New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-04
TRIBUNE WINS IN
COCAINE CRUSADE
Continued from first page.

iOniinufu from HTst phst.
said Father Curry yesterday, land con-
graduate it for its successful fight.
The Trlbupe is surely to be compli-
mented for the way 1t started the fight
and fought it through from start TO
finish. The fight was won because OF
The Tribune's persistence, and the
deep, careful way It went into the SUBJ
ject.
81 have been assured by Governor
Sulzer that he will sign the bill, and
now that 1t has passed both the Senate
and Assembly the fight is completely
won. II 1t had not been for Wende
from Buffalo, who fought the bill, 1t
would have been adopted before this.
He should have known, II he didn't.
that Buffalo statistics showed the habit
was practised there only second TO New
York City. His attitude speaks very
badly for him. The fact that he did not
vote against the bill when it finally
came TO a vote. although he fought II
before. seems TO indicate that he got
set right by his constituents, doesn't
#? We ought not to fail to mer ion,
too. the valiant way Speaker Smith
worked for It."
Or. James ]. Walsh. former dean OF
Fordham Medical School, was told of
the passage Of the bill by a Tribune
Of
and was surprised to learn of the COM
plete success Of the campaign.
THAT is fine!" he said. II am glad
to hear il. 1t is a move in the right
the habit of using ten times as much
cocaine as we ought to use. 1t has
been used promiscuously, too. in num-
erous proprietary medicines and bever-
ages, but federal food and drug acts
recurring that the formulas be printed
have done away with this. And now
comes the Walker bill, which will help
reduce the unnecessary use Of the drug
by the profession itself. 1t is great
step forward
! Judge Edward Swami, Of General
. Sessions. and James A. Delehanty. ot
District Attorney Whitman's staff who
drafted the bill, expressed great graft
ncation when they heard it had been
passed and that the Governor would
sign il. They agreed that unless some
disastrous amendment had been tackled
on the immediate effect OF the new law
would be TO rid the streets OF the
cocaine vendors and users. whose prev
alence and activity were described In
The Tribune.
Judge Swami and Mr.. Delehanty
praised The Tribune highly for its
work in exposins conditions In the
drug traffic and furtherng the bill.
Judge Swami was informed by tele-
phone from Albany OF the passing Of
the bill.
The new law" said Judge Swami.
will be "A blessing not only 10 the
community at large but also TO tho
vast number OF slaves of the drug in
! this and other cities. Under its pro-
visions IL will be possible for the
courts to deal with the drug iiends as
they should be dealt with and in the
course Of time hope that there will be
some state or city refuge to which they
may be sent.
The new law makes the mere pos
session of cocaine misdemeanor. thus
.ts;th la hrft
hitherto impregnabie defence that the
possessor int, ed the drug for his
own use. The penalty for selling co.
cane illegally is likewise increased
from one year to seven. which is as II
should be. Seven years is the normal
punishment for felony, and even
under the old law the selling of cocaine
was felony.
Il should like to say just word
commencing Assemblyman James Wal
ker who introduced this bill. He de-
serves great credit for his tireless ef-
forts to get it through
THE immediate and direct effect OF
the new law" said Mr. Delehanty,
will be TO rid the streets OF the CO.
caine fiends and vendors. The police
can now pick them up wherever they
find them with cocaine in their posses
sion. Those picked up in this way will.
under the new law. be tried in Special
Sessions instead of in General Scs-
sions. There will be less chance for m
INSCRIPTIONS attorney to obtain an ac-
quittal before three Justices than he
fore the average jury.
1T will relieve the General Sessions
courts OF a great deal of work that can
undoubtedly be done exactly as well.
and perhaps better. in Special SEES
sions"
District Attorney James c. Cropsey.
of Kings County. who has taken lead
ing part in the fight for the suppression
of the drug evil. said yesterday when
he learned through a Tribune reporter
that the cocaine bill had passed the AS
sembly:
"This Is a helpful and useful bill. II
will certainly be helpful to the prose-
cutting officers, who are trying 10 pre-
vent the sale OF cocaine. Your paper
deserves a lot of commendation for the
work IL did To help the measure through