New-York tribune., 1902-01-28
MAYOR FOR LOCAL OPTION.
TELLS CITIZENS COMMITTEE He WOULD HAVE A RE
CURING VOTE BY BOROUGHS-ANSWER FROM S. p c.
MAYOR GIVES HIS VIEWS
FOR LOCAL OPTION AND THE RESTAU-
RANT SUNDAY SELLING PRIVI-
LEGE PLAN

Mayor Low 20 committee OF the Citizens
Excise Committee that waited on him at the
City Hall yesterday said that he favored bor-
ough local option and special spring elections
the best means of deciding on the citys ex-
else policy. In this manner. the Mayor says
the questions involved can be passed upon free
. from all other issues.
The committee consisted of Colonel Willis L.
Ogden. president OF the Civil Service Commits
sion; the Rev. DR.. Lyman Abbott. Wheeler H
Peckham and William r. Corwine. Professor
Felix Adler, of the committee was unavoidabIy
detained.
Mr.. Corwine read a letter which contained the
results Of the committees Investigations 1t
suggests the granting 70 restaurants the same
privileges as to hotels Sunday for the sell
Ing OF liquor, the opening of saloons on Sunday
from noon until 10 p. m. and a special election
IN the spring, when the people may decide
whether this is feasible not. The letter also
described the work of the committee. 1t set
forth the resolutions adopted by the sub-com-
mittee, made up of William H. Baldwin, jr,
chairman; John G. Agar, DR.. Felix Adler
Wheeler H. Peckham and William R. Corwine
THE COMMITTEES RECOMMENDATIONS
The committees recommendations were:
- First-The present liquor law not
Second-That prohibition not effective, be-
cause IL led TO evasions and to crime and i'm
fnorahtes by which such evasions were effected.
second conference resulted in the framing
of three propositions as follows:
Resolved, That the Ranes law be so amended
as TO provide for the sale Of liquors in restaurants
with the idea ~ that in ucb case the Rsines law
hotel would be displaced. and its peculiar abuses
. That saloons be permitted to be open Sundays
That Special eiecton be @ held in he m spring. at
which the people shall vote on the question OF
Sunday opening.
Wheeler H. Peckham. in his remarks following
the reading of the letter said that the members
of the committee had different views on the
subject. but had united in those outlined in the
letter. He added that if hotels of any character
have the right TO sell liquor it is only fair that
restaurants have the right.
The Rev. DR.. Lyman Abbott said that law and
order ought TO be synonymous. He did not be-
lieve in going TO the legislature for Sunday
opening of saloons. It was to be considered he
said, that the representatives of the rural dis
tricts do know as much about the needs
Of the city the citizens here.
THE MAYORS REPLY.
Mayor Low. in replying to the delegation. said:
1 have listened with interest to the report you
you represent. On this phase Of the excise ques-
10 tion stand again jast where did did, IN my let
evils growing Of certain clauses of the present
sideration Of the legislators; but entered into no
engagement TO agitate for change of the law. be
cause did not then. do I now, conceive that
that $ the duty of the Mayor. If public opinion
be dePent bn dTded @ It @ the @ nt Of M0n te
Mayors function is to point out. in general terms
provement may be had
must be allowed to work out its own salvation
Nobody is so much concerned as our own people.
allowed to settle the matter in its local aspects
ourselves
PREFERRED TO A REFERENDUM,
much prefer local option to a referendum. I
terms Terms have been often used interchangeably But
a referendum sometimes some is merely an expression
either here or at Albany Local option. on the
other hand. is well known process by which the
Voters % upon tbe e oue 10 o thf GecS0n 4a the
their vote Only process of this sort seems to
There are many who think that if majority
were TO vote to maintain the present law on the
question OF sunday selling. then it could be en-
as the public sale Of liquor on Sunday. This may
Guilty in preventing the Illegal sale in private does
net spring at any time in the last statement from
illegal selling. but from the presence in the city of
avery large body Of people who yield obedience
visions conflict so seriously both with their per
sonal habits and with their opinions.
RECURRING OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON IT
i think. therefore that If option be granted
It should be in the form Of measure that affords
questions submitted. intervals of or three
years BY such process the city would
learn what was practicable and what not. and
would before long solve the question in some form
likely to be accepted by every Nothing but
discussion and experience under American con-
ditions solve a problem Of this character and
the advantage Of local option is that il commits
the solution of the question: I'm its local aspects
the discussion and experience OF those who are
most nearly affected by II.
think that any bill providing for local option
should provide for special spring elections, that
the questions submitted be discussed and
passed upon free from all other issues
/ yyhi
would be safe 10 the boroughs. These
being geographically distinct. I think local
option by boreughs would be practicable. [ should
doubt the wisdom of using any smaller unit.
With the light that have now think well of the
idea of giving restaurants the right sell Sun
day. IL the details of such a measure can be put
in satisfactory form At the present time the law
extends this privilege 10 hotels. defined as TO
give rise 10 distinct class of establishments which
have 70 be known Raines law hotels that
lend themselves TO all sorts of iniquity. 1t would
could be given instead TO bona fide restaurants
many saloons become restaurants Sun
days only. but every day of the week. IL is not
easy how the public interests would suffer.
II bill is presented TO the legislature along
these lines prepared to say TO the legislature
~ the proper time what seem the terms of
the problem with which IL is called upon to deal.
CHARITY SOCIETY ADVISES CATION