Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-02-06
A LOCAL OPTION BILL.

A LOCAL OPTION BILL.
Mr.. Mayaeld Wishes to Put Liquor Under
County Control.
The feature Of Thursdays proceed.
ings of the senate was the introduction
of local option bill by Senator May
field. The provisions of the bill as
synopsized by the Columbia Register,
are as follows:
1t forbids the importation, manufac.
ture and sale Of alcoholic liquors ex'
cept for sacramental, scientific and
medicinal purposes. 1t allows impor.
tation by licensed druggists, to be sold
only on order Of reputable physicians,
selected by the medical fraterity, and
located at the county seats, whose
names shall be certified to by the clerk
of the court and published for sixty
days in. the county newspapers. IL
quors to be sold in no less quantities
than half-pint packages and under the
same restrictions as now in force under
the dispensary law. Any other per-
son importing liquors or selling in any
other manner than the one provided,
shall be deemed guilty Of a misde'
meanor and fined not less than S99
or imprisoned in the county Jail for
not less than 90 days for each offense.
Local option is provided upon writ
ten application of one-fourth of the
qualified electors of any county asking
for an election, which shall be held in
the same manner as other elections.
If the sale is allowed by a majority
vote, it shall be sold by officers appoin-
ted by the county board of commission
ers. and municipal authorities, or be
sold under licenses granted by the Sec
retary of state on approved applica-
tions secured by bond for the faithful
observance of the law, and on this
question the vote shall be "By officers"
or "Under license"
The parties selling liquor under IL
cense shall be approved of by the
county board of commissioners and
municipal authorities of the place
where the sales are to be made. The
county board shall fix a fee which
shall be paid in advance and divided
between the county and municipality.
Applicants shall make full declaration
of capital proposed to be invested,
etc., and the county board shall ap-
prove or disapprove the application.
Bond to the amount of double the
capital shall be given.
Liquors shall be purchased at actu-
al cost from the county dispensaries
until their stock is exhausted, then
from the state dispensary until its
stock is exhausted. These institutions
shall be closed rs rapidly as practica-
Bile. Purchases may then be made as
provided by the privilege tax act from
other parties.
Original packages are to be divided
into smaller packages containing not
less than one-half pint. Adulteration
is forbidden. Only cash transactions
are allowed. The names of all pur-
chasers shall be taken as in the dis
pensaries at present.
In case the election shall be in favor
of the sale by officers, the board of
county commissioner and the munich
palities shall select the men and fix
their salaries, fix their bond and pre-
scribe the rules under which it is to be
sold. They shall also decide the
amount of capital to be invested and
share the profits as they may agree.
The privilege tax shall be at the rate
of 40 per cent. of the purchase price,
and shall be paid into the state treas
ury. This privilege tax shall be added
to the cost of all liquors bought from
county and state dispensaries. 1t shall
be kept by the state treasurer for the
benefit of the public schools. Secreta-
ry of state shall provide the tax labels
and they shall be affixed to all packa-
ges.
Liquor manufactured in the state is
subject to the same privilege tax,
which must be affixed before it is re-
moved or stored. Any liquor found
without such label shall be liable to
confscation, and half the proceeds of
the sale shall be turned into the state
treasury for the public schools, the
other to the county treasury for ordi-
nary county purposes.
Authority to enforce this act is given
to the sheriffs and municipal officers.
Sheriffs may be suspended for failure
to enforce it. The governor may sus-
pend all authorities entrusted with the
enforcement of the act, and appoint
such others as he may deem proper.
All manufacturers of alcoholic Ii
quors and beverages in this state at the
time this acts goes into effect, shall
be registered with the secretary Of
state and full exhibit of the business
made. For this registration an annual
fee of $25 is charged and no others
shall be allowed to be established ex-
cept as they comply with this law and
are licensed by the secretary of state.
For such license an annual fee of $25
is charged.