New-York tribune., 1909-04-14
JEROME ON BROUGH BILL
CHALLENGE TO CLEMENT.
.Saas Ercise Commission COutd Close
.SoiooRs on Sunday.

>fhanv April 13-Charging that the Repuoilcah
administration cared nothing about enforcement
( Of the excise laws as long as II co''u 'o''.
1icuor taxes District Attorney Jerome, at near
| ~, to,Ia,, o., 1be Brough sunday closing bill
drafted ny The committee Of Fourteen challenger
/ the LEGISLATURE to adopt that measure OF idNe
steps to close the saloons in New fork 'iIH ol
SUNDAYS He dared Excise Commissioner 'lei'it''
to send his inspectors into New York civ under
orders to close saloons doing business on SUNDAY
The Republican party in its hypocrisy, dares
not pass this law" he said. An YOU want is the
excise taxes You might Just as well he consist
ent and tex brothels Why not
Air Jerome had the Committee Taxation
various legislators and the big throng of
spectator which filed the Senate chamber,
apuIaudiug vigorously before he finished his
address which characteristcailv, contained a
slap at nearly everybody IN sight Practically
the same line Of argument. though. was taken by
the Rev. Dr- John 7, Peters of st. Michaels
Church, and the Rev James NJ. Faw. Of Christ
Presbyterian Church who declared:
The legislature seems willing to let the rich
man have his drink in club Fifth avenue hotel.
but VII not let the poor man have his. unless
he willing TO take It in q house Of assignaton.
which Is what these Raines law hotels really are"
Mr.. Jerome began his address with the statement
that he felt very bitter because OF the hypocrisy Of
the long-haired men and short-haired women who
were fighting Sunday opening ot saloons The law
could NOT he enforced New York city 10y any
local authority, he SAID.
Why don't you send your sixty agents into New
York. he demanded. shaking his finger At Com
missioner Clement They could do in
month than the police. subject 10 local conditions
and subservient to political control. could do in
YEAR Send twenty agents for four Sundays; I'll
give my support and we'll close the saloons. But
will you Republicans do anything No. VIII Gov
ernor Hughes remove Commissioner Bingham or
Mayor Mcclellan. although everybody knows the
enforcement of the excise laws is farce No
I'm against the sale of liquor" went on Jerome.
I'm for prohibition. if it were practicable. I'd
with these good Baptists ana Methodists and
Presbyterians whose sincerity Of purpose I appre-
ciats if the law could be enforced but il can't
Then he told about his eXpGr fences when he vas d
Special Sessions justice and Mr. Roosevelt was
Police Commissioner. An agreement was made 10y
all the judges he said that perjury excise
should a three months Jail sentence
Mr.. RooseveIts statement that he closed the
New York saloons the Ucirdest dream ever
uttered according to the District Attorney.
"All he ever did was to establish blind tigers and
raise the rate Of police hlackmail." declared NJ.
Jerome The existing excise laws greatly increased
perjury. he said. and quoted chief Judge Peters Of
Maine. saying that the Maine excise laws had
made the citizens there race "f liars. Graft.
hlaCkmail. perjury all evils incidental 10 the
present system. which the wise legislators would
seek to obviate. Even the grand jWies IN New
York County did not pretend TO consider the cases
Professor Burdick CoIuu hia Y .. Sienkhpvicz,
a professor at Barnard. vino also is head of the
Citizens Organization. Edward J.
Mcclure. Frederick l.. Within Of the Committee
Of Fourteen: Or. Peters who read a letter from
Bingham saving he couldn't enforce
the la and made speech advocating the bill.
many others urged tie enactment of this leGis-
lstion. DR.. FAR snsppy in hrs comment on
the existing state OF affairs
We get our laws from up state said he. laws
by deals and barter. which shouldn't dare TO de-
scribe before this committee This liquor law rs
the worst thing ever palmed of on unsuspect-
ing Eullible religious community
Vigorous opposition made to the bin The
Rev. ". s. Hubbe1, secretary of the New YORK
Sabbath Committee attacked it, saving he and the
organization he represented were opposed to anv
bill that permitted seven days for business He
declared that there 4 collision between the
sa saIoonkeersrs and the police, and that graft and
hIackmaH we're resorted 70 that the excise Law
might be violated He read letters opposing the
bill from Bishop Greer and Eugene A. Philhin ?
member Of the New York State Board of Regents
The measure Is regarded virtually dead he-
cause of the opposition Of the upstate legislators.
y Senator Paiues