New-York tribune., 1885-03-17
THE PROPOSED EXCISE LAW.
A CONFERENCE OF CITIZENS.
VIEWS OF THE REV. DIR. HOWARD CROSBY, ROBERT
GRAHAM Ex-JUpaE ARNOUX AND OTHERS.

VIEWS OF THE REV. DR. HOWARD CROSBY, ROBERT
GRAHAM Ex-JUDGE ARMOUR AND OTHERS.
| A conference of citizens for the consideration
| of the new excise bill proposed by tho Church Iemper
| ance Society was held last evening in Grace Chapel
Bishop O. Potter presided and Robert Grahain secre
tary the Church Temperance Society," explained .ne
object Of the meeting On tho 10th OF January ias'
| be said "a depntatipn from the Church Temperance
Society called upon Mayor Grace in regard to the Deter
enforcement OF the law The Mayor said IL wouiu po
we'll before undertaking to enforce the law that ~
| should be a law that all intelligent men couid uhuer
stand and arged that new law should be raned ieo
from the antiquities OF Old law. At his suggeson
the Society Prevention OF Crime was invited 10 ac'
with the Church Temperance Society; committees were
appointed and present conference called Dill has
been drafted by six eminent gentlemen and such sus
gestions as deemed worthy will be incorporated Will
| it, .
Ex,Judre William IT, Arnoux stated the scope OF the
| hill He said: "The original idea embodied In tho
action OF the appointed at meeting OF citi
zens at Steinway Hall that two things shonid oo
sought for in excise laws-hrst that sufficient money
should derived from the excise. in part at least ID
compensate for the expenses entaed on society oy inc
liquor sellers and that there should be restriction OF Tue
number OF saloons to I'm 500 OF the population
committee was organized and 1t found that 1t woua
be almost mpracticaDe to limit the number OF saoohs
and could be done it would be putting out teiP
ton bribery and corruption 10 induce the EXCISE Io
msoners to permit certain saoon-keer ers to Keep open
Further the who had obeyed the laws
had certain vested rights The committee found IL Dest
to put such license fee the sale of liquors as 10 make
IL certain that some OF the quor-seels would he com
PEELED go out Of the business ny Tue large ieS
rived from the sale OF alcohol found that the
number of saloons not diminished further legislation
The Rev Dr. Howard Crosby explained the provisions
Of the proposed m d. % s said 70 that mo- license Should
granted unless the app, antwas law -hDiunS pIson
a1i 'H present o he said requires that the applicant
shall he of good moral character place adJonx tis
day and Commits Morris went In there and found
500 people drinking He took whiskey himself 70 maze
the mans license about tO expire lie reportci tho
circumstances the Board and the license was NJ once
renewed" Dr. Crosby explained that the III hNcd the
license for places where all kinds O liquor might DC SOU
In NewYork and Brooklyn at 1000 aud In other parts
To be 500 In cities OF over 100000 inhabitants ana III al
Sioo siGe5 N iSSI iSS largest cities ana s5S
ing a great distinction IN the matter OF license, ne
great deal Of the whisky will be turned beer
Applause lie described the manner In which applca
the money received from licenses goes 10 the poor
propose that OF all the mooeys received III tns
way in NewYors and Brooklyn shall go To the police
fund for pensions ana then the whole police force WI"
be with us in enforcing tho law Applause ! woI,a IT,
suggest additions to the Law that no new licenses po
granted any places within BOO feet OF any church OF
public school, or for any grocery connected win paI
room, or for any places OF amusement OF Uo
or any citizen and that no Excise Commits
sioner be Interested IN any urense granted ApPausc.
The Rev Dr. W. H. Plat OF Rochester. said the great
effort should bc 10 hinder the formation oithabis when
acquired could not be readily shaken on ne Whs
opposed cheap beer llcenses The poweressDess OF
tue working classes In the present condition OF things
he argued makes them ready 10 drop In AT any oheap
nend-factory In the evening after tier work is done
The saloons the places where injury Is done be
Cause they cheap" -,
DR. Crosby-Wi Dr. Plat nllOw me 10 state that the
beer license the bill il three times much as 1t Ia now
Dr. Plat-Wel. II ought. Ia be three tunes hs gfrat
again. Let the prosecuting attorney have fco oi sIVo
for every conviction under this law.
general discussion Of the features OF the proposd
hill took place. In which ". &. Beecher. the REV. br'
william y. Brown. Robert Graham. the Rev Dr. ). VI,
Worrall w. NJ h. Round the Rev. Dr. W. W. Attcrbury
aud others took part The latter thought that Que hii
100000 collected for licenses should nOtso 10
the police peIsisn fund. Resolutions offered by Mr.
Graham were adopted calling upon the Mayor To con
slider tnat the sunday laws should apply 10 liquor
dealers ~ well those engaged In other tndes ana
promising aid him In any efforts Tor the better en-
forcement Of the law. -.
The bill will be laid before Mayor Grace ana tho
CorpoI alton Counsel for their consideration and aoio
aud with the least possible delay viii DO Introduced IN
the Legislature.