Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-24
THE LOCAL-OPTION BILL.
The Substitute Passed by the Senste fer th

the consideration oil the matter Tor more
than a week, passed bill to provide
for submitting the question Of liquor
license 10 the qualified voters OF the
several counties, magisterial districts,
and corporations Of the Commonwealth.
This bill was taken TO the Senate and
there referred to the Committee on
General Laws, which committee tackled
several amendments on it, and then
reported it with the recom-
mendstion that it do not pass. When
the bill came up in the Senate many
amendments were proposed, and some
adopted and others rejected; and at
the proper time MIR. Rhea, of Wash.
ipgton county. introduced a substitute
for the entire bill. This substitute was
amended in several particulars. and on
Monday night passed. 1t was commu-
uicated to the House yesterday morn
ing, and subsequently taken up and
ordered TO be printed and made the
special order for to-day at 1870
O'Clock.
The following is the bill as it passed
The Senate
! l. Be- II enacted bUdte G,1iCrol itse,RJly 0f
/ Tir0inta That Il shall he the duty OF the
/ iudge Of each county and corporation court
I in the Commonwealth OF Nlrgi MIA when
ever such number Of the duly qualified
[ voters OF each mgC lsterial district OF a
| county. or whenever such number Of the
. duly qualified voters Of any magisterial
l district lu any county, or whenever such a
. uLmher OF the duly 4ualined voters OF a
/ coronation lhaying over tive thousand in
hEbiiauts ana q corporation COURT as con
. stsfUte one fourth uf the number ~ voters
. voting at the preceding regular November
] election in such county, Iuagtsterlal dis
| trict, or corporation shall petition, either
/ in term-time or ln vacation. to order a
special election IN lis sc0unty so petltlOnlng
/ or In any uagisierlal district Of his county
. 80 petltionlbg. or ~ his corporation so
/ UettiOnug. on the question OF liquor
. license or no llQuOr.llceuse. such county
/ or corporation Judge, a. the case may
. De- shall within len days after the
. receipt Of sad petition issue his writ
Cf election IN which shall be fixed the
. day Of holding such election, directed TO
. the sheriff Ot his county or city, or sergeant
/ cf his corporation. as the case may b.,
/ whose duty u shall be 10 forthwith post at
each voting precinct IN said county, " the
/ eitction is TO be held I'M the Whole county
/ or az he voting precincts iu any magiste.
. 10 te he,d only ln SUCn mAglstsr.0l district.
. or at he voting precincts In said corpora
. tIUn. notice of said election; and shall also
+ give notice 20 the Otiicer~ charged with the
duty OF conducting other elections IN said
. county mGglsterial district. or corporation
+ f. tEe case may be : Provided thac no eco
I tlun shall be held under TINS 6c. H.f' n less
than thirty DAYS from the posting p. such
J notices as aforesaid. Said special election
. bali he held and conducted as special elec-
uons TOR ujher purposes are held and con-
ducted Provided that after any such eIes.
T ton hak been held in any county, magists-
rial district. or corporal on. there shall not
he another election under this act held in
said county. magis sterial district. or corpora
ton within the space OF two years.
2. The ballots 20 be used in sa ID elections
shah be respectively aS follows. 30 For
licensing the sale OF Intoxicating LIQUORS q"
and Against Licensing he sale OF tntoXi-
eating Liquors. The manner OF receiving
and fanNasSlug the ballots at said elections
on said question and making returns and
abstracts thereof shall conform in all re-
spects 10 the requirements OF the general
election iaw Of the STATE except that the
cerJ nCale II the Judges shall be as follows I:
We hereby certify thstat the election held
r on the -- day % --, - votes were
cast for license Tor sale OF Intoxicating
liquors and - votes We're east against
license for sale Of intoxicating liquors.
A-B. 4. B. Clerks. 6. i, f. Judges.
