New-York tribune., 1878-03-01
THE EXCISE BILL.

DEBATE IN TIE A--ENBLY-Mfs ~. WORTH AND
DAILY N rs FAVuE ANn MEs>Es. WAXING AND
sKlSNRR H. oPpusIII"S-AVENDMENTS Pro
POSED BY MIR. ALVoRD.
lYRoM rIiE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE rRiBUSE.
ALBANY, Feb. 2s.-1hc temper of the Leg
i-la,drc tHe plc-cut Exc.so Law 10 s an unknown
quantity II wa cxp xpec;ed whcn the body met in Janu
ary that the earliest acted Upon would be some
b modifying the .aS but January and February have
passed without ans thng having been done IN that d
rtctiOu There has not been one test vote To decide
whetlcr the Lesl.at.re IN mood To modify nj all
rhe There have however been tons OF petitions On
the subject and in A-senlbl, plenty Of speeches.
The Assembly consumed another day ot sprecEnak
INK on Mr.. Days Excise bill nppylngto New-lork City
aloue). day but did not advance one step toward
passing defeating tHe bin. The bi has not yet even
been read through although evident to-day, 1t is
hkcly many amendments Will bo offered Ia il. on
which there viii be long debates The three
cln.,e, Of members on excise questions were
rcpres,ntod in the debate o: to-day: Those In
favor Of any modification Of the law that will
relax s severe commands by ,Ir Worth; those opposed
to any change whatever by Mr. skinner and Mr. Naliug
and those In favor ~ such change IN the law As shall
encourage the of ght wines, alec and beers in pref
crence 10 more Intoxicating liquors. by Mr. Aivord.
Sir. worth, of Brooalyn tall, strongly built man,
began tle debate Il loud voice. that quickly attracted
the attention entire Assembly to him lie 0ccu
PIES u the back part % tho r0Om but has such
powerful voice. ald the air vigorously with his
arms in speaking, thot II would be impossible
70. any member TO disregard hun in tho open
Ing sentences OF speech. Mr. Worth more
over pounds his desk at intervals, tnat
any nattcuye MEMBER Is quickly reused kcener
interest in speaker. lie SAID that the members from
country districts cannot realize what burden the Ex
cise Law is TO city residents. countrymau generally
eats his dinner AT home and there have his lager
beer he desires it, but the city resident Dimes at
restaurant. which Is not permitted tc sell liquors. He
then continued his speech follows:
Ireprcs, ut u district which Is largely Inhabited by
Germans. In the ward III which live there ate not less
thsn 400 ageI.beer dealers. These reputable
dealers be. Most of these saloons kept IN
tenement houses such tencmcnts cannot be turned
into "a hotel. III YOU Ubge these dealers 10 provide
such accommodations they viii havo 10 shut up shop
Iney do not make tasir HG'S frGm seg r only over yer
beer in the morning instead OF coffee and In the evening
instead Of II contains nutriment aud does not m
tOxicate. families buy gallon OF 1t II day; tue
quantity they take depends Oh t;lr Ca capaeiy; r no.
ance point OF view. liaughterl
Mr.. Warng, OF Brooklyn said he not prepared to
whether he would favor any modification OF the EX
else Law Until, however 1t can he shown that 1t would
be- disadvantage continue the present law in force
he was In OF keeping 1t intact. lie believed that
pIohlbit"ry legislation "oii o1c ulu pyc pc u; M
expressive OF the moral sentiment Of the time c
then criticised al great length the BILL ana replied 10 Mr.
Daly'5 arguments III It's favor.
Mr.. Alyori said-I propose to offer an amendment
making this bill apply to all the cities OF the State
propose also strike out the words wines, aes and
beers" and put in the words " lgh, foreign wines"
believe that We shall conquer the love OF our
people for ardent spirits by implanting in
thcIn love for those that only slightly mtoN-
cate These lesser drinks should he made to take
the place OF those that BtOXcate IL Is useless Tor liz 10
make speeches against and foe temperance Ia country
the people parts OF the law Better that We
should wipe out law to the enforcement Of which hall
the people indifferent, than have IL on our statute
DooR- do think that public opinion yet demands
"A
amended read 'ln any city oI this state aud
that the other amendment have mentioned be also i'll
serted.
MI sknner-Mr. Worth has gwen us 400 reasons why
should pass This bill THIS Is the special legisla
ton Of which NewYork members SO often complain All
the other cities in the STATE will follow NewYorks eX-
ample pass this bill The present law protects
homes. am glad ~ vote to sustain the law. The law.
claim, 10 clear crystal. would call the ate ntlon
Of tho Assembly to the fact that not word has
been spOkcn here In behalf Of the thousands
o good and honorable and In New
law. They apparently not represented by the
Assembly from that city. Only the liquor dealers
aud their supporters are 10 De represented II The
law has been called despouc. But we have lar stronger
than exists in any country Europe We
more ropressivc law Our people beg OF to
change the present law.
Mr. Day-I deny that the best public sentiment Of
the representatives OF NewYork should irrespective OF
party, unitedy ask for u modification Of the law. In
the cool and dspassonae this House to
excise matters Centuries have demonstrated that
then TO have good sumptuary law than one you cannot
out The proposed law would De lar better than
the present non-enforced and non enforceable law.
DIR. Sl!card-ATe there any moro liquor saloOns than
before Court Of Appeals uccslOut