New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-27
BILL SILENT ON REGISTRATION.
Also Boundaries of Districts Arbitrary, Says
Editor of Gazette

Arguing against the bill. Mr.. Smith says in part:
The bill has been introduced at the instigation of
% Leagse Which as IS we aSs
comfortable living out Of their opposition TO- the
determining the question whether there is any
public sentiment behind this bill It is well to re-
member also that the genuine temperance sent-
nent of the State has on various occasions repu-
diated the pernicious activity of the Anti-Saloon
The af zig biz
district OF any city or incorporated village shall
York with the Board of Elections. a petition for
sale or oo to by 6a9t b
within the limits Of such residence district SPECIAL
such special election the entire machinery Of the
election bureau provided for the holding of general
S Ro%ev is silent a as to
HE'D eeotors residing Within Such RESIDENCE district
shall be entitled to vote; but 1t does not provide
IS tn Be- 9dy ghih the of the electors
As stated, the boundaries Of any residence dis,
trict in which this special election is to be held
are purely arbitrary. 1t seems to have dawned
i fixing these arbitrary boundaries, the residence
districts may get mixed up and overlap each other
when two or more petitions are filed containing in
for the district described in the petition frst filed
and afterward in the other districts which may
Fhus we are confronted With the Charming pros
pect Of having one special election after another.
Should the professional agtators of the Anti Saloon
League see 1T to do so. We might have in the city
more special elections within one year. The tax
payers of the city should this extraordinary bill
ton bills that may may amount to hundreds Of thous
ands of dollars year. and the question may well
be asked, Is the possible benefit to be derived
der this system Of local option commensurate to
the city by reason of this act?
special election is to be ordered The bill provides
that that petition shall be signed by as many
cent of the humber of Votes cast In the said resi-
dence district at the last preceding general cleo
ton. But the bill leaves us in the dark as to who
is to determine whether the signatures under this
petition the signatures of duly qualified cleo
tors, as there has been no provision made In this
bill for a registration. We know that many Of the
qualified electors in this city constantly chang
ing their residences and test is provided in the
bill to determine whether the names under the
residents. and not duly qualified electors or or
the latter class.
ception of this material defect for they nave IN
serted clause which provides that in Indictment
not be necessary to forth the fact that the re-
quired number of duly qualified electors had peoi-
toned for such special election. The bill has been
temperance and good order in the districts In when
such special election is to be held the boundaTles
the whole city nor an Assembly Senate dis
trict is made political unit; but any NUMBER o.
city blocks in residence district OF me Gley diay
in one these residence districts has 6een ned ana
the result been an affirmative vote. We shall then
of which no saloons will be permitted to exist. while
on the other side number OF nquor stoses tnas
be established How VIII this conaio4 OK distric+
promote temperance and good order IN me
which has Just voted the saloons QUIZ ~ o ~
is a question be determined by experts IN Gona
Of the legislature to thus arbitrarily depreciate the
value OF real estate on one SIDE OF tne SIZE e
enhance it on the other SIDE OF 1ne Saloons ms
eeneraliv have to pay a higher rent than wnen
used for other business purposes