The sun., 1896-02-14
e/mNHntHM1S aris dtTe'4 1see1 "
NASSAU AND FULTON SITS.
THE RAINBS EXCISE bill.
Some OF the Anne ndments TINT Have Beer
Adopted by the Joint Committee.

Some OF the Amendments TINT Have Been
Adopted by the joint Committee.
ALBANY, Feb. lathe work Of the Senate
Committee on Taxation and tetrenchment and
the Assembly Committee ON Excise, which. for
over five weeks. have been considering the
Raines Excise bill. is practically completed. The
committees will early next week report an
amended bill. which, it Is believed. is constitu-
tional in all its parts. Commissioner Lincoln of
tho Statutory Revision Commission Is going
over the measure to remedy all clerical and
technical errors, and perhaps his labors will
not have been completed when tho committees
are ready to report the bill. In that case the
bill will be reported for printing and will be re-
ferred back to the committees until Commits
sioner Lincolns revision is finished.
One Of the amendments provides that no new
saloons shall be established without the consent
of two-thrds of the owners Of property used ex-
clusively as dwellings within 200 feet Of the
place for which license is sought. Another
amendment gives the right Of review to citizens
where a license has been granted. Heretofore
the applicant for a license has had right OF
review by means of certiorari. but injured citi-
zens have had no appeal. The amendment in
this respect gives to q citizen the power to ap-
peal to a Justice OF the Supreme Court in Cham
bers or at a special term, when the allegation
is made that there has been falsity in making
the statement upon which the license is sought
The Judge can review the facts and revoke the
license II falsity is shown.
Tho amendment requiring that no new sa-
looms shall be established without the consent
of two-thrds Of the owners Of property used
exclusively for dwellings within 200 feet Of the
building for which license is sought, IS de-
signed, the committeeman say. to afford reason
able protection for residential districts. The
committees found upon examining the Massa-
chusetts statute and the result Of its enforce
ment that blackmail was levied in that State
where the absolute consent Of adjoining prop
erty owners WAS required.
The amended bill will keep the license fees at
the figures which were in the bill as introduced.
There were appeals made to the committees at
the hearings that distinction should be made
between distilled liquors and beer and light
wines. but the committeeman say that they
have decided not to make such n distinction. be-
lieving that, II made. it. will be n temptation
and avenue for fraudulent sales OF distilled
liquors by the holders Of licenses TO sell the
lighter beverages. 1t was reported to the COM
mittee that the New York Excise Board. several
years ago. made such a distinction and in ono
year discovered over 900 violations OF tho law
by persons who had ale and beer licenses.
AS has been previously reported. the amended
from r' Hii iif,een % to ify. This is Chamber Of
Commerce suggestion in order that the bill may
be capable OF enforcement. The amended bill
defines liquor as 1t is defined In the United
states statutes, and will define traficking as a
single sale. This is alison suggestion OF the New
York Chamber of Commerce
As to the appeal made for relief from the
Court OF Appeals decision lately made against
the holders Of licensed premises within 200 feet
OF church or schoolhouse. It is said that tho
committees have decided that bill affording
relief in such cases should not be made a pnrt
OF the Ranes hill. which is substantially a party
measure. but should he in a separate bill which
could pe acted upon Independently Of party.
As originally drawn the bill provided for n
bureau in the Comptrollers office to have
charge OF the liquor traffic and to employ if-
teen confidential special agents. The appoint
ment Of all these officials was given to Comp
trolcr Roberts.
The recent increase Of the power Of the Comp
troler have been jealousy watched by other
officials and statesmen who. like him. are can
didates for Governor.
| After the introduc ton OF the bill. Speaker
Fish's friends objected TO this further increase.
The Comptroller said TINT he had taken The no
s!tion from the first that he did not want the
LIQUOR tax bureau in his departncnt.
With the Comptroller IN this modest frame OF
mind, matters were easily arranged II was
agreed that the head Of the Liqnor Tax Depart
Inent should he an independent official. and that
lie should be appointed by the Governor.
The confidential agents. the number OF which
Is to he increased 10 nifty, Will be appointed by
the head OF the bureau.