New-York tribune., 1905-02-10
RAINES TO AMEND BILL.
TO KILL FAKE HOTELS +"
He and Conferrees on Encise 4p7ee
on mendments.

n few days Senator John Raines viii intro
duce bin as amendment to that legislation
which bears hts name which viii TO q great er-
tent 90 away with the Raines law horels-the
fake hotels" as they have been characterized
by the conferences which have been working TO
abolish this one evil Of the complicated excise
problem. With good part OF the Republican
leaders in favor Of such Iegislation-and many OF
them have signifed their favor-it is likely that
the hill viii be labelled q party measure and
pushed through in quick time.
This bin viii be a composite of ideas which
Senator Raines had worked out and suggestions
made 10 him by the committees representing
The City Club. the Anti-saloon League and
other organization which have taken UP the ex-
else question. Several conferences have been
held between the Senator and various repre-
sentatives. who included Lawrence WELLER OF
fhe City Club. and Congressman-elect Bennett
who WAS chairman Of the conference on the
abolition Of Raines law hotels held at the City
C1Ub They found that Senator Raines was
keeniy alive 10 the evil conditions which ex-
3sted, and desired greatly any of them that
she law be changed 10 prevent such conditions.
GET TOGETHER WITH SENATOR RAINEs.
When the men from this city went TO see the
Senator few days after the conference at the
CITY Club they found that he was going TO
snfrodaca a bill which was almost the same as
u with them z draugnt OF the proposed legisla-
lion which WIS approved at the conference un-
der the direction OF the Anti-Saloon League,
he'd al the Hotel Chelsea. The Senator went
over tho IDEAS in il with the New-York men,
end then discussed his bill with them
Tho result was elimination Of some points
end a substitution Of others.
Other conferences were arranged for. at which
Senator Raines met the representatives Of the
ielg+ In fact
willingness with which he accepted their sug-
sestiors and grasped their ideas rather surprised
some Of them. who had believed that he would
not take kindly to criticism OF the old Raines
law and the extensive efforts which were be-
ing made 10 amend il. Many of their ideas he
had forestaIied- Others he incorporated into
his tentative measure. He has been in COM
rnunica1ion with the various committees. and
Il was learned yesterday that his bill was so
nearly completed that he expected 10 lay IL De-
fore the Senate In a few days
This bill in general will follow the lines indi-
Gated at the conference OF the City Club. The
sdes will be 70 make all hotels conform with the
regulations of the Buildings and Fire depart
snents, as a preliminary 10 getting a license
This simple provision. declared Lawrence Veil
ier at the conference while il would not affect
the genuine hotels. would drive out Of business
90 ger cent OF the fake hotels which main
-sined Ten rooms above a barroom, devoted TO
-lnspeaksble purposes. According to the Build
ing Code every hotel more than - feet high
must be freproof. and Mr.. WELLER declared that
racst of the fake hotels'' which were in build
sngs more than thiIsy-1ve feet high could not
comply with the regulations.
There was a slight difference Of opinion be-
tween Senator Raines and the committees as TO
whether the applicant for a license should be
required 10 present 2 certificate CT compliance
with the requirements OF the various depart
rnents when he asked for his liquor tax certif-
rate He maintained that s1oh q provision
would subject the applicant 70 "hold-up" and
afford a fine opportunity for graft in the
different departments. The conferrees could not
SEE just where the chance for graft" would be
hut e conlpromise was effected on this point.
Other stipulations win be incorporated by the
Senator in his measure. the nature Of which
The Tribune may not make public. which viii
have an effect even more far reaching than the
PROVISIONS requiring compliance with the Build
irg ana Fire laws. While those amendments
viii be in a sense preventive legislation. they
-gilI enable active offensive measures TO be
taken against The fake hotels"