Litchfield enquirer., 1872-08-08
LICE Ms E.


 l. The first section is so amended al Do require that each license shall specify the town, and the particular building in the town, within which the traffic is to be conducted; and the license will not avail the seller for any other town or building, but for sales elsewhere he shall be liable t0 pROsecuton as If he had no license.
 g All applications for licenses shall be m writing, signed by the applicant in person, and a copy left on file at the town clerks office in the town where he desires to sell, for at least two weeks, befere i- ee@s@ as gmnted. 5. The license shall be framed and hung up m conspicuous place in the room where the traffic is conducted.
 A The fourth section of the act is so amended as to limit fines to $500 and to allow punishme1t by fine and imprison- ment both. The act is to take effect on the 18th of September next.
 The original bill was the one proposed by the Hon 0. B. Andrews, of this place, two years since. with several stringent provisions added during the discussion. Although an apparent step backward, we consider it real step forward in temper ance reform. It allows prohibition wher- ever prohibition is practicable; it restricts sales to the most reputable class of dealers by heavy bond and license; it for bids sales to minors, drunkards and in- tOxicated persons; it allows the wife to forbid sales to an incorporate husband; and it makes the seller liable for the dam- age done by the buyer while intoxicated Nearly every possible expedient is adopt cd to facilitate prosecutions against un- licensed dealers. Sellers are required to frame their licenses and expose them con- spieuously, so that every buyer can know at once whether the dealer has license. Prosecutions must be commenced by inc forming officers ''upon the complaint of any person verified by oath" Mere ''re- putation" will convict liquor seller with out any direct evidence of sales by him. No one can slfirk responsibility by acting as agent or employee of another. In fact the machinery devised for securing the execution of the law is very complete; and, since county commissioners are only authorized to license ''suitable persons, '' and any violation of the act involves a forfeiture of license, the dealer will have the strongest motive to avoid those sales to minors, drunkards, intoxicated persons and husbands who neglect their families, which are the worst features of our pres ent illegal traffic.
 We regret the absence of two provisions from this law which would, we conceive, have been of great practical value The first of these is one that would allow the smaller territorial divisions known to our law, such as school societies, and even school districts, to forbid the issuing of licenses within their limits Often differ ent societies and districts in the same town are differently situated regarding practical prohibition. Licenses, for ex- ample, will of course be granted for the village of Litchfeld, but ought not to be granted for the society of Northfeld in the same town. Judea Society, in Wash ington, enforces and would still desire to enforce prohibition; while, in New Pres ton society, the practice has been differ ent. No doubt selectmen will be largely governed in their recommendations by the wishes of the people of the various locali. ties in their respective towns, but full given the residents of each of those local. ities. The second important provision needed in this law is the seizure clause of the old prohibitory law. This was the most effective process known to that law and would have been peculiarly useful for stopping unlicensed sales
 The best thing about the new law, how ever, is that tt can be eaforced! It was a Democratic measure, introduced by a Democrat, and passed by. Democratic votes, so that we have no reason to feal any partisan opposition to it's execution. What the temperate men, of every party, now need to do, is to see that it's provis. ions are thoroughly enforced. We hope that prohibitionists will enforce prohibi ton wherever they can; and, where they cannot, let them unite with those who de. sire some check upon the most hurtful and disgraceful features of the present traffic, and put a stop to indiscriminate liquor selling to minors, drunkards, men already intoxicated, and husbands who spend their wages for liquor to the neg lect of their families. People should form | organizations for the enforcement of the law, and secure it's success from the start. The most obvious practical measures need ed are the following: ,s
 l. In every town where prohibition is or can be enforced, meetings should be held forthwith to instruct it's selectmen to recommend no license. as ,.
 2. In smaller local divisions, such as school societies or school districts, where prohibition is or can be enforced, although impracticable throughout the towns ill which they are situated, petitions should be circulated forthwith requesting the SC. lectmen to recommend no licenses for such localities. isTA s1 Eo ,sfAD l5kf& gt
 3. In localities where prohibition can. not be enforced, strict watch should be kept to prevent the issuing of licenses te unsuitable persons. As the filing of ap. plications for icensas with town clerks, at least two weeks before they can be act ed on by the county commissioners, is required by the law. there will be abund- ant opportunity for notifying the commis. sioners and offering evidence in opposi ton to improper applications. We could not, of course, undertake to designate ex actly the persons the commissioners would be likely to consider s'unsuitable;" but il u&wskas. xru &Nn& &1,<nun xvl,<, boxa be<r, a.n