New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-01
PROTECTION AT WHOLESALE.

The newest trail Of graft leads
through the office Of the Liquor Deaf
cls' Association. The Waldo theory Of
individual and sporadic police corrup-
lion j. thus di,cre,litcd from The other
end Of the line. Not only l. ihcre Il
well organized system in the depart
ment for the collection OF graft and the
safeguarding of CRITTERS. but there l.
an organized system for paying grait
aud securing the purchased nrotectloh
for lawhreakcrS. Strangely enough. ii
also appears that tn. banding together
of the SaloonkepperS 10 buy Their IN
muniiic> at wholesale was coincldeni
with the establishment Of the Mayor :
.on1ward urorr and decency' policy.
which was tu stop hlachmail and re
NOV" individual policemen from the
opportunity t. levy il. Perhaps ii did
80. ~ any rate il facilitated opera
lions higher NJ. BEING III 10 danger
FROM meddlc>Omc pHtr0lmen acting "h
their own hook the >aloonkc"per>
pooled their payments and secured
themselves from Interference Icy The
department a. Il whole. They prob
ably saved money 10y ~ doin-. They
have enjoyed immunity. aud that fari
in Itself y sufficient proof 81 ia" police
system. for it is impossible I" believe
that saloonkccpcrS all over town could
hc free from moleStation unless high
authorities la the department re-
strained their >uburdinatcs. The ~
loonkeeper> did not collect their CON-
mon fund aud pay it over without got
ting Il return.
such u revelation must hc highly cm-
RAISING 80 the Mayor. but II must
he equally embarrassing 10 large
number of wealthy persons who claim
lo be respectable business men. Back
of The Saloonkceper IF this city stand
The brewers aud wholesale liquor deal
pr>. \ large proportion of the saloons
are virtually owned 10y these financierN.
They Indignantly deny all charges that
they encourage lawbrcakin.. aud pro
rcs> 10 bc engaged in Legitimate bust
ness. They maintain that they cannot
Lee held responsible for Ill" misdccd>
If individual liquor dealers who per
>iSt i'm selling after hours. ~ keeping
open ON SUNDAY and in maintaining.
disrcuutahlc resorts. Iiul what he
comes of that plea when Ill" whole
body Of >aloonkccpcr~ through the "r-
caniZaliom ostcnsihly devoted 10 TN"
legitimate interest Of their trade. con
TESS their universal lawlcs,nc>S 10y
united payment for protection: \
common graft fund j. evidence of com
mon crime.
If the great body Of >aIoonkccpcrS
were ohcying the law there would he
no need for the Liquor Dealers AS>o-
citation 10 pay the police. however nuch
individuals here and there might wish
TO escape law enforcement. The evi-
dcncc of the central fund l. an indlci-
mcnt of the whole liquor business. II
j. organized To- operate crimlnallN. u
intends as Il body 10 DEFY the law. ana
il does il with The backing of great
interests. who could control the vast
majority of The retail places If they
would. but vino instead encourage their
dependents in selling AT all hours and
under any conditions which viii in
crease The quantity of their liquors
forced on the community. II II time
for the hackers of the saloons who
make professions 10 responsibility 10
realize their responsibility for the cor
rrptiou which inurcS tu their prolil.