New-York tribune., 1908-12-15
THE NEW JERSEY LIQUOR TRADE.


The report of the New Jersey Excise Commits
sion to the Governor Is less sensational than
was the daily news Of its Investigations last
summer Indeed. the most sensational parts Of
it are its recapituatiO of the results of those
Investigations from which, of course the keen
edge of novelty is now worn off. STILL the show
ing is sufficiently shocking to give the Legislat-
ure food for thought and ground for action. 1t
is revealed that there has been elaborately or
ganized violation of the law, and not only of
those features of the law which many reason
able men consider too severe 2nd which might
perhaps we'll he repealed modified, but also
and equally OF those provisions which every
right minded man knows and declares TO be eS-
sentiaI to the public good. The sale of the vileS
adulterated liquor was found to be widely prac-
tised aud there were alliances and cOllusion
with gamblers and crooks. and grand juries
were manipulated for the protection of law
breakers. The stories were shocking when they
were published in the press They6are less novel
now in this report, but they have the weight Of
official authority and they should enlist the care
full attention Of every legislator who has the
welfare and good repute Of the state at heart.
The recommendations Of the commission for
the correction of these evils are moderate and
nrocped from expert knowledge. Perhaps the
most important of them is that for the election
of local excise boards of three members each.
to have the power TO grant or refuse licenses
and generally to regulate the liquor trade-n-
Guiding. we suppose. the fixing Of license fees
and of hours of sale. Such system would be
neither local option nor home rule in name. but
If would establish some Of the best features of
both. 1t would give TO the voters Of each city
town or village full power TO control the
liquor trade as they pleased. subject only to 4
few general state laws which are indispensable
for all places alike. 1t would make the prin-
ciple of local self government effective. and it
would vest both authority and responsibility in
those who were best qualified by knowledge
and interest to exercise the one. and who, be-
cause of direct proximity. were most amenabe
TO the other. The proposed system has more
over. worked well in places in which it has been
tried 1t would not he difficult to name cities
which are enviably noted for their prosperity,
growth and progress. and equally for theirsf free
dom from the evils of the liquor trade. and
which owe their happy condition in the last
named respect 10 the operation of precisely such
local excise boards IS this commission pro
poses.
The evil conditions reported by the commits
sion are well known to exist. It is not TO he
expected that anybody will venture 10 deny
that fact Neither is it suppOsable that any one
will have the shameleSsness to defend them
and to demand that they shall be left unds-
turbed It must be generally conceded that
radical reform OF the liquor trade Is inds-
pensable and It needs no handwriting on the
wall TO give warning that the people OF the
state will not condone neglect OF the subject
but If the incoming Legislature will not deal
with il satisfactorily they will next year elect
another that will do so The Excise Commits
sion, composed OF men Of exceptional infOrma-
lion. experience and judgment has carefully
studied the situation, has reported facts which
will not be denied. and has made its recOmmen-
dations for reform. IT viii rest with the Iegis-
Iature to which those recommendations are
presented either to adopt them or to bring
forward and enact some alternative plan which
will accomplish the purpose equally well-if
such an alternative can he found In any case
the earnest demands Of the Governor, in which
he Is cordially supported ~ an overwhelming