New-York daily tribune., 1866-01-05
EXCISE LAW.


The excessive use Of intoxicating drink Is The great
est evil 20 Which communities are exposed To may
be traced much the largest share Of poverty. disease
and crime, public disorder aud moral degradation
which 50 much aict society. Al laws, organizations
and efforts suggested By Christian plilanthropy for the
ion of ntemrerate drinking lave failed 10 pro
duce the desired result Sound minds are convinced
that the appetite for intoxicating drink cannot be eec
tnllly restrained by penal laws The Maine Liquor
Law. which was prohlbitory ;niled utterly even In
New England. All modified systems 0f restraint have
fallen short in their effects Of the hopes and expecta.
tions Of The humane.
Tie existing system is practically imperative. Any
person obtain license and any person can sell
without license with impunty Such - the consiitu.
ton OF courts and Juries and such the state oi
public opinion in the city that convictions for viola.
lions the Excise Law he had without such
accumulation OF positive evidence Is difficult to pro.
duCc The members of the police force cannot be used
20 detect ard prove the oeuscs without allowing them
TO enter dram.shops and drink at pleasure which would
lc destructive OF the discipline aud efficiency OF the
force The police force cannot arrest on view without
warrant for this cass of olruse aud applications 10
police magistrates for warrants would be addressed to
unwilling ears.
The present system seems TO have been framed with
view II subectng the traffic to the supervision Of the
authorities aud improving 1t rs source of municipal
revenue II has substantially failed The traffic is
restrained and very nearly untaxcd. Tho humber of
licenses granted aud the amount received for Excise
fees have already diminished.
H. 1850 the amount received by the Controller on
account Of Excise fees was sd5s0. In lsti II was
sl2fjO
The example furnished by the administration OF the
Internal Revenue law Of the United States, indicates
that IL is possible 10 enforce weconsdeIod excise
law for purposes Of flhe revenue.
The number Of lnccnscs granted In the City Of New.
York under the Internal Revenue law ls reported at
1900. NO reason occurs 10 us why an equal number
cannot be issued under state law That number nj the
average Of $50 each, would produce revenue Of
S2l7. 900
An inquiry instituted by this Department In May
last showed that in New-lork and Brooklyn there
were 20 places whore Intoxicating drinks were sold
OF this number but IA claimed TO bo doing business
under license showing that eJl6 yiOlaOrs OF the
law.
The following suggestions of amendment seem TO
furnls reasonable promises of beneficial results;
Provide that 10 be Unlawful for any uncens persons
10 sell keep place for selling intoxicating liquors
or 10 give out pretend to SELL or 10 have such liquors
for sale. to hal e. allow or continue or about his
premises any sign notice Of any description that such
liquors kept there for sale, 10 give notice In
any manner adv cItisc that ho sells has such liquors
Tor sale
Provide that the license be posted and continually
displayed in conspicuous place in the room where
liquors Sold and that the absence 0f the license
displayed shall be conclusive evidence that has
been granted
Provide that any violation Of these provisions shall
be "A misdemcanor, 10 be punished cTnllnay, by fine,
impngonment, or both, and authorize the arrest Of
offending parties on Wow without warrant.
Confer the power aud duty Of granting licenses and
abIogating them, 9Dd oi hxDg and graduating the