New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-14
THE AMENDED RAINES BILL.
MANY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SUCCESS
TONS ACCEPTED.
CITIZENS TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO DNMAND
REVIEW BY THE COURTS OF LICENSES
GRANTED-No SALOON WITHIN 200 FEET
OF A DWELLING WITHOUT THE CON
SENT OF TwO-THIRDs OF
TIE PRnPERTY- OWNERS

OF A DWELLING WITHOUT THE CON
SENT OF Two-TIIRDs OF
THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
Albany, Feb 13-The work Of the Senate
Committee on Taxation and Retrenchment and
the Assembly Committee on Excise which for
over five weeks have been considering the
Raines Liquor Tax bill. is practically completed.
The committees early next week will report
amended bill.
They desire &c report the bill favorably. but
Charles T. Lincoln Of the Statutory Revision
Commission, is going over the measure in order
10 remedy all clerical and technical errors and
perhaps, his labors will not have been COM
pleted when the committees are ready TO report.
II Commissioner Lincoln is not ready then
the bill will be reported for printing and to
provide general information to the amend
ments made in committee and will be referred
back to the committees until his revision Is
finished. The committees were to have met this
afternoon but the amended bill had not been
typewriter. The majority members say they
meant TO decide TO report the bill favoraoly to-
morrow had II been ready.
The amendments were in the main. based on
the suggestions made at the several hearings
when the bill discussed. II Is stated that
the committees have adopted about half Of the
suggestions made by the representatives OF the
New-York Chamber Of Commerce.
There are two important features in which
the bill ia amended. They are the right OF re-
view to citizens and a provision that no new
saloon shall be established without the consent
Of ,wo-thirds Of the owners Of property used ex-
clusively for dwellings within 200 feet OF the
Mace for which a license is sought. IT is stated
that these amendments were not secured until
otter q hard struggle IN the committees, ana
+bs, they were the work Of Assemblyman Aids
The amendment giving the right OF review 70
citizens where license has been granted is an
entirely new provision OF law heretofore the
applicant for a lcense has had right OF re-
view by means OF certiorari. but injured citzens
have had no appeal. The amendment IN this
respect gives to a citizen the right TO appeal 10
a Justice Of the Supreme Court In chambers
or az special term, when the allegation Is
made that there has been falsehood IN the stare
ment upon which the license was sought Inc
Judge can review the Facts ana revoke 'ie IL
cense II falsty is shown.
The amendment requiring that no new saloons
shall be established without the consent OF two
thirds Of the owners Of property used exclusively
for dwellings within 200 feet Of the building for
which a license IS sought is designed, the COM
r,,tteernen say 10 afford reasonable protection
for residence districts. The committees found,
upon examining the Massachusetts statute ana
the result Of its enforcement. that annual olacK-
mail was levied in that State where the aoso-
lute consent Of adjoining property owners was
required
The amended bill will keep the license fees at
the figures which were IN the bill as introduced
Appeals we're made 10 the committee at the
hearings that distinction should be made De-
tween distilled liquors and beer and light wines.
but the committeeman say that they have oeclo-
I'd not TO make such a classification beheVing
that IL will be a temptation TO and avenue TOT
Fraudulent sales OF the distilled liquors by the
holders Of licenses to sell the lighter beverages
IL was reported TO the committee that the New
York Excise Board several years ago made
such a distinction, and in one year discovered
byer nine hundred violations OF the law By per-
sons who had ale and beer licenses.
AS has been previously reported, the amenoeo
hill will Increase the number Of state inspectors
from fifteen 10 fifty The bill will define liquor
as II is defined in the United States statutes.
and trafhckng az single sale. This Is sng-
gastion of the Chamber Of Commerce.
AS to the appeal made for relief from the
Court of Appeals decision lately made against
the holders Of licenses premises within 200
feet Of a church or schoolhouse II is stated that
the committees have decided that bill affordins
relief In such cases should not be made part
Of the Raines bill, which is substantially
party measure, but should be in a separate
measure that could be acted upon independently
Of party.