New-York tribune., 1911-02-19
joseph c. Deane "Big Tim" Sullivan District Attorney
Whitman and Magistrate McAdoo Give Their Views OF
the Causes and Proper Treatment of The Danger

another think before they'll run chances CT
that.
but for the professional criminal and
the man I'm a rage, a wholly different law
is needed. You have got to get at the sell
ing OF guns Make 1t impossible for
criminal or a boy or an unbalanced or
irresponsible person TO buy firearms in this
state II they can get them in Jer-
sey. that is Jerseys lookout. Let's
have our hands clean. And the man who
wants to shoot his wife or his boss is
likely TO change his mind IT, instead OF
rushing out to the pawnshop on the corner,
he has to go over to Hoboken. or else walk
into a court OF justice and solemniy swear
10 some purpose for which he needs the
gun. Make him take time about, and he is
likely TO cool Off.
THAT is why / added that section re-
curing a license to be shown TO the dealer
before he can sell a firearm. In the hrst
hearing at Albany they brought out that
there IS no provision here for the man VINO
wants a revolver TO keep in his house as
o protection against burglars. That Is
perfectly legitimate use for revolver, ana
II ought to be allowed. l mean TO amend
this bill SO as to provide for licenses being
issued for that purpose-leave the matter
of licenses to carry weapons about as 1t Is
now. and have a different sort OF license or
hermit for people who simply want to have
them at home.
.Tf such a law had been in force Il IS
very likely that poor Phillips would never
, have been shot. 1t is possible that Mayor
Gaynor would have gone off safely to
| Furope. II is even more probable that
President Mckinley would not have been
assassinated at Buffalo with a revolver
which had been purchased only the day
before. You can't estimate the whole
number Of murders that 1t would have pre-
vented. but they run into the hundreds.
There were ten or fifteen men to appear
| in opposition to the bill at It's hrst hearins
7 in Albany-frearms manufacturers ana
hardware dealers. all of them. Iheir op-
position was purely mercenary. only my
secretary appeared in favor of 1t. Now we
want support, only the support that any
! fair minded man would want to give. ii
| the City Club or Mr.. Deane or the District
| Attorney wants to support US, shall De
mighty glad OF IT,"
A brief inquiry Of city officers and others
| brought out expressions as TO the weapons
| law. which were surprisingly unanimous.
Not one man dissented to the main feature
of the Sullivan bill, restricting the sale OF
weapons as well as their use.
| Artemas Ward, jr.. has introduced an
| other bill into the lower house placing SIM
liar restrictions upon the sale of firearms
and recurring each dealer to obtain a
license at a cost of s25 year. The Mer-
chants Association, of New York CITY, has
| taken the matter up. The board OF directors
! at a recent meeting authorized the iesls-
| lative committee to prepare third Dill OF
the subject and have it submitted to the
LEGISLATURE. and such a bill is now being
considered.
District Attorney whitman gave "ls
opinions tersely and emphatically
Carrying a weapon is an invitation to
crime" he said. Reduce the weapons
carried, and you will reduce crimes of vio-
lence. There isn't any debating that point
AT present few men are caught carry
ing concealed weapons except those WIN
are taken in by the police for other reasons
Thousands Of persons carry guns who neVe
get into the hands of the police at all-un
Ill they turn up as murderers or as pad
"You don't get at the matter by prohibit
ing the carrying Of weapons. The police
can't 20 around 'frisking' every man II
town 10 see If he is armed. The one soiu
tion IS TO get at the place where the guns
come from Follow each weapon that Il
sold. and see that it is in good hands.
First. the man who sells the weapons
should be required to hold a license. ina
Is the chief point where I would criticis'
tho sullivan bill. Either the Mayor OF th'
city. or. prehaps still better, the Secretary
of state. should issue such licenses and re-
ouire a bond for the performance OF It's oo
legations. The first obligation would be no
IN sell n dangerous weapon to any persor
who did not have a permit TO possess 1t. lie
such a permit be issued by a magistrate
nudge Of a court Of record or by the Mayor
or perhaps by some other officer TO be des
ignated
I'm that way you see TO 1t that dealer
are responsible, law abiding men, and tha
the men who buy tho guns are also re
sponsible and law abiding I would hav
the law apply to all irearms-rifles an
shoteuns. as we'll as revOlvers. Their
should be no fee charged for the permit
or a very small one. The dealers licens
: should not be costly. But II is desirable I
. reduce the number of places where weapon