New-York tribune., 1896-12-03
MORFRAINES LAW DEFECTS,
IT'S AUTHOR ADMITS THE BLAME RESTS
WITH THE MEASURE ITSELF


tyNHAs BEEN LOWERED: ANOTHER THAT
RRrsrs FOR DRUNKENNESS IN
MANY CITIES HAVE INCREASED
81 PER CENT.
rh evidence so far given before the committee
,batis investigating the workings Of the Ranes
T,oor law has clearly demonstrated that the vital
uexnesses in the bill are the want of definitions
os O what constitutes meal the meaning or the
,.ods guest" and hotel" Expert and lay wit
masses alike have dwelt upon these defects with
,,c,al emphasis Senator Raines admitted yes
.oday that the blame for any violations of the law
rs,ed with the law itself and he hintcd that it
he intention TO introduce in the coming Legislature
s,ch amendments would effectualy preclude
.ucb evasions as are now practised by the pro-
prie,ors of the so-called hotels.
The first witness who was called before Tie COM
r,i,;ee Yesterday upon the third day Of its sttinGs
IN tho Department of Excise. AT No. Madison-ave.
WAS Isaac X Funk member OF the publishing
err, Of Funk e. Wagnalls and editor OF THE
yoice" a Prohibition organ. In reply 10 Senator
gaines he said that there were now between 1000
and 2l00 Ranes law hotels in Brooklyn. In that
CITY he said since the introduction Of the Raines
hul there had heen a decided change in the strin-
eancv with which the authorities had enforced the
,ov With the advent Of the new statute there had
been general leting-up on the part Of the authori
ties and the Sabbath provisions had been success
hotels He gave it as his opinion. however, that
tho Sunday selling could be obviated II the delni-
,ion of meal and guest were more explicit or exact
ing and that by these notifications the law
could be vastly improved. Some of the replies
given by Mr. Funk succeeded in stirring Senator
Raines into show OF more warmth than any wit
ness that has vet appeared before the committee
Without reservation Mr. Funk declared that the
Raines law had had the effect of greatly lowering
the moral tone Of Brooklyn. in so far that nearly
1900 hotels had been opened that were used for I'M
proper purposes. and which, he added, did not exist
before the present law came into operation Then
Senator Raines asked Mr.. Funk to put aside his
prohibve inclinations for a moment and suggest
as an impartial individual what beneficial modifca-
tlons could be incorporated into the statute In
reply Mr. Funk said he did not place much faith in
the higher license feature. did he think the
lessening of the number of saloons an improvement
in temperance sense. because those that remained
fitted up like palaces.
W. F.. Johnson of Staten Island. who is employed
upon The Voice." also gave evidence that severely
impeached the Ranes law. He volunteered the in
formation that he had communicated with the
chiefs OF police in many cities of the State asking
for the figures of the arrests since the present law
into effect From the greater number OF these
cities he received replies showing that the number of
arrests for drunkenness had increased 81 per cent
James Morton. vice-presdent of the Legal En-
forcement Society of Brooklyn. in the of
brief stay the witness s-chair spoke of the axity
Of the Brooklyn police authorities in enforcing the
law.
The first witness called after the usual recess
the Rev. F. B. Russell. a director of the Law En-
forcement Society. He read statement which he
mad prepared Upon the question Of the alleged i'm
morality Of the Ranes hotel his evidence seemingly
contradicted that which had been given earlier in the
day. He said that his society had had more trouble
with dsordery houses prior 10 the enactment Of the
present law than and declared that evidence
h1.o hair ca.l
for improper purposes. He said 1t was true that at
Bergen Beach and Coney Island hotels running
several bars with one license. but added that this
was being done with the sanction Of the authorities
and that at least Of the hotelkeepers had ex-
pressed willingness TO take out more licenses II
REQUIRED 10 do While he deprecated the provision
which allowed hotels to be situated within 200 feet
of a church sohoo. he though, the prevention OF
selling liquors 10 minors was an admirable step. He
asserted In his statement that the requirements of
the law which compelled saoonkeeper 10 obtain
The sanction Of twothirds of the residents within
aD feet Of his saloon were not compiled with. mas
much as IL had been found that many OF the sigma
lures presented were forgeres
The Rev Dr. James c. Lewis of the Church or the
Reconciliation. of this city. expressed himself as
opposed 10 the Raines hotels as they now existed,
because under their guse it gave the opportunity
10 saloons previously closed TO carry on their trade
on Sunday and all night He also suggested that
no place should be licensed within 200 feet OF
IL
amendments to offer looking to the Improvement
of the law DR.. Lewis answered that instead OF
issuing licenses 10 every applicant. he would limit
the number to the proportion of the population
George w, Lynch the president OF the Natonal Ia
Hotel Association offered some suggestions Tor the
consideration of the committee that were somewhat
out OF the beaten track followed by earlier wit
nesses He did not believe in restriction for one
thing IN tho liquor traffic and thought that the
more openly and publicly q man could OBTAIN Il
drink the better 1t was for the community Re
strctive laws. he said. never accomplished much
good because there was always some ioophoie
which afforded means Of evasion. He advocated
that the tax upon licenses should be placed so high
that only reputabl and responsible people could
hold licenses. Examined by Senator Raines. he
said further: 'I would do away with all screens
and back doors. would have everything open and
above board. II a man wants TO go ana get q
drink let him go straightforwardly and get II. be
cause IL he wants to drink he will always find
wav 10 get it, despite the laws. When anything
is forbidden man. the more he Graves for IT,
Nv argument Is based upon general policy. and
think IL would result in much less soaking and
still less of Of drinking that Is detrimental
10 the community at large.
The committee will meet again at lO:3O O'CLOCK
this morning. and will hear testimony from Sow
al Neu,- Vor na1fstrateS and from the BROOKLYN