New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-08
SEES GREENE ON EXCISE.
AGAINST REFERENDUM.
District attorney Docs Not Like
Some Features of Generals Bill.

District Attorney Jerome and Police Commis-
soner Greene yesterday had an informal CONFER
ence the subject Of excise, and discussed at
length their plans for legislation on the subject
Mr. Jerome told General Greene frankly that he
thought it would be difficult IL not impossible
to get the Republican majority in the state leg
isature TO pass any measure which gave so much
power to a Tammany board consisting OF the
Mayor Controller and Police Commissioner Cen
eraI Greene declared that IL ii made clear tnat
the majorty-that is the overwhelming majority
of the people of the city favored his BILL ne was
assured that il would be passed by the next lesis
Iature.
The fact that mis- bill proposed referendum
and Mr. Jerome's did not, another argument
the Police Commissioner advanced for his measure
The District Attorney insisted that If the question
of opening the saloons on Sunday were leIt 10 d
general referendum in the city it would De de-
feated General Greene explained that his measure
provided a method of dividing the city into dis
tricts, although he agreed with Mr. jerome that
abstract proposition the majority in the
city would be against Sunday opening They agreed
that the provision for board, and thus for pubhc
hearings, was a good step.
On the subject of the composition of the board
Mr. Jerome again disagreed with General Greene
In the Iatters PLAN the Mayor, Controller and Po-
lice Commissioner compose the board. The Dis
trct Attorney argued that some eecdve officer. pos
sibIy the President of the Board of Aldermen
should replace the Police Commissioner, declaring
that since that official was an appointee OF the
Mayor, he would be only his creature, and thus
that the Mayor would have to consult constantly
that the Mavor should have to consult constantly
with the Police Commissioner, and act on his ad-
vice and that he ought to be a member Of the
board.
Without reaching any definite conclusion. General
Greene and Mr.. Jerome went over the question
thoroughly and both declared themselves pleased
with the conference
The District Attorney would not comment on
General Greenes plan. beyond declaring that a
change was needed and that the plan was step
in the right direction. On Thursday Mr.. Jerome
will report TO the committee OF representative cit
teens who met last week discuss the situation
at the invitation of the Citizens Union. General
Greene said that he had made another engagement
and was not sure that he would be able to attend
He also declared that he had taken no steps yet
toward having his bill introduced at Albany. lie
wished to await the results of the public discussion
of the Eubiact
Commissioner Greene thinks his bill would dc.
away with abuses existing in the Raines law hotels
Commissioner Greene suggests the following amend
ment to the law
may be sold in the city OF New-York under the pro-
visions of this act shall be axed and determlneo,
Mayor the Controller and the Police Commissioner
in said city and said hours need not be uniform
in ali parts of said city The said board shall keep
record of it's proceedings, and us meetings. shan
This law shall not take effect until it shall have
been submitted at general eeeTo1, 20 y9 ga
jority of all the votes cast for and against II at
such election, and the same shall be submitted 10
the people of the city OF Newly ork az the gen.
eraI election to be held in November. 1904
The District Attorney has still some hope of Sc
curing the passage of his measure, which he In
troduced in the legislature last session. When this
bill reached vote a prominent Democratic Sen
ator came to the District Attorney and said;
I'm going to for your BILL Jerome, but L
wouldn't you know. If 1 thought 1t had any chance
of passing" This remark has been the subject or
much thought on the District Attorneys part since
then.
Mayor Low yesterday told his friends that ne
believed Police Commissioner Greene had hit upon
a commendable plan for the Sunday opening OF
liquor selling places and that 1t ought to be tried
In commenting on it the Mayor said:
The proposal of General Greene for the amend
ment of the excise law, which is altogether his
own seems to me the that has yet been made.
IL may need ampIifcaton in details. but just II
stands ii least these four good points: First
1t is based appeal to home rule Second
Ii has sufficient f1eXibilty to deal with the many
different conditions prevailing IN different parts OF
the city on their merits. Thtrd-It fixes responSi-
tilty Fourth-It does not decide the policy OF the
city once for all. but allows room for the teaching
q experience.