New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-11
State Has 1852 Liquor Licenses.

There are 1852 liquor licenses outstand-
ing in this state. or one for each 29l in
Ia bitants. Representative liquor dealers
and brewers went on record during the last
year in favor of such amendments to the
law as would reduce this number of IL
Censed places TO a minimum IF to each
800 habitants The report continues.
Many disinterested citizens who have
given the subject much thought favor
ratio Of to each 40. while others believe
that the proper ratio is l to each 600 Of
drastic changes i'm the law in this respect.
| deem il for the best interests OF the
state that the issuance OF licenses for new
places should be restricted and that such
changes in the law should be enacted as
will operate gradually To decrease the
number of licensed places until basis
has been reached that is consistent with
law observance and Law enforcement.
To this end it is recommended that any
increase in the number Of licensed places
existing on January ! last he prohibited
by law; that hereafter no rebates sur
rendered certificates should be paid or that
the rebate be cut to but 20 per cent of the
amour. now allowed when a certificate Is
surrendered. and that the provision
Of law which authorizes the transfer
Of a certificate from one person to an
other should be repealed. While such
changes in the law would tend to a grad
uaI Improvement, Commissioner Clement
believes that a more marked reduction in
the number of licensed liquor dealers
would he FASTENED by an amendment to the
law which would extend the constant area
and thus provide a scheme Of local option
for cities that would be practicable. work
able and obtainable lie recommends a
change IN the law which would extend
from 200 To. say. 800 feet the radius i'm
residential territory for which the consents
Of the owners of not less than two-thirds
of the dwelling houses should he filed upon
application for liquor tax certificate.
While the adoption Of the foregoing
amendments would without doubt 20 a long
way in the direction Of Strengthening anil
improving the liquor tax law. it is pointed
out in the report that IL is of paramount
Importance that the people I'm the various
localities should elect honest and capable
officials when they choose public servants
who are to set in motion the legal ma
chinery when laws are violated The Com
missioner continues:
pemigOgues hinder excise reform more
than do defects i'm the liquor tax law This
law has been denounced bv bad men with
selfish purpose. and nv some good men who
have Teen deceived by the bad. the sink
noe ana bittdtr o. about all Of the Vice
and crime In the state
The RainCS law hotel - called, has be
come synonymous with houses If III fame
and responsible IN the minds of many fer
every disOrd"rly house. in spite of the fact
that there Is far less OF the social evil
haunting itself ia the eyes Of dcCenCy than
when the law was passed. and In spite IT
the TACT that the teu-iOum provision from
which the Raines law hotel derives its name
was taken almost word tor word from the
uid excise law Of 1892 and the decisions OF
III, supreme Court constituting that act.
S"nSatiOn mOnEcTs and faddiSts have,
through ignorance OF morbid desire for
cheap nOtOrtety, tnsulted the integrity and
morality OF the women 81 the cities and
populous centres OF the state without JUS
tinCation or dccenCy. our cities to-day
compare iaNorallv "a To- virtue and oh,.-
dience to law With any others I'm the civilized
world These same morbid promoters Of
sensation also insult reason and intelligence
when they asset that the tcn-room hotel
prov ision 81 the present Law has materially
inCrcdsed Or affected the social cVi! on that
this similar provision Of the former law
had any such eject This evil In due t.
human weakness and human Iassion and
not t. thv defects Of any statute. IL is a.
arcient a. man. II can pc restricted ana
mininiizcd by the enforcement pf statutory
law. bit /; can lac lesscncd in a far greater
degree hN the teachings and influence nj th,.
higher law that stimulates and promotes
scT-contrOi and morality In the individual.
The excise revenues for the last riscaI
year aggregated slsoo5.ig5. while the total