New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-22
KAIEES BILL CRITICISED.
A BIG HEARING ON EXCISE MEASURES
IN ALBANY.

POSITION TO THE BILL.
Albany, Jan. Il (SpeciaD.-The Senate Cham
Der looked like a courtroom in which a cee-
brated case was being considered this afternoon
The jury was composed Of Senator'S and Assem-
blymen who sat in circle in front of the Lieu
tenant Governors high desk. They were mem
bers of the Serate Committee Taxation and
the Assembly Committee on Excise, and the
subject which they considering was the
liquor traffic. A throng of spectators filled the
room and listened to the speeches which were
made on the various excise measures before the
two committees.
The Raincs Liquor Tax bill the main
object of attack Cor the speakers. Senator
Raines listened attentively TO what was said in
criticism of his measure. and al times interrupt
ed the speakers Mr. Rainos bases his principal
argument in favor of the passage of his bill on
the assertion that it would put 81 900 annual
ly into the State Treasury. He points out the
high State tax rate, and the numerous appro-
praticn bills before the Legislature as
proof that the Legislature must create
sources of revenue.
CANTOR'S COMBINATION.
Senator Cantor, the Democratic leader In the
Senate, was scurrying about the Senate
Chamber to-day attempting to form combina-
tlon Of city Senator's both Democrats and Re-
publicans against the Raines bill. on the ground
that Il will deprive the cities of half the revenue
which they at present obtain from liquor IL
censes At the close of the day Mr.. Cantor
thought he had effected a combination of four
teen Democrats and twelve Republicans against
the bill. The Republicans he depends
Pavey. Ford and Page of New-York; Wray,
Brush and Wieman, of Brooklyn; Nussbaum of
Albany; Davis. Lamy and Sebert, of Buffalo;
Tibbits. Of Hocsac. and Charles Davis.
1t is highly improbable that Senator Cantor
has been able to make any such combination
against the Raines bill, although some of the
city Republicans seem inclined 10 refuse to sup
port the measure until they have looked it over
carefully. Senator Raines said when he heard
OF Cantor's scheme, that Republican caucus
would be held on his bill. and he had no doubt
that every Republican would attend It and that
the city Republicans would be outvoted by the
rural Republicans. and would then agree to sup
port the bill Undoubtedly Mr.. Raines believes
that his bill will be made party measure.
THE INTERESTS REPRESENTED
Among those who appeared in the Senate
Chamber this afternoon to speak the excise
bills were Robert Graham, Of the Church Tenn
perance Society; Frederick b. House. counsel for
the Central Liquor Dealers Association; II. Ross.
OF New-York, of the Retail Grocers Association;
Joseph Murray. Of the Board of Excise: Bernard
Courtney and Henry Hirsh. OF the New-YorlS City
Central Body of Liquor Dealers; James Devne,
representing the Syracuse Excise Board and
John Morrissey, of Syracuse. in behalf of the
State Liquor Dealers Association.
Senator Higgins who presided. said that the
New-York Retail Groccrs' Union had made the
earliest application, and would have the first
hearing. II. Ross represented the association.
He said:
am here to-day 20 inform your committee that
an increase of the license will occasion increase
said you desire to bring about VII i be wise 10
abandon the sale entirely push it, in order TO pay
the tax. The grocers do not desire to push the sale.
or beer viii 10 naYs
1t better to get ii at the grocery or at the saloon?
store removed, and would suggest that the license
fee would be sufficiently high II II were made 500
Mr. Ross spoke Of the 2o0-foot limit from
church or school, and said he had never heard
of complaint from any one becausesaErocer had
license within this distance.
EXCISE BOARDS OBJECTIONS.
Julius NJ. Mayer, counsel for the NewYork Ex-
else Board, said the first proposition to which he
objected in the Raines bill the to take
away half of New-York City's liquor and
put it into the State Treasury. There
provision. he said. in the Raines bill to prevent a
man not felon from establishing saloon next
to any ones home. Thousands of persons APP
peared before the New-York City Excise Board
ia. object to the establishment Of saloons within
short distances of their houses
-. Senator Raines said that his bill allowed the
g. closing of a place by apphca ton Of the law in
relatiOn 10 nuisances.
Under the Raines bill, said Mr. Mayer a man
Of decent character might apply for license Tor
a place before used for disOrderly purposes. and
the courts would compel the issuance of the IL
cense. Senator Raines asked Mr.. Mayer to read
Section II of the bill Mr.. Mayer said that Sec
iOn hat he
gambling and other disordery practices should
not be carried on In the place licensed. An ac-
ton would accrue on the bond II the place be
came disorderly. Every man arrested for keep
ing disorderly house in New-York gave bail,
and the calendars OF the criminal courts In New
York plugged up with them. No matter
how efficient and earnest the District-Attorney
might be, IL impossible to bring bail
speedily to trial, and the liquor trade Of the ac
cused kept up: for he must be convicted
before his license lapsed. II a conviction fol-
lowed. John Doe Richard Roe got license
in his place Licenses might now be revoked
in New-YOr within q period OF three weeks.
Mr.. Mayer said great objection the bill
that it took away discretional powers now
vested in excise boards and that such discretione
power should be In the hands of some body Of
men. The bill centralized the issue Of excise IL
censes in the State Controllers department. II
the department were corrupt, 1: had eXtraordi-
nary power, especially the fifteen State inspectors
who might extort blackmai.
Mr.. Mayer, in reply to Senator Foley said that
under the regulations or the present Excise
Board of New-York. the number OF licenses
decreasing. He admitted that the revenue OF
Xew-York would increase under the Raines bill,
even Il the number Of licensed places decreased.
MORE HEARINGS ANNOUNCED
The hearings on the excise bills will be
tlnued on Thursday OF this week, and on Tues
day. Wednesday and Thursday OF next week.
Frederick - House. Of the Central Association
OF Liquor Dealers, will be heard on Tuesday OF
next week Ex-Senttor Stadler representing the
Brewers Association. will be heard on Thursday
of this week. The Chamber of Commerce OF New
York will also have hearing on Thursday On
Wednesday Of next week the representative OF