The leader., 1897-07-14
ABOUT HOP JOINTS

Which Juuse HuudleStOn rs the
presiding genius, is right after the
hop joints; and the prospect is that
he will succeed, as have Other
judges in breaking them up. In
his charge to his grand jury n day
or two since Judge HuddlestoI
said:
"Gentlemen, all of you know when
you have witness before you for ex
animation and he testifles that he has
bought liquid from certain individ.
ual and that the stuff looked like
whisky, tasted like whisky and affected
the mind as whisky does, you prompt.
ly lind bill of indictment against the
individual who sold the liquid for lille
gally selling whisky, if the sale be lille
gal. Now, gentlemen, this should not
apply to one intoxicant more than to
another. If you have a witness who
swears he bought beverage from a
certain party and that the said bever-
age looked like beer, smelled like beer,
tasted like beer and affected like beer,
1T is your duty to return an indictment
against the party who sold the stuff for
selling beer. They cannot ride over
the dram shop law on a privilege Ii
cense, for the privilege license does
not license then to sell intoxicants."
The Meridian Herald called on
Senator Hardy for his opinion as
to whether the legislature of 1896,
by imposing a privilege tax of S25
upon "hopfenweis, hop tea and
white hops and other like drinks
intended to amend the dram shop.
Senator Hardy, who was chair
man of the Senate finance commit
tea, stated that the licensing of
hop dealers was intended as an
amendment to the dram shop chap.
ter of the code, and the tax of 525
was imposed under the assurance
OF the manufacturers of hopenweis,
hop tea, white hops and other like
drinks were neither Yinous, spirit
Gus nor malt liquors. Senator
Hardy stated that:
'If the liquors sold under these
names are Yinous, spiritous or malt,
the privilege tax license will afford no
protection to the person selling them,
from the penalties of the dram shop
law.
'If they are neither vinous, spurious
nor malt, then those who deal in them,
having paid the privilege tax, violate
no law.
"Ehe same act imposes q privilege
tax on cider, and yet if dealer should
add alcohol to the cider, his privilege
tax license would not protect him"
Senator Hardy has made n clear
statement. If the hop dealers are
selling "vinous, spurious or malt
liquors. they are violating the let,
ter and spirit of the law and should
be dealt with and exterminated as
are "blind tigers" if, on the other
hand, they are not selling "vinous,
spurious or malt liquors." they are
doing legitimate business and are
entitled to the projections of the
law.-Clarion-Ledger.
THE LEADER has not seen the
law in reference to the sale of IN
toXicants in prohibition territory,
under Whatsoever guise, more terse-
ly stated any where than it is
found in the above quotations from
Judge Huddleston and Senator
Hardy, and we reproduce them
here for the information of all con-
cerneq.
Since the opening of two places
in BroOkhaven for the sale Of
hopfenweis, and especially during
the last two weeks, there have been
great deal of talk and complaint
that the law against the sale of in
toxicants is being openly and fla
grantly violated by tha keepers of
these places, and City Attorneys
Chrisman & Brennan are being ST.
vereIy oensured for not instituting
legal proceedings against the Of
Tending parties. THE LEADER is
nnahla to saw from any knowledge
of its own, whether the prohibition
law is being violated by the places
in question or not, but if it really
is, we will say to the many parties
who have been making complaints,
that under the law, as defined by
the eminent authorities quoted
above, the remedy is very plain
and simple one. 1t doesn't matter
what name the beverage sold may
be called, if it produces intoxica'
ton and affects the drinker i'll the
same way as beer or whisky, the
seller is liable to prosecution, and
all that is needed is clear and reli-
able proof that such is the case.
When such evidence is secured, the
offending parties are liable to Grim
inal proceedings and also to have
their places of business closed by
attachment. Judges Mayors and
Stevens have outlawed every chop
iointn in their districts, Judge Pow
ell has denounced them from the
bench as the breeding places of all
kinds of vice and crimes, because
in them intoxicants are sold under
the guise of harmless drinks, and
it will doubtless be only a short
while when one can't live in the
State.
The censuro of Attorneys Chris
man & Brennan is misdirected and
unjust. In their official capacity
they can't proceed against vlolators
of the law without affidavits and
w;tnasses Even in their capacity