New-York tribune., 1902-02-05
JEROME HAS EXCISE BILL.
WILL SEE SENATOR WAGNER TO-DAY
AND ASK HIM TO INTRODUCE IT.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

Albany. Feb. 4-Poce Commissioner Par
fridge and District Attorney Jerome of New
York arrived here this afternoon. Colonel Par
fridge said that his visit was purely social; that
he was going to take dinner with DR.. and Mrs
Samuel B. Ward, relatives of his, in company
with Governor and Mrs Odell.
District Attorney Jerome said his arrival
that he had nothing at that time to say for
publication, but might have later. He went to
the Ten Eyck Hotel, and then accompanied by
Assemblymau Seymour, of New York, went to
the Fort Orange Club. There late this evening
he communicated with Senator Wagner of
Kings County. by telephone. and asked him to
meet him Gerome) at the Ten Eyck Hotel at /
o'clock. Senator Wagner some time ago wrote
to Mr. Jerome offering to introduce any bill he
might draw up providing for the Sunday sale of
liquor in New-York. There are twenty three
breweries in Senator Wagner's district, large
rumber of churches. and court. Senator
Wagner arrived at the Ten Eyck Hotel at II
not arrived at the hotel
Colonel Partridge's attention was called to the
statement of the Reform Club Excise Commits
sion that the State Excise Commissioner should
send his sixty excise inspectors to New-York
City and make determined effort to close UP
the Raines law hotels.
THE excise inspectors would reinforce the
Police Department, of course" said Commits
sioner Partridge land doubtless went down to
New-York on a night train. Therefore I shall
expect to find every Raines law hotel shut up
tonight before I get back TO New-York in the
morning"
Colonel Partridge will return to New-York to-
morrow morning. He disavowed any knowledge
of any bill to open the saloons in New York on
Sunday that might have been brought here by
District Attorney Jerome.
District Attorney Jerome returned TO the Ten
Eyck Hotel at - o'clock, and learned that Sena-
tor Wagner had gone to the Kenmore Hotel
He disappointed at not having seen the
Senator, and said that he would see him in the
morning. and that in all probability the Se-ator
would introduce bill which he (Jerome) had
drawn up permitting the sale of liquor on sun
day between the hours of l o'clock in the after
noon. and II o'clock in the evening. When
asked the exact provisions of the measure the
District Attorney read the following amendment
to the Raines Liquor Tax law, where it forbids
the sale of liquor on Sunday, as defined in
Clause A:
And the provisions of Clause A Of this sec
tion are subject TO the following exception; In
CITES having population Of more than 1900
600 by the last State census corporation. as
sOciation. co-partnership, or person holding a
liquor tax certificate under Section II, Sub
division l. of this act, may traffic in liquors on
Sunday between the hours of l o'clock in the
afternoon and II o'clock in the evening.
Continuing, Mr.. Jerome said
It is thus plain that this bill is a direct amend
ment of the Raines Liquor Tax law, and is not
dependent a vote of the people I do not be-
lieve in local option on the question of liquor
selling Sunday. The Legislature is here to
represent the. people, and, accordingly, the
wishes of the people ought TO be learned right
here without all the worry, expense and waste
of time attendant upon calling a special cleo
tion. 1t is up to the legislature.
Has this bill the support of the conference
committee of five of the Reform Club?' Mr..
Jerome asked
IT is not the Reform Club bill. Those men are
still wrestling with the problem, and l do not
know exactly what the provisions Of their bill
will be. This much, however, is certain, that
the Reform Club bill will provide for local OPP
tion by boroughs in the matter Of the Sunday
sale of liquor in NeW-York. Now, matter
Of fact. l believe that if this proposition is
placed before the citizens of New-York it will
be voted down by over fifty thousand Every
borough, with the possible exception of The
Bronx would vote against it. Local option in
this case would be subversive of representative
government. In my mind it is question of
choosing between two evils-frst the present
law with its necessary non-enforcement and
attendant blackmail; second. the opening of
saloons part of the day on Sunday. To me the
latter is the lesser evil, and should be chosen.
Have you seen Senator Raines?" one of the
newspaper men asked:
''Yes, 1 did. I met him just I going
into the grlllroom OF IHe Zen Eyck. uld not
have a chance to ask him to introduce my bill"
The District Attorney said that he intended to
return to New-York the II 80 train to-mor-
row morning. He intmated that he might see
Governor Odell and confer with him the bill.
1t was also said tonight that the District At
torney will arrange for hearing on the BILL
so that he can himself be present to plead in its
support.
Assemblyman Seymour it is said, asked
by Mr.. Jerome to introduce the measure in the
lower house, but declined to do so, because of
not wishing to oppose the wishes OF his constitu-
entS
Assemblyman Mccullough. of the district. who
succeeds Julius Hamburger. may introduce the
bill in the lower house. Mr. McDonough said
tonight that he would be glad to be the sponsor
of such measure.