The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-01-08

The temperance workers from various
parts Of tic State have agreed to ask the
Legislature. at lis next session, to pass a
Local Option bill. This proposed law
differs from other Local Option bills here
tofore discussed. in that it extends its opc-
rations TO county rather than 10 township
limits.
1t is entitled An act to provide for
Local Option in the several counties in this
State by submitting the question Of prohb-
iting the sale of intoxicating liquors to the
qualified voters in said counties. and to
provi dc for the enforcement Of tic same.
The first section provides that a Circuit
Court Judge for any county shall order a
special election in any county of his circuit
when one-tcnth of the legal voters in any
county shall petition him for said order.
Said special election must be held within
forty days after the petition is presented,
but no election shall be held within thirty
days of any general election. 81 that such
special elections shall he separate and dis
tnct This election shall be ''todetermine
whether on not any alcoholic, spurious,
malt or Intoxicating liquors or any com
pound Of which Intoxicating liquors form
an ingredient shall be sold as & beverage
within the limits Of sal / county
Section two provides for giving proper
publicity, through the newspapers, of the
special election. which shall be held under
the same law that regulates the holding of
general elections in this State; and the
election officers are to perform the same
duties they are required 10 do at such
State elections.
Persons opposed to the sale of alcoholic
vinous, sprituous, malt or Intoxicating
liquors, or any compound of which imtox-
icating liquors forms an ingredient, shall
have on their ballots the words: against
the sale Of Intoxicating liquors" Those
who favor the sale of the above articles
should have ON their ballots the words:
''For the sale OF Intoxicating liquors.
The fourth section declares that if a
majority Of the votes cast are against the
sale Of intoxicating liquors it shall lie I'M
lawful, after thirty days from the special
election, 'Ifor any person within the limits
Of such county TO sell, or 10 expose for
sale, or barter for valuable considerations
either directly or indirectly, or give away
to induce trade at his place OF business, or
furnish AT any other public places, any of
the above articles; provided that the act
shall not prevent the sale by druggists of
such liquors for medical sacramcntal and
manufacturing purposes only; said liquors
not to be used on the promises; provided
further that persons holding licenses is
sued prior to the election shall not be de
priyed thereof until the expiration of the
same.
The violation of the law is held to be Il
misdemeanor, punishable in the first case
by fine not exceeding 5000 or six months
in the county Jail or both, with costs of
suit. Subsequent offences shall be punish
able by fine of 81, 900, or Imprisonment
in State Prison for a term not exceeding
one year, or both.
The difficulty in obtaining competent
testimony that would convict is met in
section five which provides that ''when-
ever it shall appear by proof, on any trial
for an alleged offence against the provisions
of this act, that any substance having the
appearance of Intoxicating liquor has been
sold, exposed for sale. or supplied under
any pretcxt whatever, where the sale of
intoxicating liquors would have been nm
lawful, it shall be deemed P,tma Jacie
evidence that such substance was intoxicat-
ing liquor. And whenever the appliances
! ordinarily used in the liquor traffic are
found on the premises this fact shall, upon
proof, be deemed p,-im0 fac,e evidence that
| Intoxicating liquors are there sold in vic la
| ton of this act
If the result of any election held under
the provisions Of this act shall be for the
sale of intoxicating liquors. or against the
sale Of intoxicating liquors, then no other
election for that purpose shall be held in
| the same prescribed limits in less than two
| years thereafter, and then only upon the
| presentation Of q new petition as aforesaid.
| The remaining sections repeal conflict
| ing legislation, and make the proposed law
lucrative at once