The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-02
OPEN FIGHT TO MAKE
NEW YORK DRY CITY
Anti-SaloOn Leaguers Establish
Headquarters for
Campaign.
EXPECT A BITTER BATTLE
Supt. Anderson to Have Bill
Drafted-tO Watch
Legislators.

The Anti-Saloon League has descended
upon New York with an organized plan
for ultimate prohibition and with i'm
mediate plans for extending local option
IN the furthest possible point
The man who Is to lead the campaign
arrived yesterday and took quarters ~
the Hotel McAlpin. He is William IT,
Anderson who has conducted campaigns
for the league In Chicago and Baltimore
and who comes to New York from the
latter city. His title II to be "Sta's
superintendent" OF the Anti-Saloon
League.
Mr.. Anderson IL not a theorist. lilo
is frank TO confess his disbelief that New
York will go dry In a day or a week
In fact he said yesterday that he doubted
n the city and State ever would vote
for city or state wide prohibition.
Meanwhile the Anti-Saioon League i,
going to prepare ahe way by making a.
much Of this city and State dry as II
can. The first thing 90 be done Is 10
Introduce a bill In the next Legislature
to provide local option for cities OF the
third class (having $4,000 population or
less); for counties having no cities
Of 10000 or over; for these same coun-
ties exclusive OF the cities ana for ciec-
ton districts separately and for groups
of contiguous election districts.
Tho bill will be drafted by experts
who have drafted anti-iiauor laws for
the league In other States. 1t is planned
to set aside a day for discussion of thu
bill in pupits and on lecture platforms.
TO right Hostile Legislators.
The fight will be carried into the dis
tricts of Senators and Assemblymen IF
a Senator or Assemblyman." Mr.. Ander-
son says. votes against the bill and
| represents the sentiment of his consttu-
ents In SO doing. 1t won't hurt him. but
| IL he doesn't represent the sentiment OF
| his district he is likely to DO defeated
| for reelection.
| 1T is the purpose OF the league to keep
out of politics II possible" Mr.. Anderson
| continued. But IL Ii 10 not possible-tf
the party bosses compel us to get into
politics, then the liquor issue will be made
AN acute political issue In those dis
| tricts."
| Mr.. Anderson said that every important
! Protestant Church In the State except the
! Protestant Episcopal Is cooperating with
| the league. The Catholic Church as Il
church does not take part. but the Catholir
| Total Abstinence Union and many indI-
| vidual Catholics are cooperating. The
same individual cooperation is promised
| from many Epscopalians.
| The proposed legislation will be so
! drawn AS to leave the Raines law opera
, tive except where 1t is superseded by locat
! prohibition effected under the local option
! clauses.
Attacks the RHines Law.
| "The Raines law OF New York" Mr..
| IND
as tax law. As a means OF regulatin';
the traffic where the people want II IT -
probably as good as any and better than
many. The present Commissioner OF EN-
else, so far as ! can ascertain. and nave
| taken pains to find out, Is "A high grade,
conscientious official who is administer
ing this law efficiently and honestly. But
as means of enabling the people To
rid themselves Of the liquor traffic where
they do not want II the Raines law Is
fossil. belonging to the stone age of tenn
perance reform II Is designed to pro-
tect the liquor traffic as revenue pro
Queer and imposes needless handicaps
upon the effort to eliminate II completely
as a public nuisance and menace. IT ~ a
brake upon the wheels of tho water
| wagon.
| Calls New York Liquor Centre.
From now on" he continued. "the at
tention of the National Anti-Saloon
League will be directed toward New York
as the liuuor centre of America. The
lnew programme In New York is designed
to put the work into harmony with ana
the State in line for the policy OF ultimate
prohibition and yet have "A local issue
that is practicable and capable of early
attainment.
We may expect" Mr. Anderson said
"that political organizations such as Tam
many will bitterly oppose anything which
may deprive them of their present III"
and death power over the liquor traiil,
and its financial possibilities. Therefore
a square contest with Tammany taking
the wrong side of this question OF com
bined morality and self government, -
practically certain and the local OPTIC
proposition will offer the means OF break
ing permanently the dominion of corrupt
political bosses"
Baltimore newspapers have been hay
ing fun with Mr. Anderson over the gifi
presented to him by his Baltimore friend
at "A farewell dinner last Monday night
This gift was "A cut glass punch bowl Nj
Anderson told Baltimore interviewors tha
the best recipe he had for use IN u
punch bowl was grape juice, lemons
sugar and water
He will at once look for perlnaner'
downtown headquarters for the League
The present headquarters are AZ II.
East l25th street. j. +. Burke. who hg
, handled the legal and Legislative work g.
the league in several States, iuolu
ing Illinois, is moving TO New York 90
Gay. His office headquarters is in Alban'
, a. ll9 State street.