New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-08
THE LIQUOR DEBATE.

THE LlQUOR-TRADE AND TENPERANCE-LEGlS-
LATINE EFFORTS AT DEBATE-THE EXCISE
BIII-SPEAKERS FAvoRING ABOLITION or
ALI. LICENSES, LEAVING THE RUM-TRADE
FIEE-OTHERS FOR ABSOLUTE PROHIBITION,
OR FOR LEAVING 1T TO THE PEOPLE OF
TIM COUNTIES TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES
SPEECHES OF ASSEMBLYMEN WOOD, GREEN,
SELKREG, ALvoRD AND Hustled.
ALBANY, March As the interest excited through
the state by the legislative movements ON the IN
else rum-SenC question is evidently increased by
the oyerbcaring spirit Of the Tammany men in re-
PRESSING discussion and preventing amendments.
some particulars of the late attempted consideIa-
tiOn" OF the Liquor bill may be interesting to people
of all parties who have demonstrated against IT'S
passage The respectful memorials pouring upon
the Legislature from all parts of the State are re-
ferred by wholesale To committees. where the domi-
uant party can smother them without ceremony-re
fusing to examine or report them-the con-
tents Of those memorials being thus rendered
wholly unknown to either House as in neither
House has any one Of those petitions been read or
hcard-facts that may interest the Iauiitltudinous
petitioners of ali parties in all parts of the State
However sacred the right of petition may be, what
does il amount when all petitions are flung aside
~ waste-paptr without notice from the controlling
party
The Excise bill or An Act to regulate the Sale of
Intoxicating Liquors they style this official
document fOr recognizing rum-sellng as suitable em-
poyment for moral men IN all the cities, towns,
and villages through the State, received by the
Tammauy Assemblymen in way that showed their
intention to run the iniqutous concern through the
Assembly more Summary even than it was forced
through the Senate-withOut allowing time for Tea-
>ouahlc discussion or proposed amendments. Though
last Wednesday evening was specially set apart for
consideration and action IN this momentOus BILL the
lMumauy managers promptly sounded the party
hurlc requiring all the faithful TO put the bill
QUICKLY through the last forms of legislation exactly
as ii came from the Senate, where they said it had
been fully discussed by members of both parties.
NcsSrS Fields, Herman, and Nachtman of New
York and MeSsrs. Jacobs and O'Keefe of Brooklyn,
though differing considerably on some other topics,
Were all united on this quor-selling bill. Contrary
to custom on all important measures. they refused to
allow the minority the common right of having the
bin read by sections, if possible, to cut of all
chance of discussion and amendment!
Under these extraordinary circumstances. some
opponents of the bill seized opportunities, under diff
fercnt pretexs to express themselves briefly against
the leading features of the bill and an outline of
their remarks may be taken indications of the
spirit in which different sections of this nquitous
measure would have been resisted by very respect
able minority. if not by actual majority, if the
enormous features of the bill could have been dis
cussed by sections-f the usual Parliamentary right
OF privilege of thus discussing it had been allowed to
them by the Tammany managers
Among the marked features of the speeches made
on the OCCASION may be noted the proposition of Mr.
Green of Cattaraugus for letting the people of each
county settle the question for themselves by voting
for against licensing the m-traffc; the state
ment of Mr. Sekreg of TOmpkins, that he is opposed
to the bill in all its provisions being favorable to
absolute prohibition of all trade in the article; the
assertion of Mr.. Wood of Wayne, that the entire
license system is disgrace TO the statutebook; the
statement of Mr.. Alvord of Onondara, that he is in
favor of wping ont all license laws from the statute
book and the ALTERATION of rum, riot. robbery
aud Tuin,' with which Mr.. Hustled of Westchester
concluded his denunciatiOn Of the Excise bill.
FEATURES OF THE BILL.
A brief outline viii convey a general idea of this
liquor bIl and render more ineligible several
points referred to by the different speakers. 1t pro-
v.des for Board Of Excise Commissioners in every
city, town. and village City Boards TO have three
members, Town Boards to consist of the Supervisor
and Justices of the Peace. and Village Boards of the
President and three of the Trustees. The Commits
sioners TO meet in their respective cities, towns
aud villages the first Monday of each month, and
such other days they shall appoint not exceed
ing three days in each year. in any town village.
But in cities they shall meet the first Monday of
Sary. All licenses TO expire in year from date OF
issue. Excise Boards in cities have power 10 license
any persons of good moral character" to retail
strong liquors, wines, ale. ahd beer in quantities
less than five gallons, at rates varying between
so aud $50 Persons not licensed NAV, in cities
sell not less than five gallons at a time provided no
part shall be drank the premises in any public
street place contiguous to the building where sold
License shall not authorize fany person to publicly
keep, sell, give away, dispose of any such liquors
Sunday (but it does not prohibit their selling
privately with "a shutter up' or on any election
day. OF on any day between ] and 5 o'clock in the
morning. or on any election day within onequarter
OF mile from the place where the election is held
Anda places licensed aforesaid shall be closed and
kept closed on Sundays and election days, and be-
tween the hours aforesaid on all other days. Hotels
may receive and entertain the travelling public
sundays and allow free ingress and egress on that
day from any place licensed as aforesaid, and
lager beer may be sold on Sunday in public gardens
and other places not in public view, licensed as
aforesaid. No penalties are mentioned in this
bill for violating any of its provisions. The
law of 1866 regulating the sale Of liquors in
the Metropolitan District is repealed; but the pro-
visions of the act passed in 1851 except where they
conflict with this act shall remain IN full force and
effect through the State. SO much of the last-men-
toned act and of Section . of the laws of 1869 as
makes intoxicatOn an offense, punishable by fine
and imprisonment, is annulled But nothing in
this act shall prevent the arrest of any person found
drunk in the streets or hghways'-(yet there is no
penalty for this lying drunk in public) City Com
m.sioneIs in cities to be paid not $500 year,
and in towns and villages per diem like that in
their respective town and village offices for their