New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-14
PRICE. THREE CENTS
MAYORS ASK TO BE HEARD.
THEY WANT TO TALK TO THE GOV.
ERNoR ABOUT THE RAINEs BILL
SENATOR RAINEs AND SPEAKER FISH INDUCE
THE GOVERNOR TO ANNOUNCE THAT THERE
WILL. BE NO HEARINGS. BUT HE MAY
CHANGE HIS MIND MAYOR
~ STRONG WOULD NOT JOIN
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIHUNE.1
IN THE REQUEST.

STRONG WOULD NOT JOIN
IN THE REQUEST.
rBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBuNEI
Albany, March 13.-John Boyd Thacher MAyee
Of Albany, telegraphed to the Mayors Of the
thirty-nine cities in the State this morning that
he was about to request Governor Morton to
grant them a hearing on the Raines Liquor Tax
bill. and asked OF each one: VIII you authorize
me to add you, name to the request? Mr.
Thacher's idea was that, inasmuch as the cities
will be compelled to surrender one-third OF the
money they collect under the tax on liquor
dealers, the authorities Of these places may
wish to say something personally to the Gov
ernor about the bill
Speaker Fish and Senator Raines no sooner
heard Of what Mayor Thacher had done tnan
they rushed off to the room OF Governor MOT
ton and persuaded him to announce that no
would not grant any hearing on the Raines Dill.
Mr. Morton may change his mind when ne sees
how strong is the desire Of the Mayors OF the
State to be heard He gave hearing on tho
Insurance Retaliation BILL and IT would seem IN
credible that ne should refuse 1t on one OF the
greatest legislative enactments which have been
passed in recent years
Governor Mor.ors law adviser. Charles q.
Lincoln. was at work to-day examining legal
to the Mayors Of cities for their approval or
disapprovaL Al first appearance the Raines
bill is a general act such as 1t is not necessary
TO refer to the Mayors. but 1t has special feat
ures. and certain cities Of the same class nave
a different grade Of license.
The Governor has until March "a to make
decision on the bill. This Is the day on wnich
the Republican State Convention will be held
In New-York City. Some politicians think. from
Thomas c. Platts desperate haste to pass the
bill yesterday in the Assembly that he intenos
to coerce Governor Morton indirectly into Sign
ing It, They imagine him saying to Mr.. Nor
ton: This Raines bill gives me TREMENDOUS
amount of political patronage. and the power 70
exert political influence through the liquor-deai-
ers II you sign the bill can give you a DIG
boom for President at the Republican state
Convention II you veto 1t. am afraid great
deal OF nv present enthusiasm for you, founded
upon previous does Of patronage. will vanish
The Republican Mayors who replied to Mayor
Thacher's telegram apparently feared politicaI
trap OF some sort and. therefore, did not second
his efforts to procure hearing for the cities on
the Raines bill Mayor Strong. OF New-fork.
telegraphed: 'I think not" Frederick ". wurs-
ter. Mayor OF Brooklyn, telegraphed the follow
ing answer: Replying to your telegram see
nv the newspapers that the bill Is already IN the
hands Of the Governor"
You can add my name to the list" telegrapned
George e. Warner. Mayor OF Rochester. ORLANDO
Lewis. Mayor Of Auburn. telegraphed: Yes. but
will not be able to attend hearing john d. His-
gins. Mayor Of Oswego. telegraphed: Cannot
join suggested request to Governor. II SHOULD
desire hearing. prefer to present views per-
sonally" Charles King, Mayor OF Little Faiis'
teegraphed: Your telegram received. am IN
favor OF the Ranes bill" Mayor Arnold. OK
Poughkeepsie. and Mayor Jewett OF Buffalo.
were both absent from their cities. and therefore
no answer could be obtained from them George
H. Tater Mayor OF Hudson. telegraphed: use
my name asking Governor to give hearing on
Raines bill 10 Mayors OF ci'ies." Francis j. NAL
low. Mayor of Troy, telegraphed: viii be pleased
to give any assistance ir my power James X.
MCGUIRE Mayor OF Syracuse. said: You may
add my name 10 the list" w. j. p. Kingsley
Mayor OF Rome, telegraphed You may use my
name as you wish against bill" d. b. Lucy
Mayor Of Ogdensburg. telegraphed you nave
the nermisson requested" o. W. Cutler. Mayor
OF Niagara Falls. telegraphed: You are au-
thorized to add my name to your request TO the
Governor for hearing on the Raines BILL Jonn
J. Gibson Mayor OF Utica. telegraphed: You
may add my name 10 the request for hearing
Frederick Collin, Mayor of Elmra. telegraphed:
i
ernor for hearing on the Raines Liquor Tax
bill" George f. Green. Mayor OF Binghamton.
telegraphed: You may use my name II you de-
sire although am emphatcally in favor OF the
Raines bill"
Mayor Thacher at the close of the day, although
he had received replies from only one-third OK
the Mayors. deemed 1t bert to send the following
letter to Governor Morton lest Senator Raines
and Speaker Fish might persuade the Governor
to sign the bill before he was aware that the
Mayors desired to be heard on 1t:
To Hon. Levi p Morton. Executive Chamber. State
Capitol, Albany, y. y a.,
Raines Liquor Tax law, is now in your hands. The
Legislature has interpreted this bill as general IN
ii nit 1pDSasn Il to the syo and I
all bills affecting cities must be submitted under
which more directly and specifically affects the cities
OF the State The advocates OF this Dill nave soughs
Go Of the liquor rac Of the state There
are far higher issues at stake than the protection
as ask FOR for hearing on this measure in behalf Of
my own city, and l am authorized 10 make :
similar sSs as sorse Mayors F. e
George II. Tatsr, Hudson; Francis j. Moi1y IIoy;
James TeGpirs sy5sssss sssnsSurs w W. cu,isr
Niagara Falls John j. Gibson Utica; rreaerss Gsarss
Collin Elmira; Orlando Lewis. Auburn ana george
Therefore respectfully urge that aay os o he
apart when the Mayors ana locdi 49, ,.os
several cities Of the State may be heard oeio1e sTe
respecting this bill, and that the hearing pe cvn'
fined TO those who represent the different cities oe-
string to be heard Yours, .,,r, >,..
Mavor rhacher sent this letter to Governor
Morton at the Executive Mansion tonight.
Thomas C. Platt informed one OF his followers
carly this week that as soon the Raines bill
became a law supplemental bills would oe
passed. making some concessions to iiauor-deal-
ers. One Of these concessions may be lower
tax on ale and be,r. Senator Raines denied to-
day that any such concession would be made. ana