New-York tribune., 1903-03-24
MAYOR QUOTES LIQUOR MAN.
ANSWERS SALOONKEEPERS WITH COURT RECORD IN
WHICH BLACKMAIL PAYMENT IS ADMITTED.
Tells Brooklyn He Approves Pending High License
BM-Its Opponents Make Threats
CITY WOULD NOT SUFFER
Mayor Gires His Personal Vie5cs on
High License.

The Mayor yesterday. in answer to letter re-
ceived from the German-American Citizens
League of Brooklyn asking him to define his
position on the new excise bill now before
the legislature at Albany. increasing the liquor
dealers license from $500 to $1,000 year. en-
phaticaly stated that he is and has been for
twenty years in favor Of high license He gave
his reasons for believing that the city would
not suffer should the bill become a law. His
letter said:
bill. such the Court of Appeals has decided does
say the Mayor has no ofcial relation to 1t. have
not been consulted. either as to the policy OF the
fiS Sos a1ail wa Of hs opportunsy eve
eo G Y to he a fn b You and
ss a revenus measure. It is evidently framed: not
from the excise point Of view but from m the Roint
Let US examine it first, therefore from that point
two-thrds Of the stale tax. and it also pays sub;
stantiay othirds Of the excise tan thaf is paa
mates that the excise tax Yields abont 81 9, co.,
s basis State xogd 6H gnds % he
81 @ m 60 and gIder +, the g69Poseq aT NV od ns or
tS2da tS2h5f5 of the Of ] "a o. :s T :S and two
to @ f.s T by teRs Psc to aTsen nSs is S i oh the
city would pay exactly the same sum IN each t case
plan. moreover, the city would keep out Of the sum
paid in excise taxes 50 instead of $4,000 900 as
under the present law. The city. therefore, as a
city would not suffer either directly or indirectly
proposes to keep one-half of the collections in
stead of one-third 1t promises to take the same
proportion Of the total collected from all parts
Of the State. These figures. however, make IT
clear that the liquor traffic all over the state vii
be much more heavily taxed. This raises, in erect.
the question Of high license.
Any one who Is familiar with my utteranceS ror
the last twenty years knows that am a believer
in high license. I believe in high license beca use
IT is the only automatic way know OF to limit
including those engaged in the traffic recognizes to
be necessary IN greater or less degree. Every at
tempt TO limit number Of saloons by discretion
has produced unspea kable evils. High license also
sponsibIe hands. and. in my Judgment. so far from
making for monopoly it tends precisely the other
way for when the license fee Is low the brewers
and the distillers own most of the saloons:
apprecate that license fees may be hxeo SO
high as to encourage Illicit places. but do not
feeI sure in view Of the paid In other States.
that the pending bill transgresses this limit These
Sre nv personal views the subject but because
the pending bill involves. primarily queStlon OF
state policy 90 not feel called upon to urge them
upon the State legislature
When asked about the letter of Mayor Low
to the liquor dealers, District Attorney Jerome
said yesterday:
81 don't care to discuss the letter, but as 10
the last part Of IT, where the Mayor thinks
judicial proceedings might be started. why, the
Mayor is a ma gistrate and I will prosecute any
investigation he may start. If he wants 10
begin q John Doe proceeding will attend per-
sonally or send representative