The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-03
LOCAL OPTION IN CITIES.
,upoBr.yr INTERPOLATION REPUBLI-
CANS WILL PUSH.

MnN tie nv
orou, PRIMARY Lnw-Libel Law Amend ments
Senator Platt will start for Washington on
r,osdnv to take up his winter residence at the
oonital. He will return to New YORK OH and on
dnrinp the session of the Senate. Last night ne
had talks with the Hon. james NJ. K. oGrady,
who il to be reelected Republican Speaker OF
the Assembly when that body meets in Albany
NJ, Tuesday; President Quigg Of the Republican
county Committee, and n dozen others. Within
the last few days a majority of tho Republican
Senators and Republican Assemblymen have
bccn in New York discussing with Senator Platt
the affairs OF the Republican party In the State
Of New York. Senator Platt has also had Inn
portant talks with Gov. Black, Superintendent
Louis +. Payn OF the Insurance Department,
and other shining lights OF the Republican
marty. 1t was announced last night that there
appears to be q singular unanimity OF sentiment
concerning the steps to DO taken at Albany this
winter.
The most important measure, It wal made
known, to be introduced by the Republicans
will be a bill providing for local option as to
Iiouor selling on Sundays in all of the cities OF
tho first and second class in the State. In other
words, this bill. as proposed by the majority
who have talked with Senator Plat, will give
to the voters of the cities of the frat and second
class the opportunity to declare at the next gen.
eral election for or against liquor selling on
Sunday. The bill will specify the hours during
which LIQUOR can be sold on Sunday. in case the
voters decide for Sunday sales. President
ouieg of the Republican County Committee
and all the Republicans eminent in the
management OF tho party'p affairs in the
new New York city are heart and soul
for this local option measure. They arc
Joined in the demand for 1t by tho Republican
leaders of Albany. Utica, Syracuse. Buffalo and
other cities in the State. It has been demon
strated, it was said, that the Raines amend
ments, while providing for o greatly increased
revenue to the State, are Objectionable to the
people In some ways. Tho Raines law was
amended In several particulars last winter. but
the Republicans Of the cities of the first and SEQ
ond class declared that the provisions Of the
law are altogether too rigorous and drastic. 30
1t is proposed to give tho voters of these cities
local option.
The bill, it was further said. may take the
shape Of giving the voters Of these cities local
option on week days also. The Republicans OF
this city who have had charge Of tho party's
affairs for tho last ten years have never agreed
with tho Raines law. They have protested
morning, noon, and night against the Raines
law, and against all legislation Of q character
which would tend to sacrifice the personal lib
critics OF tho people on this highly important
QutollOl Sohoto sSAA 49, 'St VsS ~~ 49,
prepare the Raines law or The later Raines
amendments, but whose name 10 connected with
the bill because he introduced IL, has on all oc-
casions stood out against the Republican leaders
Of the cities Of the first and second claso In
their opposition TO the Raines law and the
Raines amendments. A year ago no person
ally confronted Edward Lauterbach. ex-Prcst-
dent Of the Republican Committee Of New York
county. He has been altogether extreme In his
conduct. local Republicans say. He has been
very severely criticised by Republicans Of tho
cities of the first and second class. Their COM
ments have been 10 tho effect that Senator
I,aines was entitled to his limited notions when
he was at his home in Canandaigua, but that he
had no right to visit them upon tho cities. Sem
ator Raines was the eminent Republican states
man who, at Saratoga, in 1895. when It was
proposed to nominate Senator Plat for Gov
ernor, called on Senator Plat at his cottage in
the United States Hotel grounds and said:
"You ought not to take this nomination. You
will be too heavy o load for the Republican party
Of the State to carry"
the reason that he mover had the slightest no.
ton of accepting the nomination for Governor.
Now Senator Raines 10 himself o candidate for
Governor. and. go where you will in Western
New York, you will find that Senator Raines
and his friends believe that he should DO nomi-
mated In place of Gov. Black. During the clos
ing hours of the campaign for Mayor of New
York, Senator Raines turned up at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel. Chairman Charles W. Haokett
of tho Republican State Committee and Presi-
dent ouigg of the Republican County Committee
protested against the appearance of Senator
Raines ct o crucial perioi. and Mr.. Raines was
induced to leave New York city BY the next
train. II was said then. and It has boon reitey-
sted since, that seventeen words from Senator
Raines at the time would have cost Gen. Benja-
min 3. Tracy 10000 votes.
The next most important measure to DO intro.
duced ct Albany. 1t was said. will be q primary
law for cities of the first and second class. This
primary law. 1t was added. will be rigorous. 1t
will provide for the Strengthening of regular
organizations. both Republican and Democratic.
and will declare q penalty against those who
pad rolls and those who have anything to do
with falsifying tho results of primaries. In
other words the new primary law 10 to DO Is
rigorous as the election laws of the State. and
under this new primary law the cities are to
pay the expenses OF primaries. Just a. the cities
now pay election expenses.
The bill for local option and the primary law
will be the most important to DO introduced at
Albany, although necessarily from time to time
there will be bills introduced for the purpose of
perfecting the Greater New York charter. This
chartor ID u huge piece OF machinery. ltiB not
expected that it will run smoothly at irst, and
any defects in the charter as they become ap-
parent will be remedied by legislation at Albany.
Another important measure to 10 introduced
at Albany will be a bill to make operative in its
~strictest sense the libel law embodied In tho
Penal Code. There will DO a clause In this bill
concerning cartoons. Supreme Court Justice
Barrett has given his leisure moments for q
month or moro TO framing the bill. 1t is main.
tanned that the Erenin0 Post. the New York
Tribune. the New York World. and other
yellow journals in the State OF New York habit
nally infringe the libel law. While the men
In public life, it was said, do not care
especially for the attacks OF irresponsible news
papers. the libels have become so vicious against
people in private life that something must bs
done to check the perpetrators of these libels OF
the moral tone OF the whole State will suffer.
The bill as prepared by Justice Barrett. 1t was
said, will hold water, and will nut n sion tn the