Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1881-02-23

we have been furnished with print6
copy of TIE bill now pending befor
the Legislature, regulating the sale
spirituous, vinous or malt liquors il
the city Of Wilmington, with reque;
that We would publish the gist Of :
and make whatever comments We say
proper. 1t will be seen that it is
regulating bill, and applies only t
the city OF Wilmington, ami though i
may have many friends and supporters
we think that Wilmington needs some
thing more stringent than can be found
in the provisions of the bill.
Section provides that no person
sh4ll sell spirituous, vinous or mali
liquors except as provided in succeed
ing sections.
Section 2 provides for the issuing o.
blank licenses by the Secretary O
State to the Clerk 0! the Peace, and
Section 3 provides that the Gle shall
keep accurate and full accounts Of al
moneys received by him for licenses
and the penalty for the misappropri'
alton OF such money Is not less thar
$500 nor more than g., 900.
Section makes it the duty Of every
Justice OF the Peace, Mayor, Sheriff,
Deputy Sheriff, Coroner, constable, pc
liceman or other peace officers in the
city to prosecute offenders when offences
come TO their notice, and Section 5
makes 1t obligatory for every person
having license to keep it hung up in
\ public place and to produce the
same whenever demanded BE- an officer.
Section s provides that any officer
who refuses or negleots to do his duty
as required in Section 4, shall forfeit
his office, and Section 7 makes it obi
gatory on the Grand Jury to present
any person who they may know to
have violated the provisions of this act
Section requires all persons de-
string to engage in the sale of liquors
to register their names with the Clerk
of the Peace and subscribe to an attda.
Wit that they are not engsged in the
business of vending other goods, wares
and merchandise. This section takes
from storeksepers the right to take out
q license TO sell liquor, and in this re-
spect differs from the present law,
Section 3 makes the distinction be-
tween tho various grades Of liquor
selling, and classes every person who
takes out q license to sell fermeated
liquors in quantities Of not more than
one gallon, and distilled liquors in
quantities not more than a quart, hs a
retail dealer, and is to be taxed at the
rate Of one hundred dollars per an
num; and every person, firm or COM
pary taking ont lioenss to sell liquors
in quantities Of more than one quart
shall be classed as a Wholesale liquor
dealer and is to be taxed fifty dollars.
Druggists are 70 be classed as whole
sale liquor dealers and are to pay
tax of twenty FIVE dollars. All licenses
are TO expire and to be reissued on the
first day of April. The County tax
collectors Of Wilmington are to be re-
auired every April to make list OF all
the retail and Wholesale liquor dealers
and druggists, licensed or unlicensed,
and return the same to be filed In the
Office Of the Clerk Of the Peace, and
the clerk is to transmit copy of the
same to the Attorney General Of this
State. For non performance of this
duty the collector or Clerk are TO be
deemed guilty Of q misdemeanor and
are to be fined an amount tor which
blanks are left in the section.
This section makes a somewhat radi-
cal change, and it will be noticed that
retail dealers are practically made
Wholesale dealers by GLOWING them tc
sell fermented liquors in quantities o
not more than one gallon and distilled
LIQUORS in quantities Of not more thar
one quart. 1t will be new business
for the county tax collectors to b.
charged in addition to their other oner
ous duties with the guardianship o
the LIQUOR traffic. We doubt whethe
this provision is In keeping with tn
fitness of things. II 1t is the desire
the friends of the bill to have Its pro
visions strictly enforced, would not tn
Chief Of Police be more properly quail
fed for that dutyP He and his subor
dinates would be more likely to kno'
the persons engaged In the traffic an
would be more Efficient in Irocurin
evii.n,e against II ols who break tn
law. A letter plan still would be t
have special officer appointed to hav
pothin else to do than to ses that th