New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-22
THE CITYS LIQUOR T4Y.

The Democrats are trying to stir up the anger
of the city voters against the Raines law by
representing that II robS the cities, saying that
1.-THE excise revenues are in part given 10 the
state and the rural counties benefit by il with
''out contributing TO it," and ex-senator Hill
the other night in Brooklyn aroused the en-
thusiasm of all saloonkeepers by pointing ont
how ten counties contributed $500 900 10 the
State as LIQUOR tax while the other fifty cOun-
ties only sweled the total receipts to $3,SSG.-
600 These are convenient figures with which
to stir up anti-rural feelings among the fol
lowers Of Croker. who hope that the country
voters will give them the whole State. but il is
not true that the rural counties benefit by the
Raines law taxation without contributing to It,
Every part of the State pays at exactly the
same ratio for the benefit Of the whole. The
Democrats might just we'll say that the ten
counties paid for the State government which
the others enjoyed without paying for because
the taxable property of those ten counties
amounts 10 almost $3,G00000000, while that
of the other fifty counties only amounts to about
$500 100000.
The ten counties named by ex-senator Hill
are the richest and most pOpuous in the State
At the present time they contain about five
seventies of the people. and over four-fifths Of
the taxable and probably ninete nths of the
actual wealth of the State Aside from them,
not county In the State has 100000 inhab-
itants. OF course, they pay more than all the
rest put together and they ought to. Each
county pays in proportion to the income de-
rived from excise Franklin County under the
old law collected 1880 for Its 80 licensed
! places. which il kept all at home Now, with
10 liquor shops it contributes $4,000 toward
paving for the State government for the bene-
fit Of New-York City as well as Malone VII
age. while it keeps for paying local expenses
| $1,000. New-York, which used to collect ST.
O56OOO. now has $3621 600 all for local pur-
poses. and contributes only $l.SOO,000 TO the
| State.
Is II an outrage on this city-a larceny. in
| fact. under the form Of law from urban citi-
! zens-that the 1870 liquor dealers should con-
| tribute something to the expenses of the State
/ instead Of having those same expenses taxed
! on the shOemakers and bakers and blacksmiths
and other business men of this city? Remem-
| Der that so much money must be raised by
! taxation, anyhow. and New York and the other
wealthy counties are going to pay the large
proportion Of that tax, whether II is levied on
land or on liquor. Shall the hcavy-burdened
rent PAYERS Of New-York tax themselves higher
| In order TO let the liquor dealers make bigger
profits and reimburse the Brewers Trust for
its contributions 10 the Tammany campaign
! fund? Perhaps that sort Of personal liberty"
appeals to New-Yorkers, but doubt IT,
The Democrats talk vaguely about the posi-
bility Of license as high as the present tax, all
10 be kept at home. but nobody believes the
brewers would be working tooth and nail for
Tammany. as Tammany boasts they are for
.the prospect of paying as much money TO the
city as they pay now to city and State No,
The sort Of high license that is promised
them is one that will give TO the city no more
than IL used to get. and give the State nothing
M all with which TO tighten the taxes Of the
reutpayers who work for a living. For the
faxes Of this city are lighter because Of the
Raines law Because of the money which the
llonor dealers pay into the state Treasury the
! valuation Of every county In the state has been
lowered for purposes Of State taxation, and it
has been lowered exactly IN proportion 10 the
coupty's wealth New-York's reduction was