New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-26
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
LIQUOR DEALERS FUND.
Trade Paper disks If Some of 1t
Stopped Short of Legislature.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: District Attorney Jerome has caused the
grand Jury of this county TO make a presentment
setting forth fact that the liquor dealers assoc
citation had raised large fund last winter and
spent it in deoauchng members of the legislature
and the officials of zone of the departments of State
government 70 secure amendments of the excise
law and reduction of the license fee The present
ment declares that large part Of this money
was expended upon various members OF the then
Assembly and Senate and their friends in an APP
paling and shocking way.
No Indictment has been found because no crime
is alleged 10 have been committed in Newly ork
County, at least District Attorney Jerome has not
discovered an offence committed in this county.
THE Wine and Spirit Gazette is not and never
has been in touch and sympathy with the liquor
dealers association OF the State and city. During
the seventeen years of it's existence this journal
has again and again emphasized the fact that 1T
represents the decent and respectable element of
the liquor traffic II does not believe in the methods
pursued by the men who the liquor dealers
association. We believe that the liquor dealers
should make a square fight. in the open. for any
relief TO which they may be Justly entitled with
ont resort to bribery and blaekmail. But we have
never succeeded in bringing the men who the
liquor dealers association to our way OF thinking.
Their mental and moral makeup has kept them
from approaching the position taken By The
Wine and Spirit Gazette" The past history of the
liquor dealers association furnishes an abundance
Of proof showing that the men at the head OF it
have always endeavOred to accomplish their ends
by underhsnd means. such as bribery and cor
ruptioH. and for that reason these have
steadily antagonized The Wine and Spirit
Gazette"
This journal has direct evidence Oil the specific
charges made in this grand jury presertment but
we know that the complaint of the rank and file
OF the liquor dealers who have been assessed by
the insiders and been made to contribute to this
fund Is not so much directed against the use of
rev hundred dollars at Albany In what the grand
jury presentment calls AN appalling and shocking
way" as against the alleged tnterception of this
money by the insiders. In other words the rank
and file who have contributed to this fund want
10 know II any OF this money has stuck in the
pockets of the fellows who have had the disbursng
OF it. According 10 common report a fund Of
more than $4,000 raised last winter If the
dollars OF this money was actually used in AIbany
in the manner described In the grand jury pre-
for. The retention of this money may be properly
inquired into under the Penal Code If an offence
York. Here is the spot where the probe should be
applied by Mr.. jerome. All talk about spending
and shocking way described in the grand Jury
presentment IS taken by the average liquor dealer
liquor dealers association who have had the
handling of this money trying to UP their
The days and dates at which the so-caled legis-
lative committee of the liquor dealers association
These men were probably not oftener than FIVE or
times at the State Capitol during the whole
entertaining at Albany OF certain members OF the
legislature in the manner described in this grand
Jury presentment but the money expended for this
purpose is a mere tri1e compared with the vast
fund that admittedly raised last winter by the
insiders OF the Organization Let the truth be
known for sunlight is the best dsnfeetant of this
whole disgracefu business. What has become OF
'D'' '"'"Ns WINE AND SPIRIT GAZETTE
New-York City. Dec a. 1905