New-York tribune., 1903-03-12
AGREED ON EXCISE.
REPUBLICAN H4RMONY.
Mortgage Measure Also Likely to
Succeed IN Senate.
TBY TELEGRAP. TO THE TRIBrNE.I


in the legislature evidently feeling much
more cheerful this morning because of the ac-
ton of the Republican Senators last night IN
making caucus measures bill which VIII De
submitted to- morrow increasing 30 per cent the
taxes liquor dealers imposed by the liquor
tax law. and the proposed mortgage tax act
Before to-day there had been a discouraEinS
prospect for the taxation bills, and fears were
beginning to be felt that none would be passed.
Governor Odell. when asked to-day If he had
considered the fact that the increased tax on
liquor selling would probably decrease the
number Of saloons and thus possibly decrease
the States revenue, said:
Yes, that situation has been considered. and
allowing for loss of TO per cent In the TunnSa @
Of saloon certificates. the increased reN dc
from the new tax will still be about S"UCHV"
for the States share. When the Ralnes t'duol tpo
Tax law went into effect there was an ln1ne
diate decrease of 20 per cent in the NUMBER OF
saloon licenses 1 don't think there VII ne I'lue
lamentatfon If we lose some more OF theH
tax of 81 900 a year on saloon IN New
York City is not a cent heavier than II oush1
to be Many large cities in other states i'
heavier saloon taxes than New-1ork' so 'ldI
If cannot be said that We are seeking 10 iiii
nose an unusual burden on saloons. WIN 'iie
Increased revenue which the caucus ihe
will bring we shall be able to carry out our
4ion ord shall have sufficient funds TO Duhd d
barpe canal without placing any addltiohdi
sudden rnon the real estate subject to direct
taxation. 81,
Governor Odell spoke confidently to-day, IL
is said of the prospect OF the passage vi li0
Rarge Canal bill. The Senate Committee "l
Canals decided this afternoon to report idEoi
ably the bill of Senator Davis. OF Bunalo' SUI
n,itting to the people at the polls in November
+oo
Improvement of the canals. Tie proJecl - 'i'u'
formally before the State Senate
Senator Davis frankly said to-day that one
of his reasons for consenting to caucus actloil
upon the bill increas sing the taxes OIL llquol
dealers was because he beleved thdI hlole'
rnust be obtained by indirect taxauoh loi 'tie
construction of barge canal ana ne
obida nv the caucus decision making the liquor
tax bill a caucus measure. This oeclsioh VI
Senator Davis is the more notable because 'He
Raines LIQUOR tax law was originally a most ui
popular measure in Erie county anu any
nronosition to increase the taxes upon the sale
of LIQUOR may at first he regarded oS many
voters with dfsfavor. Senator Davis SAID:
ar bou vote for the liquor tax bill, and Will
do so because in my opinion we must obtain the
money for the construction of the barge canal
b, indirect taxation. The great question: III
Buffalo now Is the construction or the barge
canal No city in the State is so Vltahy coh-
cerned IN this matter as Buffalo. Ihere are
great steel works under construction "hISn
need iron ore from the Lake Champiain region
The iron ore would reach Buffalo by means Oh
the canals Another reason have for voting TOT
the LIQUOR tax law is that the Republican party
is pIedged to abolish direct state taxation and
the massage of such bill will aid us TO carry
out that pledge.
of Puff
member from Erie County. declined to express
his opinion of the Liquor Tax bill i must re-
serve my opinion" he said. Senator HILL now
ever. has always been an earnest advocate OF the
improvenlent of the canals of the state ana II IS
therefore hoped that he will decide to vote Tor
the bill and thus give the State treasury the
means to pay for canal improvements. The Re
publican Assemblymen from Erie County. II Is
hoped, will vote for the liquor tax measure with
the same object.
Governor OdeiI announced last night that there
were tvrentv-six Republican Senators who had
given a pledge to vote for both the Liquor Tax
bill and the Mortgage Tax bill. Their passage
in the State Senate therefore, seems assured
n WAS stated to-day that at the caucus of the
Republican Senators last night both measures
were received with general favor The only diff
ferences upon them were apparently in regard TO
details of the bills Some Of these details, of
ators present who were bitterly opposed 10 the
exemption Of the mortgages Of the insurance
companies and savings banks from taxation
Finally il was decided to tax the mortgages Of
the insurance companies and Of the savings
banks. The Mortgage Tax bill as finally adopt
ed only exempts from taxation the mortgages
Of charita BILE. religious and educational instt-
tutions In a recent form 1T exempted mort
cages acquired by life insurance companies.
building and loan associations and savings banks
from taxation. The principal provisions Of the
measure
To tax mortgag ges four mills on every dollar.
To tax only those mortgages that are recorded
on July | of each year
To exempt from taxation mortgages OF charl-
table religious and educa ttonal institutions
To levy the tax in the county where the
mortgaged property is located. and not where
the holder of the mortgage resides inns pro-
vision will minimize the chances OF lodging
the tax
To return to the localities one-half the reve-
nue. collected.
The canal men were saying to-day that the
additional revenues would aid the construction
NJ good roads II was said that as the first p
nronriation to the fund for retiring the barge
canal daht will not be necessary until 1901 there
will he available for good roads construction
81 oOO OOp for each Of the four years prior 10
that time 40 that the State will be In a posi-
to-, 70 exnend in four years $16.OOO.OOO toward
tho building Of good roads. The localities would.
according TO law pay equal amount, or
s16 nOO OOO and thus $32O00O0O in all. would
ha exnended In the improvement of roads.
EEEECT OF THE PLAN.