New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-09
THE BILLS OF THE YEAR
GREATER NEw-YORK AND RA1NES
LIQUOR TAX MEASURES.
BOTH TO COME Up FOR DISPOSITION By THE
LEGISLATURE THIS wEEK-FAULrs OF THE
CONSOLIDATION B,LL-THE PROPOSED
EXCISE LEGISLATION.

CONSOLIDATION BlLL-THE PROPOSED
EXCISE LEGISLATION.
trRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE THiSoS"I
Albany. March S.-The Legislature has got De-
fore II for consideration what may be consioereo
the greatest Of the proposed legislative enact
ments Of the year. the Greater New-York Dill
and the Raines Liquor Tax bill. In the course
Of the present week. however, the fate OF DOM
Of these suggested laws probably will be known.
The Senate will act On the Ranes bill on Tues-
day and the Assembly on the same measure the
latter part of the week. In both the Assembly
and the Senate, in all probability. final action
will be taken on the Greater New-York enact
ment.
BROOKLYN MEN STILL IN OPPOSITION.
The Brooklyn Senator's and Assembymen ars
Just as determlnedy opposed to the Greater New
York bill at present as they were Derore IL was
amended on Thursday last at the request OF tne
rammany Hall Senator'S. Why not? 1t does not
contain the one amendment which Brooklyn ci'i-
zens desire-a referendum on the charter whlcn
NAV be drawn up by the Greater New-York Com
mission Whether or not there should be state
Commissions to govern Greater New-York Tor g
time was 10 them a trivial matter as compared
with the decision Of the State Senate that neither
the voters Of Brooklyn nor the voters OF New
York nor, indeed. the voters OF any part OF the
Greater New-York territory. should have tne
right to give their opinion at the polls on the
Greater New-York charter
STATE COMMISSIONS PROBLEMAT1CAL
And so far as State Commissions are concerned.
that was wholly probematical legislation. IL
was not positively known that state commas
siors would be proposed, or II proposed' tnat the
idea would be adopted by the Legislature. Inc
Senate and the Assembly are not made UP OF
wholly docile material The amendments made
to the Raines Liquor Tax bill prove that. IL IL
not at all certain that such revolutionary plan
az the creation Of State Commissions would have
received the approval Of the Senators and the
Assemblymen. Not much or concessioh'
therefore, was made, In the opinion or the menu
bers Of the Brooklyn delegation when 1t was
announced by the Platt Republicans, through
Senator I.exow. that they had intention OF
creating State Commissions.
FAULTS OF THE GREATER NETWORK BILL
The Greater New-York bill has the two faults
remaining in the eyes OF the Brooklyn Repuo-
lcans, of consolidating Republican city withsH
far larger Democratic city; and, secondly. OF re-
fusing both New-York and Brooklyn referen-
dunn on the charter A good many Of the Re-
publican Senators and Aseemblymen in private
conversation say that they look with consider
able tpprehcnsion on the result OF submerging
the Republican vote Of Brooklyn beneath the
Democratic vote Of New-York. They argue that
where the voters OF a party are IN hopeless
minority they apt not TO come TO the pohs'
ard they say also that as soon as the Repuoiican
voter In Brooklyn discovers that he cannot de-
feat the Demo cratic voter OF Greater New-York
in many cases he will refrain from voting. ana
that thus the general Republican vote IN the
state, as a whole. will be reduced in quantity.
These same men, reasoning upon political con-
dtions this year. say that 1t will be dangerous
70 refuse the Brooklyn Republicans referendum
on the Greater New-York charter; that tney Will
show their resentment at the polls IL referen'
dunn Is not granted tnem
GOVERNOR MORTON's PROBLEM
What will Governor Morton do II both Mayor
Strong OF New-York and Mayor Wurster OF.
BROOKLYN veto the Greater New-York act on the
ground that as the representatives OF the cities
concerned they are unwilling to say tnat tney
favor the acceptance or COMMISSION, , ..laue
Greater New-York charter? Both MT strong
and Mr. Wurster can. the Brooklyn senators de-
clare. justly say: In appearances I'ta'es h,
commission OF fifteen persons. as suggested IN
the bill but nevertheless the cities OF New
York and Brooklyn wish to reserve 10 tnemseves ewes
the right OF rejecting the Greater New iork
charter II they consider II TO be inimical 70
their interests. We do not entirely trust tne
Legislature In such a serious matter; there nave
heen Legislatures that under boss dictation nave
acted AGAINST the interests Of cities about which
they were legislating As q matter or prudence.
therefore, We cannot approve or any UreateS
New-York bill unless It shall contain charteE
referendum.
THE RAINEs LIQUOR TAX BILL.
Sneaker Fish was In New-York yesterday. SEE
ing Thomas c. Platt about the Raines Liquor
Tax bill Mr. Platt thrsts for the patronage ne
Will obtain under 1t. Judging from the action OK
Joseph Murray, the president Of the Excise board
of New-York. yesterday. In going over 10 the
Platt Republicans Mr.. Platt has already mort.
gagged a good deal OF the patronage wrapped up
in the Raines bill. and he must be anxious to
begin paying off the mortgage
Speaker Fish expresses confidence that the
Raines bill will pass the Assembly but also says
that a caucus of the Republican members Of the
Assembly will be called upon It, Why should
caucus be necessary with such a large hepuo-
lican majority? There are l04 Republicans ana
As Democrats and 1t takes rs votes to pass bill.
The Republican party has 2S votes to spare IN the
Assembly the Ranes bill or any other
measure which is apparently regarded as party
measure.
SILLY RUMORS OF BRIBERY.
The supporters OF the Raines bill have been
circulating rumors about Albany the last three
days OF attempted bribery. saying that the brew
ers are intending to spend money to defeat the BILL
Thus far the bill has had such smooth progress.
comparatively speaking. that there could not pos
sibly have been any money expended corruptiy
against 1t. Indeed, the swift progress OF tne
measure over a great deal Of reasonable OPPOSE
ton would lead one 10 suspect that II any coz
rupt influences were at work they were IN Is.os
OF the bill, and not in opposition to IT, senator
Grady made bold to say that the ss Mn,snes
Trust" whatever that is, favored tne HeaSui'
and that dstilers generally favored IL. p,..
The cry raised by the supporters OF the ns'nes r
bill that money is being used against S IT IN 'ns
Assembly. 1t reasonably De suspeeseu. asssr,s -
raised therefore to frighten HepuoNean Hssc'" ..
blvmen who think 1t an unwise measure to INTO
Voting for it, Such Assemblymen II men men Win w,n
rrevious good legislative records. can vote lear,
,, sainst the bill If they believe II Is harmful
er,s,ation. esisi There is public censure which
III, hs visited upon them for voting consclen'