New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-26
DRY Leader Claims
y Votes i'm Senate;
Ratification Sure
Final Vote Expected Thsi
Week: Difficulty in En-
forcement of New Law in
the Nate Is Predicted

Senator George F. Thompson, of
Lockport. who has led the fight Of the
drys in the state Senate, said last night
at the Republican Club the drys have
twenty scvcn votes, and ratification Of
the dry amendment is certain.
"The Republican Senators doubtless
viii caucus on Monday night said he,
land as We have at least twenty-scvcn
votes there is every reason to assume
that New York will ratify some day
next week. as soon as we car get to the
roll call in the regular order of bust
ness
Asked about the vote Ct Senator
Lockwood, of Brooklyn, Senator Thomp-
son said he did not know how Mr. Lock
wood would vote. 1t is understood that
the drys are not counting on Senator
Iockwood's vote, although pressure is
being brought on the Senator by re
form, temperance and church organiza-
tons in Brooklyn to have him vote for
ratification.
Sees Problem in enforcement
TOOK lOr considerable UlfHCultV
when 1t comes to inforcing the dry
law" said Senator Thompson. "'Therc
Will have been d large amount of wet
goods kept over in private hands, and
airy? 1ohasdaral-s. ...esoor m M b
this viii lend color for awhile to storis
that the law is not being inforced
Time will remedy this. however as the
private stocks gradually but surely viii
he absorbed
What the temperance people want
to see Is the removal of the alluring
features of the whiskey busness-thc
corner saloon, the enticements that for
Years have been too much for men of
weak will Take these alluremcnts
away. and Shut down on the manufact-
urer and public sale of booze, and the
entire system Will dry up.
"Of course, there will be more or
less Illicit tratficking in strong drink
That is a hard thing to extirpate. [
know of farmers who are drunkards.
They make their own booze. There is
nothing to prevent a farmer who has a
silo filled with ensilage from boring a
hole in the bottom of the big tank and
collecting the fermented liquid. 1t is
rotten stuff to drink i but it will pro-
duce lntoXication. But that is quite
Inherent from an organized traffic,
with the interested parties forever cor
ripping and coercing legislatures"
Policy of League Stated
William II. Anderson. State Supcrin
tendent OF the Anti-Saloon League. in
discussing proposed excise legislation,
said
The statement emanating from AL
bany to the effect that the Anti-Saloon
League was surprised by the proposal
to make the Excise Commissioned the
official to enforce the prohibition law
is mistake The Anti-Saloon League
never had any intention except to turn
the excise department into a prohibi-
ton department and to make the Ex-
else Commissioner the Commissioner of
Prohibition.
This plan was originated by the
Antl-Saloon League a year ago in the
emergency prohibition bill then pro
posed, and this is the plan being fol-
lowed by the national league, hich is
proposing to put national enforcement
under the jurisdiction of the Internal
Revenue tommlss Toner, who occupies a
position corresponding to that of the
Excise Commissioner in this state.
ne league believes the Excise Com
mlssloner's department has been hon
vstly and efficiently administered, and
IT would be foolish TO undertake 10
build Up a new department when there
was already in existence something
with experience. personnel and equip
ment that can readily be converted to
the new use"
Miss Potter Calls to Women
Miss Adella Potter, superintendent of
the organization department of the
Antl-Saloon League, in an appeal veg
terday to the women Of the state, said
IN part.
'sThe linuor daalars coz. s.L a.,