New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-01-09
TIE EXCISE BOARD.
THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF TIE BOARD or
EXCISE.

EACISE.
The following is the third annual report Of
the Board Of Excise presented in the Legislature on
Thursday:
To G,e Goranor ofhe state of Ncu-Torl:
The metropolitan Board Excise, pursuant TO Section
g Of Chap 5 Of the Laws Of 1906 and TO Section l6 OF
Chap 95G 0f the Laws Of 1861 and to Section 10 OF Chap
- Of the Laws Of 1866 respectfully submits the following
report for the period since the 18th day OF December 1851
In ire former Observation-Disclosures this Board was com.
poed 10 report that its action had been embarrassed ana
The public mind agitatcd by numerous suits agnEt tno
Board and expensive proceedings in the COURTS Ihre
was also not wanting some organized action that tended
TO develop feeling Of hostility toward me Jaw on tn
there has been exhibited much less evidence OF tiS ie
ZION to observe the law and 70 promote as prSpsr
uon has taken their place. IN me Oy OF ne Ro9r
during the past year This suit stn pending IS IN We
object 70 procure Judgment that tnS Iacse y, M,
iHg excise licenses belongs solely to that officer ana ln
It's exercise by n rs necessary or tle 20 o
city creditors. Though penang Tor SeFeti. i
proceedings have been taken in this suit ana rs tno
treasury than had been received during any twcniy
years prior 20 the passage OF 1he pl e' coSsfi
ttional by the Court OF Appeals, 1t IS hardly anIt
pated that ths litigation can seriously pgendise ne
ported in tic County Of Queens is nearly at an end and
the liquor dealers In the portion Of that county snec 20
6ie IL vii not probably be practicable TO enforce tho
Excise law completely in section to which INC metro,
in,
cS fTS hf Inv te Board before the Supreme Court in
TINT comfy furnished sueh convincing evidence OF me
public feeling cOncoruing its enforcement That inc pru
cpa iquordeaers acquiesced, and promptly ana oheor
fully took licenses fIOu. tho Board. 80, =.
A most aborous aud delicate portion OF the duties Of
fine Hoard If involved in the investigation OF charges OF
violation Of licenses and OF the Excise law ana te dec
sions Of ;htse also Involve tue question: % nv a.
Ste q t9 Of ms function OF the Board
,ib'tes most materially toward the easy and effective
execution OF the law ana ieEus To strengthen 'e pnS
confidence in ITS administration. Many OF the questions
to he decided very embarrassing, ana IL requires
patience care. ana integrity 10 secure the ehGS Oh
II VIII be seen that the Board has esteated more tih
2ag7 such cOmpaints that 457 licenses have been re-
yoked and tha 5GI charges have been oisssen as nG'
established aud 40 have been indefinitely pGstpODeu'
ner ia WMoh TINS oeaeate uuly , L,S D o1i,s in
charged, that, though the opportunity eAls,s III
law conrts % the action Of the Board IN revong
licenses has been taken; and, in that case inc cc
denied because facts calling for review VI the deci-
SION OF the Board could be shown.
Tie following extract from tho last report or TINS ord
olsts AYE contended the hand that the taho IN
o t oiIs mat II shonlf be icft as FREQ as tho
trade I'm grain bread or II any othcr necessary o ms
middle ground between the extremes, maintaining
that this traffic should be tolerated. but regulated
and subjected TO restrictions which, while they provide
for inc reasonable ana moderate qualification Of the
appetite for stmuants, opposed by barriers To rcOus
excess aal reckless iniluation. IT TINS golden mean
between absolute prohibition and boUndesS indulgence
Is s to DO adhered TO, we respectfully submit that 10
would prove conducive TO the general wo-being"
When the present law went into operation the huhhef
Of places nj which intoxicating liquors were rubhcy
sold, IN Ncw-Iork and Brookyn was 9'1' an1 ' ne
number such places Is now 1901 IL can ecarceiN DC
claimed by any that any useful purpose could
be secured by increasing tho number OF such places ana
the substitution Of other pursuits III 2l9 such places
may he hoped, Ia sadded somewhat 10 tue cohioitoi
families. ard not ailc To the accumulation OF pfuuuet'e
industry in the two cities .,..
The law Il Is believed not enacted, and 1t has MOI
morality. any assumption OF right to say. gen.
orally what people shall drink bayeIage, but solely
the theory Of providing reaSonapie ana Nnolspmo
regulations FOR public traffic peculiarly laDle 10 abhst
and there cannot IL Is believed be any ser0ns ground
for doubt lat least on the experience OF thls law" at
The exemption Of the Christian Sabbath from this trhc
" 1 Ss Sr a % pS RON Il Hs s o per Tee
has done much promote what all gocd men and women
ae II me 20 h ini 81 so Strong in any
~ ~ need Of is 80 great that it canuot
bc intermited Sunday from midnight 10 daylight
it is not difficult to secure supply for private use
convenience and advantage Of the proximity Of
duor store as to claim that they suer any serious pcju
Mace; TO exist in the cites OF NewYoik and Brooklyn
The Board cannot doubt that the provisions OF the law
which render IL necessary for those who spend their time
IA those places to depart at midnight ana makes IL iOr
the interest OF the licensees to preserve quiet ana order
on their premises WINE open, nave e1h.rlDueu 20 pre-
vent scenes OF vice and violence; ana tho REDUCTIONS
! OF the number OF places where liquors arc sold has
beeu made nv rejecting and dscOuraging the applica-
tons and forfeitug the licenses OF those VINO kept tho
r9duaI elevation has been commenced In tho average
character OF the licensed houses; and may not be too
|
both pride and tie interest 81 the licensed vendors
under this law are united TO limit the number licensed by
opposing licenses to all whose places tend 10 bring disrc
pnte on the business. Tho closing OF the drinking
| places on election day has long been known to con
tribute largely to the public and quiet and the
same result equally apparent consequence OF
! Closing such places on the sabbath.
We are able to make fair comparison by contrasting
the records Of arrests FOR Sundays aud Tuesdays Thus,
record kept for period Of eight months IN 1868 showed
3bO arres intOXicatOn sundays and $3.50 for the
same the following Tuesdays Of eaCh week; tho
1913 excess Sundays indicating, doubtless the number
that a want OF occupation on the Sabbath leaves the
easier victims OF ntcnpcrate habits In the - months
during which the present IL else law had been ia force,
at the dgte Of the last report ii proved that 602l
rests we've made the Tuesdays, against only 2,5l4
| on the Sundays OF the same weeks; and this 36Ul
excess Of Tuesday over Sunday arrests according TO
the ratio shown for tie prior eight mouths come2 con.
sdeably short Of tho number OF scenes Of disorder OF
which the Sabbath has been relieved And should BE-
remarked that portion VI the Sunday arrests under
the present Excise Law, have been OF persons Who have
gore out of district and drank much liquor that
they fell the hands Of the police their return
The following table shows IN detail the arrests Cor In
toxcaon Sundays aud Tuesdays, FOR tic year next
preceding tic 1t Of November last; and TO this detaic
statement added the aggregate Of snch arrests for the
| period from January ], 1861 10 November !, 1861
NumLsr Number EIees.of
u Of 1uestsy6rer
Month Year Sundays Arrests Tuesdays ArrtsL Sunday.