The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-19
AGAINST THE RAINES BILL.
THE GOVERNORS HEARING 10 THE
MAJORS OF THE CITIES.

nearing on the halnes Dill to-day To the Mayors
and representatives of the cities desiring TO be
heard. Among those present were Mayor e. b.
Jewett OF Buffalo. Mayor Tator Of Hudson.
County Judge Longley Of Hudson. President c.
A. Hult OF Jamestown Common Council. Mayor
Odell and President Robinson Of the Newburgh
Common Council, Mayor Gibson OF Utica,
Mayor Bookstaver Of Dunkirk. Mayor Gleason
Of Long Island City, Corporation Counsel J. r.
Cloonan OF Kingston, ex-Mayor Wilson of
Albany, Amasa J. Parker. Jr.. counsel to the
Excise Board Of Albany, and Mayor Mcclure Of
Syracuse. Mayor Greene OF BinRhamton, Ed
ward N. Smith. City Attorney Of WATERFOWL.
and Arthur schoellkopf, representing the Mayor
Of Niagara Falls. were also present.
Gov. Morton asked how much time the Mayors
thought necessary. and Mayor Thatcher of Al
bany said that, speaking for himself, he would
not need more than fifteen minutes. There
were about sixteen other gentlemen present.
He thought that an hour and n half would be
consumed. Tho Governor asked IL any were
present in favor OF the bill, or II they wore all OF
one mind. Mayor Thatcher said lie could only
speak for himself as to that.
The hearing was then opened with remarks by
MayorJThacher, who attacked the bill because
Of It's unconstitutionality and because OF the i'm
p~ropriety of the legislation IL attempts. He said
that the bill would be unconstitutiona in that
~ II fixes license taxes which are not uniform
on cities OF the same class. and in that () IL does
not fI license taxes on all cities of the third
class. and. therefore,, IL belongs to a class of
laws which, in the exact words OF the Constitu-
ton, relate to a single city or TO less than all
the cities Of q class" II the Constitution,
he said. can be evaded by making divisions
and classidcations unrecogniZed by that instru-
ment, II is certain that such subterfuges we're
not anticipated by its framere. The debates in
tho Constitutional Convention indicate that it
was the intention tina: all general laws were to
appi' w ~ y .n' .""e .i"'' ""u 'ho'
, all special laws S Or laws Nv Spp pr bic IN one or more
to the cities.
from the cities a large proportion Of revenue to
, u@,' be the, ,he t sso h ips' or S iow, ,Se Cit, nI that msl yieIasit
is entitled to Its proceeds. and Its entire proceeds
to meet the expense occasioned by the business
''s SAnot The sS grave discrimination again.. homo
rule in small tow MS is discovered in ection Is.
p] E%si5 sG' that Sp the VIII i q the ausi, iSsi' Electors srs
shall be ascertained. Mr.; Raines does not care
the ss ssirtS,se sss " Cities s. Of sP1 tie ee stats. s Neve1th O.
les. their win some day will be aseertained.
They viii speak"
r Msy spss Jes ssSss Of Bgsa ,S. said d., ." b,a beg to e, Sc, ,sg
city of Buffalo. without distinction of party,
are opposed to this bill; 1t is regarded as a
vicious and Objectionable measure. With no
SnpoPularity q the neaaure that ! have never
il has been Condemned in the Common Council
paper pa published in Buffalo but what Senounce.
It."
to the almost unanimous sentiment against the
bill. and said no labor organization; commercial
passage pSss; Ss A 'He thou Thought ISa fh 81 bill Sii'f had an mao s% ns1sa t's
from the Republican ring boss OF the State. and
place Of Chief Executive WAS due TO- the ex-
pressed will OF the people as opposed TO the
bosses, and that dissatisfied, Democrats assisted
e @oTs m sHs e easfs,0n F t%an o ani tho sol SIX papers Ha 'o of
Syracuse openly opposed the bill. and none ia
unanimous against IT,.
Mayor Gibson OF utics said the license fees
RiiGhn' license. and the bill was not satisfactorily
as a high license measure; IN me CITY or EtiGa.
licenses fS sss sransed S. isi granted ReSp TO small st stor ri s4e
ers. The Pill threw these small storekeepers out,
mesa eoSe oa1sr"P Hnot I" q pr Iorfs S'" which Ie o 9s.
c cTars c ,Sat ty ~ Mayor lay. c G,6son was snas Which Inno de- n
sunday: This would make him q criminal. he
i ms table on on r,, the sa qiSSt. and Jhs vo elli VI" .fs.e an It., r.,
,, Mayer ,Sr p %nhsE J. ,,o G1eH ,Ss 81 9ic. Lsng I I; ND G saSS
s",' NV W" 10y WV
saloons OF his city. went to the poor fund. and
there was no provision made by his local an,
t%horities to cover the deficiencies which would
ensue Il the license moneys we're Diverted this
yenr. The bill was demoralizing. His city was
visited by many on their way to The s%eashore;
and the bill proposed to abridRe the means OF
entertainment provided for these people.
County Judge Longley. representing tho
mayor OF HUDSON. also opposed the Dill. He
said that the principle OF 1t was vicious, In that
L sought to take from the cities the doctrine Of
home rule, He argued against the right OF the
State to take from the cities their revenues de-
right. the national Government had an equal
right TO take away anyof the revenue OF Now
Mayor Bookstayer Of Dunkirk opposed the
Dill. and said tho Common Council, composed OF
unitedly opposed to the bill. He hoped to see it
vetoed: He read a telegram from Mayor War
ner of Rochester. saying that he objected to the
Raines. bill Tor the following reasons:,
There should be no division OF tho license
rebappe on iic.nses issued' Tbi. money hs, been