New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-22
nrnIsR LEGISLATION.

The action taken by the Republican Assem-
h,v caucus nm Wednesday night is complete
v;ndication OF the course Of THE TRIBUNE IN
onnosjno The passage Of the Excise Commission
bin in the shape in which 1t was suDmueu W
the Legislature. The bin as presented con-
tanned some dangerous features, all OF wnich
appear to have been removed by the caucus
committee, following the line OF the cnaclsmS
made by ex-Judge DAVIS, ex-senator h'iier
and others.
Some Of the more important Of these may be
indicated. The proposed clearinghouse incense
which threatened to give birth to great num-
Der of cheap saloons thinly disguised as restau-
rants, is stricken out. The provision wnlon
limited, so to speak, at reduction OF the num-
her Of saloons TO one for every 500 OF the pop
ulation in the distant future is altered so as to
give il some real effectiveness. Under II no
license will be granted hereafter except 70
person having license uuexpired or untor.
feited at the same place, until the number OF
saloons shall have been reduced to the pro-
norton named. Among the provisions OF the
Commission bill which are stricken out are the
following: authorizing the sale or transfer Oh
licenses; authorizing licenses for the sale OF
liauor ON cars and steamboats,; authorizing "a
loon licenses to be granted in towns-a feature
which threatened an increase Of saloons, mas
much as licenses are now granted in towns
only 10 hotels. The bill is so amended as to
forbid. as the present law does, the giving
away, of liquor on licensed premises--the abb
sence Of which provision would have left inc
saloons free TO keep open house on Sundays
and election days. The Civil Damage act Is
preserved. In number of minor details the
defects Of the bill are removed, until, as cooe
OF Excise law, IL is pronounced thoroughly sat
isfactory BY the Republican members OF the
Assembly generally, and by the representatives
Of the High License and Anti-Saloon organiza-
ions.
There remains the question Of fees. The
principal changes made in this respect are that
no new class Of licenses is created, and that
the minimum figures for beer and storekeepers
licenses are raised about 90 per cent This
alone would fall far short Of the expectations
Of the masses Of the party who sustained the
High-License legislation and campaign OF last
year, and we have steadily contended that the
action of the Legislature ought to be consistent
with the record made then. The Republicans
Of the Assembly have found the way, as 1t
seems to us, to do this, while at the same tinle
making possible the passage Of the perfected
Commission bill, which ia so much desired BY
the Joint High-License Committee This is by
making the Vedder LiQuor-Tax bill party
measure along with the Commission bill. Tho
enactment of these two laws would give us q
system fairly approaching High License. 1t Is
not likely, OF course, that Governor Hill would
sign the vedder Tax bin. The leopard could
sooner change his spots than the Governor could
shake of his saloon collar. But that is a mat
ter which does not concern the Republican ma
ioyity in the Legislature. They should pass
such bills as they believe to be needed for the
general welfare, and should not allow them
selves to be deferred from the discharge OF a
duty by the expectation of Veto But in pass
ing both the Commission and the Vedder bills
they will be presenting the High issue
in a separate form. Governor Hill may veto
the Yedder bill, and probably will; but, with
this danger to his friends, the liquOr-dealers,
out of the way, he might be willing to sign the
Commission bill, with it's comparatively mod
crate scale Of fees and thus we would be the
gamers in having an excellent new code Of Ex-
else law as well as a considerable increase in
fees. The Governor would not be able TO veto
the Commission bill on the pretext that the
fees were too high, and he might not be able to
find pretext for vetoing II at all.
There remains one thing to do--to act prompt
ly. The session Is far advanced. Both bills
should be put upon their passage as soon as
| possible, and as near together as possible. The
Republicans of both houses should act unitedly,
thus demonstrating the sincerity Of the party.
which the opposition are 80 fond of calling in
question, and its readiness TO respond to all the
| demands of the higher public sentiment.