The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1888-10-12
a Youthful Iiorset,.ics
liAwkEYE HAPPENINGS.
The New Liquor Law.

k
On the LIST day of October began the
third epoch of the proh,bitory legislation
of Iowa. The new liquor law, AS it is
called. passed by the last general assembly
nominally went into effect July 4, but as it
contained certain exemptions running until
October l. the law did not practically go
into effect until that day. Under this law
some radical changes are made. chief
among which is the a%bolishing of all whole
sale liquor stores. Not one has a legal en-
istence i'll Iowa to-day, for any purpose
Whatever. Hereafter all liquors that are
sold ut all must be handled by pharmacists
giving them an exclusive monopoly of the
business. The law provides That whole.
sale liquor dealers that had permits when
the law Wen into effect July 1 could have
till October l for closing out their stock.
On that day their permit expired and can-
not be renewed.
Although the change gives the druggists
the entire control of the business, their
way is hedged about with care. compelling
restrictions calculated to make the bust
ness far iron pleasant oven il lucrative.
The conditions under which permits can.
be obtained now are of the iron clad
order, certain to make the druggists very
weary before he runs the gauntlet of legal
inquiry. He can only sell Intoxicating
liquors for pharmaceutical and medicinal
purposes, alcohol for specified purposes,
and wine for sacramcntal purposes. The
mechanical purposes of the old law are
set aside. and he is heidi IL strict respons-
Utility for the few purposes for which he
can sell. Before he can get IL permit he
must publish his intention for four weeks;
must have u petition signed by one-third
of the freehold citizens in his township or
ward; must give bond for $1,000 that he
will not violate the law: must stand a
cross-examination i'll the district court, in
which his pedigree and record are most
carefully scrutiniZed. Then it is optional
with the Judge whether to grant him a per-
NIT or not. II if the opposition is pretty
active he mustt try to prove that the welfare
of his ward ortownship absolutely requires
that he have o permit. Anybody can OBJ
ject on the ground that he is not a man of
good moral character, or that he has abus-
ed this privilege in the past or wuold do so
in the future. and he will have to. defend
himself on all these points. II successful,
he is under bonds to exercise the greatest
care that ne liquors arc sold improperly,
and he has to keep a hook showing a rec
ord of nil b sales he makes, which is to
be open for the inspectionof the pharmacy
commissioners and others.
Such, in brief, are the ironclad require
ments. As a result, first, none but regis
tered pharmacists can get permits Mt all,
no wholesale liquor dealers being tolerated
longer. Second, many druggists will not
take the trouble for the trade. aud SO in
some counties no permits at all will be
taken out. Third. the judges generally
will scrutinize the applications very close
~. granting but few, so that it is predicted
that prohibition under this epoch will be
the most rigid so far known.