New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-20
1T CREATES A BIG MACHINE.
AMENDMENTS TO THE RAINES LIQUOR
TAX BILL.

LOCAL OFFICERS IN NETWORK,
BROOKLYN AND BUFFALO.
icy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.]
Albany, Feb Ex-senator Higgins, chairman OF
the Senate Committee on Taxation and Retrench-
ment made public this afternoon the various i'm
portant amendments which have been made TO
the Raines Liquor Tax bill. A large number Of
Senators and Assemblymen and newspaper cor
res pondents listened to this recital. Senator
Higgins said that Senators Ccffey and Foley.
Democrats, dssented from the favorable report
which his committee as we'll as the Excise Com
mittee Of the Assembly, had decided to make on
the bill This indicates that the Democratic
Senators and Assemblymen will all vote against
the bill.
The first change made In the bill is that 1t de-
fines the term "fermented liquors as to bring
clearly within It's terms hard cider It is well
known to persons living IN rural communities
that this is one of the most intoxicating Of bever-
ages
The bill then declares that on April the present
boards Of excise shall cease to exist There is to
be a State Excise Commissioner, appointed by
the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, who
is to have a term of five years and a salary OF
$1,000 with an allowance Of $4,000 for travelling
expenses He Is to have the appointment OF a
Deputy State Excise Commissioner with salary
of 1000 and travelling expenses OF $1,000 Then
there IS to be a secretary 81. 900 and financial
clerk at $500
The State Excise Commissioner is to be great
distributor of patronage. He will appoint one
deputy in New-York who will receive $4,000
year: one in Brooklyn. who will receive S3ooo.
and one in Buffalo, who will receive $4,000 year
He is also appoint sixty special agents at slZoo
a year who are to sea to the enforcement Of the
law and attorneys in each one of the sixty coun-
ties of the State to prosecute offenders against
the law In al, he will have at least 1870 appoint
ments Of value approaching S20O'OOO ana pos
sby s25OOOO The state Excise Commissioner
Will simply make those appointments ana see 10
the enforcement Of the Jaw.
Tie money paid for the certificates will not
go to him, but to the county treasurers, eX-
cept in the counties of New-York Erie and
Kings where the deputy commissioners Will
collect. The county treasures VIII get large
additions to their salaries. Those living IN
counties where there is no city Will receive .
per cent of the amount Of tax they collect
those living in counties where there are third
class cities viii receive per cent ana tnose
living In counties where there are secohu-cidSs
cities per cent.
The Excise Commissioner may send his sixty
special agents wherever he pleGses. III ne
chooses" said Senator Higgins this afternoon.
he can concentrate them all In New-York.
Brooklyn and Buffalo. AS they Will be conn
Dental agents. they will not come under the
Civil Service Examination laws. They Will be
appointed by the Excise Commissioner without
check Of any kind
All the li1uor-dealers holding licenses after the
boards of excise are abolished are to be nnuer
the charge of the State Excise Con- missioner.
The excise inspectors may go into a saloon at
any time and learn If its proprietor is violating
the law In any way.
The tax on all quor-dealers in New-York is
to be $780, in Brooklyn. $780, In all cities OF less
than 100000 inhabitants and above $4,000, such as
Buffalo Roche' ter. Syracuse and Albany. soo.
in cities of less than $4,000 and more than loO)o
Inhabitants. $3.50; in cities Of less than lOcOV ana
more than 5000 Inhabitants, $500; in towns Of less
than 5000 and more than 1000 inhabitants. 900,
and in villages. 800 Druggists are to pay slOD
in New-York. SO In Brooklyn $50 In Bunalo.
Albany, Rochester and Syracuse. $50 In the ci'ics
Of less than $4,000 but more than 10000 inhabi-
tants $50 in cities OF less than 10000 and more
than 5000 inhabitants and SIS in all other places.
Tha bill further directs tina, half Of the tax
money shall go to the town or city collecting IL
ard half to the State. Provision is made by
which the police pension fund and other bene-
flc!aries of the excise fund are protected.
An applicant for tax certificate must state
his age and place Of residence, and ne the CON
sent in writing OF the owners OF dwelling houses
within 200 feet u his saloon. Premises now used
saloons which are within 200 feet OF dwell
ing are not affected by the BIZ. liquor-deaers
bonds are TO be twice the amount OF his tax.
There ia long list OF persons who are excluded
from selling liquor such as those who have been
guilty OF felony, foreigners and owners OF as
reputable resorts. No person convicted OF Vio-
la'ion Of the law is to be permitted 10 have an
other tax certificate within five years.
Cubs will haze 10 pay tax the same as sa-
looms This IS n new feature Of the law. The
courts can grant injunctions against the unau-
tho:ized sale Of liquor If a D!strict-Attorney
should refuse 10 prosecute an offending liquor
dealer. a citizen could appeal 70 the courts for
pun ishment Of the vinlator Of the law. The free
lunch Is wholly forbidden. No food Is TO be given
away with liquor not even crackers and cheese.
80 curtains are permitted over the windows Of
saloon on Sun'"y. Hotels are permitted to sell
iuvOr Sunday.
Local option in towns is provided for. In
toms at TIE next election the question OF
Sc ling liquor to be drunk on the premises
must be submitted - the people. also whether
licenses ehal b granted for selling In druestores
ard ho'es. THO submission % the questions
reparately Is provided for. Additional votes on
local ontlon may BE- taken at each second cleo
ton following on the petition of 10 per cent Of
the voters.