being evaded in New York city and
this coloquy ensued:
Senator Green-There are other laws
that are not enforced. strictly speaking
gambling. for instance. although you
Judge Jerome. have somewhat s,renuously
tried TO close gambling
Mr. Jerome No, vou cant stop stealing
but you can make p-t'y larceny less COM
mon.
Senator Green Bu, you do not recon-
mend liberalizing laws concerning stealing
or gambling Sunday or any other timer
Mr. Jerome No: the only place gambling
is leRalized or iberalized by law is in Sara
toga. daughter
Mr.. Plank Chairman Assembly Excise
(ommitteei Do you not believe that black
mail will he extorted and accepted so long
as LIQUOR is sold-evan If this proposed
becomes a law?
AJr Jerome -Yes, only TO much smaller
extent, because if the law allowed them 10
keep open. there would he no excuse for
blackmail
Senator Green--ls it not true that re-
stric.ive and prohibitive laws always ofer
for blackmail among dishonest
officials. and can you not find men with
enough rugged honesty 20 enforce laws
!. Mr. Jerome - As matters now stand
il a man won't I've blackmailed he l. ar
rested and the captain raids the saloon
that's liberal enforcement. IL he don't
arrest the people approve: and If he does
because the saloonkeeper refuses to be
he is only doing his duty.
Senator Green - hat would you think
of much higher liquor tax law, thus re-
atricting the number OF places and making
N easier 10 enforce excise idWeT
Mr. Jerome 90 would not think such
action would improve conditions. II there
is to be restriction, II might perhaps be
per capita, or say 40 many saloons TO
( tfoueand people.
Mr. Green--I guess We hayseeders will
have TO show you how 70 enforce law and
a gain take care Of YOU New Workers
Mr.. Jerome-If YOU hayseeders will only
let US alone, We could learn to take care OF
ourselves.
The 100000 men. women and children,
continued Mr.. Jerome interested in the
entitled to voice on this question The
Liquor Dealers Association guarantees
II this bill becomes a law the 5000 mem
hers will secure its enforcement. They
want IL so as TO dignity their calling and
make it respect able on accoun, of their
wives and children.
There ar. in the city of New York TO-
day l2-ii8 licensed places Careful inquiry
has sat isfied me hat more ha Q 500 OF these
places arr open every Sunday and doing
business. ] am informed by those who
know that of these 900 open. none Of them
could affOrd 10 keep open unless az least
twenty different men would have a drink
in those saloons. That makes about l80-
900 men who go into saloons in New York
on Sunday and take "A drink, and ! don't
believe II is far wrong
"You talk about he American Sabbath
did think l. would increase intempnranoSa.
NV family lived in this country befor. (, he
formation Of the United States You might
say ! am here 10 carry out pledge made
during the campaign, simply said then
| would try 10 do what | could toward +
solution Of this question; not thar I could
accomplish II
sThere are 1900 hotels in New York with
no room for more than 200 or 400 legitimate
hotels. The balance are Raines Law hotels
and almost uniformly connected with them
are rooms which make them houses of
prostitution. Such hotels would I've done
away with il the saloons in New York city
we're allowed TO keep open on Sunday.
Every one knows ! am no friend Of the
liquor dealers That fact is established
by my actions in previous responsible
positions in New York city"
Mr.. Jerome read letters from prominent
people in New York city Interested in this
question, among them Bishop Potter and
President Butler of Columbia University.