New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-12
1870 ARID AREAS
POSSIBLE in CITY
Anti-SaIoon League Pro-
poses Local Option by
Election Districts.
ITO CALL THE BLUFF
OF LIQUOR TRAFFIC"
Legislature Will Be Asked to
Permit Special Elections,
Says w. H. Anderson.

Along about July 81 a dryer. more arid
little town than Painted Post. Ariz., is
difficult to imagine. The chances are that
| the average New Yorker. whose westward
travels have never taken him beyond
West Nutley, n. J.. knows little of the
depressing state OF dryness that exists in
the Great American Desert He will
know soon, however. or the Anti-Saloon
League will not be to blame. A series OF
little Painted Posts. Saharas or miniature
Names are going 10 exist right here In
this city. And in time. the league leaders
hope, the entire city Will be dry as the
clothes on a clear. windy Monday after
noon.
Within few weeks bill is to be in
PRODUCED in the Legislature providing.
among other things, that every election
district In New York City be permitted
| TO decide by the votes OF its residents
whether anything stronger than Mr..
Bryans favorite tipple shall be sold. III
the citizens vote NAY" then every sa-
loon within the boundaries OF that cleo
ton district will be forced to relinquish
its license and turn the place into NOV
ing picture show or move TO another cleo
| tion district where the sale of alcoholic
| drinks is permitted.
William II. Anderson. the recently ap-
pointed superintendent OF the Anti-Saloon
League Of New York state, outlined for
the first time yesterday the programme he
had In mind. Speaking at the fremont
Methodist Episcopal Church. Washington
avenue and 17Sth street, at the morning
service, Mr.. Anderson began what he de-
clarcd was 10 be the most active cam
paign against the liquor question New
York had ever seen. In the evening he
repeated his declaration at the st. James
Methodist Episcopal Church, at Madison
avenue and 126th street.
THE liquor traffic has been allowed TO
bluff the Christian. temperance and other
patriotic citizens Of New York long
enough" he declared. I'VE have been
told that nothing could be accomplished
in this city because it was such a great
liquor centre, and in years past we have
stood helpless. But the Anti-Saloon
League intends 20 emancipate even the
citizens OF New York.
The mere fact that the entire city cam
not be voted dry at once is no reason
why those sections which want to pro-
tect themselves should not be permitted
to do so. The election district feature OF
the leagues new bill is designed especia .
~ for the benefit of residential districts.
If the bill is passed it will be possible
for a certain number of residents in any
district, upon presenting a petition
signed by the requisite number OF names,
to hold an election to determine If the
liquor traffic shall be driven from the dis
trict."
Mr. Anderson's ideas on temperance and
its enforcement differ from those gener-
ally conceded to be held by advocates Of
a suppressed liquor traffic He realizes,
he said, that there are certain sections Of
the city where saloons should be allowed
to exist as long as they are tolerated
anywhere He would not convert Long
Acre Square back to the farm, with its
winding cowpaths that it once was, and
Broadway in general into Great White
Waste.
II hold, however" he told the congre-
cations of both churches, that there are
other sections Of New York, among the
homes of the people, where stores merely
exist AS a local convenience, and where
there is no earthly excuse for the eX-
istence Of saloon. even from the view
point of those who claim saloons should
exist somewhere