New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-09
RAINES EXPLAINS HIS BILL
HE REVIEWS THE MEASURE IN DETAIL.
-oNr,nENr THAT IT WILL BECOME A LAw-ITs
AUTHOR DENIES THAT HE WILL BECOME
cr.rt- vyfrSE COMMISSIONER.


STATE EXCISE COMMISSIONER.
Albany. March s-senator Raines is decided IN
his opinion that the Raines Liquor Tax bill VIII
mass the Senate and Assembly and be sent TO HoN-
ernor Morton for his signature in its present iorH'
as 1t was agreed upon in the Repuollcah 0e"a'e
caucus Senator Raines gave out an interVie" W,
day which partook Of the nature Of an ex'e"ueu
explanation of the bill, and was as 1oIi0"s'
when 1t was FIST suggested to me that a''ei'p'
IN formulate a bill to revise the excise laws or the
State which everybody seemed to think padiy neeu.
ed such revision, began to examine 10 some eNs''
the provisions Of the laws Of other states anu ~
obtain such information as l could IN regaro ~
their operation The first matter covered was a'
70 the propriey of retaining in the hands OF ociais
elected by local authorities the power 10 gram VI
revoke licenses. The consensus OF opinion seeiieu
20 he that this power which is in this State IN the
hands of Excise Boards, should De apoHsheu the
effect being that the exercises OF such power Wy
Excise Boards necessarily led those engaged IN inc
LIQUOR traffic to attempt to obtain contro OF the
boards through influence with the administrative
mowers OF municipalities. This brought 'he "noe
question entirely into politics, SO tha' 'ho i'"'
feature of the proposed law Is TO aoohsh 'heso
hoards 70 take effect April 80 and to regulate the
granting of the right to traffic in liquors by the
provisions Of the law itself rather than py 'he us
erection of any one The first taxes TO be PAID
under the bill will be on May l, although the Dill
takes effect Immediately.
The adoption Of this suggestion maue "e'e"''''
nanv new provisions which heretofore have not Deeh
INCORPORATED in excise laws. 50 that IN '''s pi''
the area Of location Of places and the persons w"o
NAV sell are defined in the law itself. instead OF
heing left as has heretofore been the case largely
to the discretion Of Excise Commissioners.
The next prominent feature OF the bill Is the
establishment of machinery through which hoens.
fees now called taxes. are collected ine o'''
provides for a State Bureau, having at us heau d
State Commissioner of Excise, TO be appointed D!
the Governor for five years. at salary Oh >"0'
through which the tax is TO be coNecteu. e~'ep "
the counties of New-York Kings ana Ere "'
snscial Deputy Commissioners are proVideo W wi
,ect the tax at salaries Of $4,000 $ooV ana S-"0''
respectively In other places the collecting oiceiS
ore tho County Treasurers elected by the peopie'
s Tn some counties these officials are Democ'ats
ond IN others Republicans. The Commissioner Is
IN annoint sixty confidential agents TO enforce '"e
law at salary OF 1920 and expenses ~
still another important feature OF the Dill Is
ths establishment OF fixed sum for dHereh'
. - 80 aoo,ers and IN this bill this is graded
~, ronu,a,,on as are the taxes license fees
L., ,arv roanv other States These taxes are graoeu
on this system, that they are hghes' al '
largest cities, and smallest IN country P'"0e''
where there is much less custom. r-.
rour grades Of licenses provided for. FIRST
,hs reeular saloon and hotel license; second' upon
Tho business of traffickng in liquors IN quah'i.eS
=, ,.ss than five gallons, not 10 be drunk OH 'ne
r.r,ses. third for pharmacists, by whom hquor
can only be sold upon a physicians prese''pN'-
md fourth for transportation companies
~ "The tax under the first grace Is WV IA
York City, $3.50 in Brooklyn. $'o' IN c,'es W ~,
+ween 900 and $4,000 Inhabitants, $3.50 In Guy
or village OF between 1000 and 5000 inhaDtah's'
500 in places OF between 5000 and looo' ihhaod"''
900 In places OF between loo ana ON" ihhao''a''
and slO0 in all other places.
THE fee for the other grades III INC 'a'''
localities divided as above are:
Second grade-Frst group. 500; secono' |T"'
third $50; fourth $780, fifth, 500: sixth, S'a sew
enth $50.
Third grade-First group 800; second, 49, third'
so; fourth $50; fifth, $50; sixth, SIS: seventh DIV.
."rhe fee OF $50 is charged under the fourth
grade for each car, steamboat or vessei hcehSeu
Next In Importance in the bill comes the feature
providing for direct vote in towns by the local
voters as to whether the sale Of liquors shall be
town meetings after the passage Of this bin the
will be taken directly on the question OF aoW-
the sale by storc-keepers to be carried away. the
sale by pharmacists strictly on physicians pre-
only The question will be as to the exclusion OF
Il Of sale sor d In suc on xsSd
are specified in the law itself The places where
the traffic may not be carried on are also detailed
Section OF the bill regarding the continuance Of
present excise licenses now reads The contnuanGt
granted by Board Of Excise which is valid wher
the term for which It was granted except as hereir
provided unless sooner cancelled under the provi
rights and liabilities of the holder thereof during
such term shall be governed by the laws in force
except as otherwise expressly provided in this act
but such license shall cease determine and be VOID
herein provided be assessed shall not be levied
collected upon the business of any corporation. as
expired license Until the time lawfully fixed for tn,
d sn Hr s Se
cancelled When a license is terminated on the 3Otf
such license shall be entitled to receive Snd
cover from the town or city in which such license
fee paid therefor as the remainder of the time fo
which such license would otherwise have run shall
bear TO the whole period for which it was granted
and the same shall be paid by such town or city
officer who is charged with Issuing the tax cer,i
by IKE Of E
Any citizen may also have the determination b,
the certificate has done SO, legally The bond re
quired from parties engaged in the liquor traffic
$50 up to $500 ~'0''' " '"''@' '''"
The bin has in IT one feature which must Ger
provides that during hours when 1t is illegal t
Opaque or colored glass to intercept the View from
the street into the place where liquor Is Sold Ere
sTs ass @ Violation of law ar. much
severe than have hitherto been imposed Involving
Sept. and. consequently, Of the right to sen.
For the first time In this state II Is provide
that a portion of the revenues derived from IN
tax receipts shall be paid into the State Treasury
that portion being one-third. while two-thirds
tax The feature Of the present law which re
qulres saloons TO be closed on Sunday s retained
fh!s bill and the hour which has hitherto bee
called the magic hour being the hour between
o'clock Sunday night and O'Clock Monday morning
Is close hour. ~
This act states the status of associations z
clubs some of which have been In the habit OF tab
Ing out licenses. while many have been sein
liquor without such licenses they. clearly. In m
nd nj
"Of course, there are very many matters OF deta
in the law which can be ascertained by examinato
OF the bill itself The main features OF the bill Il
day, however. stand as they were when the measlir
was first introduced-the abolition OF Excise Board
a State tax with a division between localities an
the State. which tax. though not as high as son som
would desire yet IL very much higher than llcens
paid the regula Ion of the traffic