And the proper official canvassers Of gen
eIal election returns shall canvass these
returns in Ike manner a. other election
returns. and when the election is held for
the whole county they shall certify the
number Of votes cast for and against H.
ceDse respectively IN said county. and snail
also certify the number OF votes cast
st said election IN each magiste-
rial district OF said county for and
against license respect Vey: and when
said tIggf1nn held for ~ Lea
Tial district only, said canvassers shall cer-
tlfy the number OF votes cast al such eiec.
tIun for and against license respectively;
and " hen the election il held for q CORPORA
ton having over five thousand Inhabitants
and a corporation court, said canvassers
shall certify the number of votes cast al
such election for and against license re-
spectiyely; a copy OF such certificate in
either case 10 be laid before the county or
corpora ton court. as the case may be al
It's next term.
I. Where the election is held in the whole
county. II II appear from the abstracts aud
returns Of sucn election that a majority OF
the henumberof VOtcs castat the next preced-
ing general election and that majority OF
the VOie es cast In the election under this bill
have been cast against license then no
license shall be granted 10 any person
therein for the sale Of such liquors: or IL u
appear from the abstracts aud returns OF
such election that a majority OF votes as
aforesaid have not been cast against the
sale of intoxicating liquors In said county
but that majority of votes have been cast
in any magisierIal district in said county
against license for the sale OF intoxicating
liquors therein, and said maj iority includes
a majority OF the number Of votes cast at
the next preceding general election. then
no license shall be granted TO any person 10
such magsteTlal district for the sale OF such
LIQUORS. But II such district vote in favor
OF license. then II shall be lawful 10 sell
with license obtained under existing laws:
"a II bn sol ~ tot
eating liquors within the limits OF any
nagis'eribl district voting against license
stail incur all the penalties and be pun
ished as prescribed 10y the general law for
selling wine. ardent spirits. malt liquors
or any mixture Of them without license
therefor.
8. Where the election is held only in
msgisteral district in any county. or In a
corporation having over 5000 Inhabitants
and a corporation court. II IL appear from
the abstracts and returns OF any such elec-
tion thata majority Of votes have been
cast against license for the sale OF intoxica-
ting iquors, and said majority includes
ma aoIity ofthe number OF votes cast at the
next preceding general election in any
such magisteTial district or cOrpo-
ration. as the case may be. then
DO license shall be granted TO any
person for the sale of such liquors in any
such ms sglsterial district or corporation:
and any person who shall sell any intox-
eating liquors within the limits OF any such
n,Rglsterial district or corporation shall
incur all the penalties and be punished as
provided b- the general law for selling
vine ardent spirits, malt liquors, or any
mixture OF them without license therefor.
G. II any magisterial district in any
cOulty in the State has heretofore by vote
IN pursuance OF any law prohibited the
sale OF intoxicating liquors therein; or II
any magisterial district in any county shall
first (before the county as a whole avail
Itself Of the provisions OF this act, and by
vote prohibit the sale OF intoxicating
LIQUORS therein, then In either case no cleo
ton shall be held under this act by any
county as whole wherein any such magis-
terial district is located but each remain
ing magisteriai district in such county may
petition and vote separately as provided
for in this act.
7. N apv incorporated town under 5000
inha bitants composing a separate district
or voting precinct. shall desire 10 take ad-
vantage OF the provisions OF this act Pc
tiiion OF such q number OF the duly quali-
Ted voters Of "A corporation As constitute
one fourth OF the number or the voters
voting at the preceding regular November
election shall be presented 10 the Judge
OF the county court. IN term time
or In vacation, having Jurisdiction
over the said corporation. and the
said judge shall order special elec-
ton IN conformity with this act; and If a
majority OF the votes cast be against IL
cense. 10 license shall be granted within
the corporate limits thereof: Provided that
no election provided for In this bill has
been held within the district OF which said
town is part within two years.
4. This act shall be construed 10 prohibit
distillers OF cohoic liquors or manhfac-
turers OF wines or malt liquors rom selling
any such liquors or wines in any county,
lpagisterial district. or corporation voting
as Aforesaid against the sale OF intoxicating
liquors therein.
!. That no election under the provisions