The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-02-05
WHISKY IN NEW YORK.
The Befu ding Element in the Legisla-
ture Of the State.
IL Mixes Up Republican and Demo-
cratic Interests Worse Than
Buitercup's babies.

New YORK, Feb. 4.-The New York
Legislature 10 getting into asnarl over the
excise question, which 10 likely to play a
pretty important part In the next election.
The discussion over excise in New York
City has been fairly opened IN joint com.
miltee OF the Senate ard the Assembly.
The bill under discussion was what
is known as "the High License BILL, 4"
introduced by Mr.. Roosevelt, and
which proposes to increase the present II.
cense fees to 500 for the sale OF distilled
liquors and $3.50 for the sale Of ale or beer,
the act 10 apply to all cities Of over 100, 900
Inhabitants. Although the measure is nOmi-
nally one affecting the whole State, dis
cussion Is virtually controversy o z the
New York excise question. for the ason
that the liquor. dealers Of this city
are so numerous and so danger
ously powerful that determined or.
ganized opposition to any corrective excise
legislation is directed from and Is con-
trolled by the liquor interests Of New York.
TAMMANY MvsTERloUsLY SILENT.
Tammsny Hal has always maintained q
c'ose relationship with the liquor dealers.
Thus far, however, in this agitation Tam.
many has offered no organized opposition
to the measure. This has caused much
comment and those who have looked clos
est after the matter, point to the fact that
Mr.. Kelly's organ has for some time been
engaged In publishing series Of
articles aimed at a number OF presumed
Tammany allies, and declaring "the dives
must co., that the liquor dealers were be.
coming too numerous, and that the liquor
traffic needed reformation and legal re.
striction. The opinion among the shrewd-
est observers Is that Tammany is playing a
very deep game with the excise question.
TIE idea prevalent Ia that Tammany aims
at making the liquor dealers of New York a
sort Of close political corporation, restrict
ing the dealers TO limited number in each
election district, and permitting the license
fee to be placed at a high price. 1t
is further understood that when the weed
ing out process begins the solves must
yo-the dives IN this case being all
saloons not under Tammany control. The
high. license fee Is then TO be worked thus:
The fee will be exchanged for votes. When
man who can control certain number Of
votes finds 1t difficult to furnish the neces-
sary number OF dollars, he is to enroll his
votes In Tammany interests, and is then
either TO be protected In evading the H.
cense law, or, if the stern necessity OF cash
obirudes itself, the money will be furnish.
ed him.
THE REPUBLICANS IN A FIX.
Republicans In the Legislature, mean.
time, are, 1t is said, In fix. They prom.
submit prohihitory amendment to the
people, and the Sons Of Temperance PEG.
pie insist on prohibition or nothing. John
]. O'Bren went TO Albany from New York
Wednesday, snd said il prohibitory
amendment is passed by the Legislature
thousands of German Republicans will de.
sert the party; that the State will 60 Demo-
cratic on the Presidential election and a
Democratic Legis ature will be chosen, en-.
falling loss OF a United States Senator to
the Republican party. Mr.. O'Brien there
fore recommended that the Ricbtield
Springs should not be kept. He said the
temperance people might be placated by
passing the Scott law Of Ohio. The Re-
puoiiChu mclnucio aic iuSiNhcu W aCCePt
this a6 vice.
To meet this end bill modelled after ,he
Scott law has been introduced in the
Assembly. The principal point in the bill
IL. that 1t abollshes the present license sys-
tenn and substitutes.in Its place tax systc m
making the tax lieu on the real estslc
where the liquor is sold, regardless of h
real or personal property Of the liquo :
dealer; that is, the person owning the
building In which is located the liquor store
shall be responsible for the tax. The tax
shall be SIS month or $500 year for sell.
ling spirtuous liquors, and S12. 30 month
or $3.50 year for selling fermented NAL
liquors. The revenue derived is to be ap.
piled to the maintenance Of the police and
the relief Of the poor.