Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-15
LAWS JUST ENACTED
Interesting Action Of the New
York Legislature.
TAX ON STOCK DEALS
NEW YoRK's MAYOR.
Aldermen Deprived of the Power to
Grant neutrality-suspicious.
Fight-Fixing Price Of Gas.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
RecOrd-Herald.
NEW YORK, May ID, 1905.
The legislature of New York, which has
Just adjourned, enacted considerable leg1s-
lation of national interest. Some OF the
bills are still in the hands of the governor
for he is allowed ample time after the al
journment to examine and reflect upon
them; and is not, like the President, COM
PEELED to sign them on the jump. One law
which has already received his approval
affects the entire country; or at least that
portion of the population who are fortunate
or unfortunate enough to deal in stocks Tor
speculation or investment. 1t imposes
tax of cents share upon every transfer.
AS the stock exchange of New York alone
buys and sells an average of million
shares day for more than three hundred
days of each year, a slight calculation Will
show you that a large revenue will be con-
tributed to the state treasury from people
who can we'll afford to pay it. The stock
brokers made a great fuss when the bill
was under consideration, but they got no
sympathy. 1 suppose the tax will ultimate
ly come out of their clients They charge
a commission of $3.50 for every hundred
to tack 81 more to that sum-
Another bill which has met with deter
mined opposition from banks and investors
generally imposes an annual tax of mills
per dollar upon all mortgages recorded.
This measure has not yet been signed, but
probably will be, as 1t has received the APP
prevail of the republican caucus and the
machine, and nobody will suffer from 1t.
To place such a law upon the statute
books will give the republicans good
campaign argument
Another law, which has long been de-
manded by the temperance people and
moral reformers will close a large proper
ton Of what are known as "Raines-law
hotels The Raines liquor law, enacted
three years ago, prohibits the sale of liquor
on Sunday except when served with meals
at hotel AS a logical consequence bogus
hotels sprang up all over the city, at which
light lunch is served, all day and all
night The customers. to evade the law.
pay for the lunch and not for the drinks
which go with It. Thus, man who orders
a plate of crackers and cheese, or a sand
witch, is entitled to a drink, and 1t can be
served to him without the interference of
the police. That law has now been amend
ed SO that it applies only to restaurants
with regular kitchens, dining rooms and
bills of-fare,. and the proprietor must be
prepared to serve any article on his bill of
fare. l suppose the liquor sellers will find
some way to evade it, but it will be more
difficult and expensive than formerly.
Electric Power From Niagara.
proposition which excited great indig-
nation, to permit a corporation to generate
electric power at Niagara Falls and dis
tribute 1t all over the state without limi-
tation, restriction, regulation Of any
kind, failed to pass by tie vote, which il a
matter of national congratulation. The
proposition was on of the most audacious
ever brought before a legislative body.
The bill permitted the company to locate
anywhere 1t pleased on the Niagara river
and to extend its wires to any part of the
state, including the city of New York,
without any of the safeguards that are i'm
posed upon ordinary power and lighting
companies. When private property is
taken for public purposes by railroad Or
other corporation they are usually required
to obtain the approval of a court, under
certain formalities, and the corporation is
required to pay the expense of the proceed
ings The Niagara bill, however, gave the
corporation it created the right to occupy
private property at it's pleasure and 10
purchase at its own price. If the owners
app called to the courts to project them they
were to be compelled to pay all the costs.
1t is an astonishing fact that this impu-
dent measure passed house of the
legislature and was defeated in the other
by a tie vote.
New York Mayors Term.
The legislature has extended the official
term of the mayor of New York from two
to four years without consulting the pres
ent incumbent of that office; but he has a
right to give his opinion upon the bill be-
fore it receives the sanction. of the gov
ernor. Under the original charter for
Greater New York the mayors term was
fixed at four years: but, during the admin
istration of Van Wyck, who is known as
1.-THE worst mayor New York ever had" 1t
was cut down to two. Now 1t is proposed
to restore the original limit, and If the bill
becomes a law 1t is expected to have an
important influence upon the municipal
contest next November. Both parties, how
ever, believe that 1t will help them. The
republicans seem to think that the people
will be afraid to place their affairs in the
hands OF Tammany for so long a term,
while the Tammany leaders are In favor OF
the extension because they think it will in
crease their chances of success by making
the boys work harder at the polls and in
duce the contractors and office holders to
contribute more literally, on the theory
that four years are better than two. Mayor
Mcclellan is placed in dilemma. He
wants to be elected governor two years
from now and he wants to be reelected
mayor next fall for the interim. If the
term is extended for four years instead of
two Governor Higgins may have demo-
cratic successor who will insist upon a
second term and thus keep Mcclellan out.
The republicans. on the other hand, are
confident of electing the next mayor of
New York and supported the new law on
that theory.
Power to Grant Franchises.
Another law which was passed by re-
publican votes deprives the New York
board of aldermen of the power to grant
franchises. and entrusts that responsibility
to the board of estimates which consists
of the mayor. the presidents OF the four
horoughs which compose Greater New
York, the city comptroller and the presi-
dent Of the board of aldermen-all Of them
except the last being officials elected by
the people. The passage Of this law was
secured through the influence OF the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company. which has had
a good deal of experience with the
.boodlers'' of the city council during its
efforts to secure franchises for its termi-
nails in this city. That company is en-
titled to public respect and gratitude for
refusing to be blackmailed; for refusing
to pay the usual fees to the Tammany
strikers and the cormorants who hang
around city hall. 1t would have been much
cheaper and much less trouble had Mr..