New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-11
RuMoRED EXCISE CHANGES
TALK OF AMENDMENTS TO THE RAlNEs
LAW.
PROPOSAL TO REQUIRE CLUBS TO TAKE
OFT fJcENsEs-HOw THE RAINEs LAW

PROPOSAL TO REQUIRE OhoD' ="
OFT rIcENsEs-How THE RArNEs LAW
HOTELS MAY FARE.
What Is to be the condition Of the Raines Liquor
Tax law after the politicians have got through
with the amendments they are taking ABOUT "a'
one OF the absorbing matters OF interest yesterday
at the Republican State Headquarters at the FIFTH
Avenue Hotel and the county headquar'ers' At
No IIa West Thirty-eishth-st The VISIT OF send
,or Raines and Assernblyman lothian r. A'os
chairman OF the Excise Committee OF the Assem-
h,v 10 Senator Plat before tho departure OF the
iat,er for Washington was followed BY statement
pretty we'll authenticated. that there had oeeh "
compromise so-callcd, on the excise question:
The amendments. II is understood. VIII "esS''Do
more particularly what are hotels 10 P'e'e'' ~
oor,,,u.noe NJ the fake order not only III the
0rest cities but In the country disiric's' nc.
r,u he II Il prcdicted no attempt TO prescribe or
deane VIVA, an actual meal shall be, but there iS
10 be a provision which VIII minimize '"'
dency 10 call anything edible meal
So far as the number Of rooms Is concerneo' ''
rrp,.r will not be Increased from the ten ordaI"e"
in the law but the size Of the apartments WIN ~
defined so as to make 1t impossipie u
hotel In an unreasonable area. Ihere mus !" :,
rooms and real accommodations TOT gues's' -
nroballe that this will end the Tammany ho'e' ~
the basement Of the Wigwam IN East o"'
-, ,,hicb was gotten up to leRaliZe the SAFE VI
,uor all night when balls OF various social asso-
ciat!ons were held there.
.,o,her nropostlon which has been conceded 10
the country legislators is the taxing OF III soo'
c,uhs which are to be required 10 take out Hq"o'
fay certificates the as hotels In inc cities anu
towns whore they exist. This Is bound 10 meet
determined oppostlon from every quarter OF .ne
State whore clubs exist in when liquor Is u
pcnscd. Especially in counties or ois"'e,' W.
..ro cense.' has been voted and clubs have sprung
nm in which lquor is sold TO members uhder 'he
q
,,,o, be looked for Il was said yesterday ina.
tho members OF the Legislature from such cou"''e
would be overawed By the temperance seh.''
81 their districts Nevertheless the oppos'''o'. ~
ros believed would make Itself relt peloie VIC
amendments were enacted .,,,n
There "a a proposition 10 exempt from 'aAa''o"
clubs in existence before the Roines Ia" went ','''
coo, h,,t II WAS believed that this would fah pe-
cause T. would be branded as scheme 10 dsc'i'"'
nate I'm favor Of The opulent who were ao'e " vi"
Lbs and against the less favored citizens Another
amendment Is 70 do away with the consents oi prop
er,y-holders al every change in the ownership Oh
ucense1 Mace Property-owrers within the pre-
,c-tho1 ,,r,,ts I, is held make the provision bur
densome saloonkeepers allege that it costs more to
renew license where the place changes hands tnan
10 secure the original consents There is therefore,
to be IN amendment which will continue property
owners consents purchasers OF the franchise ana
prevent what the brewers who are largely Interested
the part OF owners of property in the neishborhood
II is therefore proposed that the law shall declare
that such consents shall not terminate until the
property shall be used for other purposes.
Al-nfght licenses for balls ard other social affairs
will be provided for but the permits for the same
are hereafter 70 be granted BY the Mayor. con-
cert licenses are now granted Another amendment
ls TO increase the number of special agents from
forty 10 100. The addition of sixty special excise
agents will furnish places for many politicians now
out OF job.
To tighten the calendars OF the criminal courts
another amendment will he introduced which will
permit the violations OF the excise Law be
garded a civil offence that fine OF $50 with
out Imprisonment. may be visited upon infractons
OF minor character.
It will also be provided that rebates OF licenses
collected under the old excise law may be author
lied. This it computed. will restore $500 900 TO
persons whose licenses terminated by the
Raines law. Another amendment Will continue the
present rates OF liquor tax certificates in the
Greater York. preventing any change OF rate
in Brooklyn and other parts OF the metropolis
on account OF the creation Of the greater city
These cha nges and amendments. IT Is expected will
be introduced at Albany not later than Friday
Many New.Yofkers have been interested In that
reported proposal TO amend the law so as to compel
al! clubs in this city pay the tax of $500 year
Meml ers OF "A number of the leading social clubs
have said that the amendment would probably
mean the breaking up of many of the smaller and
weaker clubs because such clubs could not afford
TO pay the tax and II is believed that few clubs in
the city can keen their existence II the members
not allowed have liquors served ia the club
rooms. The amendment would wipe out Of exist
ence the hundreds of 'Raines law clubs Liquor
dealers In the city have said that the taxing OF
clubs might have the effect of increasing business
In the saloons. but there is belief that the num-
Der of saloons In the city will be decreased this
year under the operations OF the law II there
amendments which will prevent the running Of
the "Raines law hotels the decrease in the num-