New-York tribune., 1905-01-17
RAINES HOTELS DOOMED.
CONFERREES OF ONE MIND
ManP organisations 4gree to Wipe
ont "HeHS on Earth"

tnE an amendment 10 the Raines law which
would abolish most Of these hotels by making
lhem live up 10 the regulations or the Buildings
department In this city. These regulations they
violate now, and cannot he compelled 10 OBJ
serve. An executive committee viii he appoint-
ID 10 represent the conference in: preparfng the
desired legislation. and will cooperate with the
committees from other orgapiza tious which are
vorSing 10 abolish the fake" hotel
The discussion yesterday confined 70 the
S2sines Law and its naongrel product The other
phases Of TIE excise question while not disre-
earded by these organizations. VIII be held in
me background until some practical reform has
been accomplished along this one line It was
expected that District Attorney Jerome would
add ms note. but he was busy elsewhere receiv-
ing the confessions of gamblers. Police Com
missioner McAdoo wrote that he could not make
his meeting an exception 10 his rule of not dis
cussing the Raines Law. which he is supposed TO
enforce but he was in sympathy with the object
~ the conference. and would be glad TO give
whatever aid or information he could to the City
Club
Conggessman-elect Bennett was made chair
man Of the meeting. and Thomas H. Reed Of
the Anti-Saloon League. secretary Lowrenoe
WELLER, secretary Of the City Club. the first
speaker. told Of the object Of the meeting
Under the present law there were two classes
OF hotels, he said. hotels proper and Raines
law hotels. buildings made into alleged hotels
70 enable them TO sell liquor on Sundays
There were some twenty-five hundred Of them
in This city. The saIoonkeepers had been COM
PEELED 10 ind some for the ten rooms they
had 10 maintain I'm connection with their bars.
and in almost every case IL had been dis
reputable Of illegal one. The great majority
Of Rsines law hotels were nothing more than
houses of assignation. Because Of this, the
City Club and the other organizations felt that
il was necessary 10 get rid OF these fake
hotels. and the easiest way was 70 eliminate
from the law that which permitted them.
WOULD PERMIT ONLY REAL HOTELS.
Make the Raines law apply only 10 real
hotels" he continued. Make the hotels fur
rish certificates that they have complied with
the requirements OF the Buildings Department
In that case 90 per cent of them viii be abol-
ished for the regulations require that a hotel
under the Raines law more than thirty-hve feet
high shall Re hreproof, and most of them are
thirry-five feet high and not freproof"
T. DeQuincy TuIly. Of the Law Enforcement
Society. told of the finding of sixteen-year-old
girl in q Brooklyn Raines law hotel. drugged.
when the place was raided. The police captain
vas besieged By politicians TO let the proprietor
- free ha sain.
Want DO you think we'd DO with the fellow
VINO took her there II We had him out West?'
he continued. Wed string him up TO the near
est telegraph pole, and likely the proprietor Of
The place with him. Seems me we can bend
our energies TO no better purpose than the
abolition Of these places"
The Rev. Lee ". Beattie. OF the Madison
Square Presbyterian Church house in Third
ave. said three similar incidents between Twen-
ty-third and Forty-secOnd SITS. had come under
his personal notice recently. He had frequently
ina De tours Of the Raines law hotels. even going
INTO the rooms up stairs and il there were such
n Thing as he'll on earth" il was right here in
,Sew-Yorlz.
Jacob Il. schiT declared that he WAS glad TO
see movement against the Raines law hotels
take shape. even if 1t didn't succeed. for it
seemed necessary for citizens to keep up their
vigilance in order 10 have a decent city. as It
seemed that the city couldn't keep itself clean
Some Of as" he went on. are taking steps in
the same direction. It is very evident to me that
the entire strength Of the liquor element VIII be
against this legislation, I would strongly ad-
wise you not 10 attempt too much. Concentrate
efforts along one line, and keep a. work in that
direction With public opinion behind this
movement and the united efforts Of civic organ
tzations. some result must come. But again I
say. don't attempt TOO much at a time"
SUNDAY DRINKS N RESTAURANTS.
Rabbi Drachmsn declared that this movement
10 eliminate a moral cancer had behind il the
sentiment Of ali classes. It was a complex ques-
uon, because this was a cosmopolitan city with
many people who desired drinks on Sunday.
Stn, ali elements OF this cosmopolitanisrn were
right on the moral issue. and he thought II some
practical disposition could be made Of the de-
mahd for drinks on Sunday. possibly by allow
ing them 10 be sold in decent restaurants the
Raines law "joints" would die Of themselves.
Thomas I. McClintock. superintendent of the
Society for the Prevention Of Crime made an
earnest plea for some provision in the law
Whereby the proprietors OF these disorderIy
houses might be punished There were many
hotels. he said. which complied strictly with
the law, yet whore the interiors were devoted
10 foul immortality. on whose proceeds the pro-
prietors battened, hiding behind clerks whom
IL did not pay 10 arrest.
Professor Burdick Of Columbia urged that a
taboo" be placed against the premises where
a violation OF the liquor law was made The
Rev. Or. John p. Peters said that Mr. Nc
CliDtocks desire would be carried out most
easily by following Professor Burdick's sugges-
ton. bur he wanted concentration. This might
come after a while; the main thing at present
10 bend All efforts 10 the one point-to
make the hotels comply with the Buildings
Department ordinances.
Mr.. Neiller's resolution. that II was the sense
of the meeting that Raines law hotels be abol-
lshed, and legislation be recommended requiring
az hotels 20 comply with the Raines laws pro-
visions ana The recommendation or the State
afio city building ordinances" was passed. and
y was voted 10 have committee 10 discuss
lle proposed legislation appointed by the chair
man Among those present were:
GEORGE HAVEN PUTNAM. Of The Committee Of Fif-
&&yAYLoED $. WHITE. Union setucnert