Year: 1877

PROPOSED NEW EXCISE LAw-ALL POWER TO


BE VESTED IN THE cIrY-ExPREssIoN OF


OPINION BY DIFFERENT INTERESTS.


The proposed bill 10 reorganize the Excise
Board the effect OF which will be IN the city all
power concerning the regulation aud endorsements Of
the liquor laws, and which published exclusively
In the HERALD Of Friday has Of lato excited eood
deal Of interest in the class which II touches most
nearly. At first, however, n great many Of the DEAL
ers In liquors did not appear havc much considered
the bearing OF its provisions while others con-
scious OF the Intellectual operation Of previous laws
that thoy were not disposed to hold the Of
much account In the direction OF reformation Ind-
vIdual interest," OF course always operates framing
the opinions which expressed these occasions,
aud the hurt or advantage which enactment will
bring to person concerned IL be by either
adverse favorable criticism


1t Will bc recollected at all events by those who
chiefly concerned In the natter that 1857 the
Legislature took control OF excise regulations the
city Of New York. Previous to 1855 these matters
were in charge OF the municipal authorities, and be-
tween that datc aud 1857 the Prohibition law came
into force. Tho new bin, which to be one OF The
first movements IN respect the government OF
the city, proposes TO restore authority in excise
matters TO The municipal government, and has
various regulations concerning tho closing Of licensed
houses One oi the most important OF these Is that all
persons having licensed houses shall close them be-
tween one O'Clock A. NJ and tour o'clock A. NJ. and
shall close thom during the whole OF Sundays aud
election days This section Affects large number OF
retail dealers, and, while many OF them willing
to comply with the regulation prescribing the closing
oil their stores between O'Clock A. NJ. and four
O'Clock A. NJ, they by no means willing be de-
prived of the privilege OF keeping open on Sundays


large retail dealer on the west side SAID that he
concurrod thoroughly in the provision which would
close the houses at night He would have
OF closing the stores at twelve o'clock Satur-
day nights Any failure IN complying with this law
and by a deprivation OF license in the OF the
second offence he, however, held out for tho
privilege OF keeping his store open on sun
OF the hours. II tho houses closed Now YORK
the money would all go over to New Jersey, which
would he said, be thus built ut tho expense OF this
city. The principal business Sundays was, he
said, IN the mornings, and accordingly he did not be-


icve In being obliged close his until after the
church services had Terminated ON the general ques-


on Of transferring excise matters To the control OF the
city government he did believe that it would work
well the city government ne thought, had enough
its hands already The provision in tho proposed
bill prohibiting the sale Of liquors to and ap
prcntices under eighteen years OF age without the
consent, Ia the vi apprentice, OF his
mistress or In the case ol MINOR under eighteen, Of
and also thought that II required much dscrni ma
ton on tho part OF the vender OF liquors. He also
thought that IL gave opportunity TO persons in
imically disposed 10 load HIM into a trap


saloon keeper with other interests, whose establish
mel men! Is always closed on Sundays, and never open
after eleven O'Clock on other nights, regarded the
mattcr from a different standpoint He thought that
the law stood better chance of enforcement under
State control than II II were transferred the Gus
tCdy OF the city. II he himself wished evade tho
Excise law he would much prefer to have II under
CITY control His reasons for tho probable
ineIicency of the law were that
the saloon keepers, who chiefly democratic had
great deal TO do with the election OF the democratic
municipal government and would be, therefore, treated
with leniency which that body could hardly refuse
the clients who had placed them In power Al
the same time he thought that the country
members OF the Legislature had right TO
legisate for the city, not Deing sufficiently
acquainted with It's requirements The section OF the
bill prov yding that liquors shall be sold minors
and apprentices he thoroughly approved'or


The commentary Of another dealer, who has amasscd
fortune IN the liquor business, Of ndif
ference. He had been thirty years IN the business he
said and had heard OF great many laws which came
to SO ttlethat ho did not regard this Of much
account