New-York tribune., 1901-11-17

~ RESPONSIBLE for violations OF the law by sales
81 prohibited hours II has been q standing
uractiee Of officials Of the Police Department
and Of other departments Of the city govern
.nent who are responsible for the enforcement
Of important provisions Of the law 10 declare
that the fault for violations lies with the State
officials who issue the liquor tax certificates
The excuse is made with great frequency when
there are complaints about violations Of the law
n 6ens Of vice.
How can We stop the sale Of liquor at such
places Sc long as the places are licensed?
asks the police captain
Il that does not satisfy a complainant, he has
ready z discourse on the failure Of inspectors
II the Excise Department to Investigate the
Character Of places which are licensed What
cle police captain tries 10 conceal is that he
has the power 70 shut up every vicious place
by enforcing the plain provisions Of the law
and causing the revocation CT the liquor tax
certificates Such a course however, would
:ut of revenue for the protection Of the law
breakers as well as revenue TO the State for the
sale Of liquor at the place.
Almost every so-calIed -Raines law hotel
n the city violates provisions Of the law which
should be enforced not only by the police but
by officials OF the Health Department. the Fire
Department and Department OF Buildings II
would be wellnigh impossible to maintain such
fake hoteT' in the city if the officials Of any
OF these departments did their duty
For good understanding Of the operation Of
4he Liquor Tax law il is necessary TO consider
that the State Excise Department is concerned
only with the collection OF the tax Its ma
chinery is run with that end. and only that end
in view. For that purpose it Is admira bly,
adapted. Il collects from the liquor traffic
about s13.e9oooO year, a revenue enormously
greater than that which was collected under
the former excise laws. In New-York County
alone the revenue amounts TO nearly S6,booco
a year. From May / to November 10, this year.
the tax collected in New-York amounted 70
seSll.s26 %. Two-thirds Of that sum, So
aos,217 90 went into the treasury Of New-York
City, not 10 pay the ordinary expenses Of gov
.ernment or 10 decrease the city debt. but TO
be distributed in the payment Of pensions and
IN the maintenance Of charitable institutions.
The State gets one-third Of the tax pays all the
fxpenses Of its collection, and uses the balance
sor the reduction Of taxation FOR State purposes.
In the collection Of the liquor tax the State
encials issue certificates 10 all applicants who
pay for them and file the necessary bonds. Each
spplcant for certificate is required TO make
N affidavit that he has complied with and in
'enos TO comply with the law. but that is the
lily investigation, If ii can be called one. that
MADE by the State officials in issuing certif-
Is1es- No inspectors are sent to see if the appi-
caats make false affidavits or if the law is COM
Pleo with after the certificates are issued There
Ire sixty inspectors in the pay OF the Excise De-
psrnent, but all their energies are expended
u hunting up dealers who try TO sell without
'='alcates- The inspectors do not care how
say dealers sell on Sunday. or how many vio-
A's other provisions Of the law. long no
.7siers are allowed to dodge the tax
certain provisions OF the law impose severe
penalty on the dealers who violate the law
NN-ong the penalties are the revocation Of the
11 certificate and the forfeiture of the bond,
eH IS couble the amount of the sum paid for
certificate 4 conviction for a violation OF
Co. therefore carries with it the loss Of the
- palo Tor the tax certificate and $1,000 in
-''oh not TO mention fine and Imprisonment
" "e imposed by the court
:, 1ie lace OF such provisions for punishment,
dealers Of this city openly disregard a
.-S'on of the law which was intended to pre-
eae sale Of liquors prohibited hours
. the provision which requires the in
-ois Oh saloons TO be visible from the side
al such hours II is true that there are
e0sS doors and windows to the saloons. but the
is eitner ground glass or glass that is as
9, 10 look through as boiler plate. Then
'ne custom TO further hide the interior OF
saloons by inside partitions or screens
purpose Of the law Is to enable any police
:" look into a saloon on Sunday. or between
nouts of j and ) a. N. on week day. and
business is being transacted there in vio-
~ oi o1 The law For reasons that are well un-
the police have made no attempt &c
.,.s 'iiat provision Of the law. although the
=, eiieht would stop Sunday selling N nearly
- the saloons in the cit,.
Ne Selling OF liquor with r,eaTs- on Sunday
motel is allowed by the Liquor Tax law. and