The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-07-28
DRUGGISTS LICENSE FEES
PROHIBITORY LEGISLATION BOB
 NO-LECE ENSE TOWNS.

Section 3064 Practically Repealed-Pro- vision as to Druggist License Fec Is Wiped Out in License Towns, as Well as the Provision That They Shall Not Sell to be Drunk on the Premises.
 Hartford, July 27.-One of the most important statutory provisions in rela- ton to the sale of intoxicating liquors has evidently been repealed by the last general assembly. It has wiped out all provisions in regard to the license fee for druggists, and has absolutely for biden the licensing of druggists to use for compromising prescriptions and sell on a physicians prescription in no-M- cense towns.
 The Times having heard that legis- lation to this effect had been passed, a reporter to-day interviewed Prosecuting Attorney A. F. Gates in regard to the truth of the rumors. Mr Gates said that he had discovered the mistake some two weeks ago, and had consult ed with various parties regarding it.
 Section 3,O64 of the general statutes provides the manner of giving license bonds, and also provides for druggists fees for licenses, the quantity In which they may sell and the restrictions that are placed on their sales, and also pro- vides that in no-license towns the county commissioners shall license druggists for the sum of SIP to sell on physicians prescriptions and to use liquors in compourding prescriptions.
 The purpose of the legislature of 1S9| was evidently to change only the first sentence of section 3,064 relating to the manner of taking the license bond, but what it did do was to pass chapter l6i of the public acts and make section 3,064 read In such manner as to pro- vide simply for the taking of bond and to eliminate all of the provisions regarding druggists licenses
 The effect of this law is that while in license towns the county commissioners have authority to grant licenses, the provision as to the license fee Is gone and also the provisions that they shall not sell to be drunk on the premises or sell in quantities exceeding one gal lon at time but perhaps the great est hardship connected with this stat ute is that it forbids the county com- missioners from licensing druggists in some eighty towns in the state.
 Probably the statute effects the re- licensing of druggists and not their existing licenses. Except in the city of Hartford most of the druggists licen- ses expire the first Monday in Novem- Der.
 Governor Cooke was seen in his pri- vate office at the capitol this afternoon. He said that his attention was called to the law a week ago. 1nterrogateo as to whether he would call special session of the general assembly to leg islate in the matter, he replied that such was not his intention. He declined to talk further for publication.
 It is reported that the governor sup poses that the matter Is one for the courts to pass on, in case any question arises.
 The committee on temperance report ed through Senator Futile of the Sev- enth district, chairman of the commit. tee on the part of the senate, that the bill ought to pass.
 'The bill," said Chief Clerk R. S. Hinman in the secretary of states of fee, this afternoon, twas passed as it was printed by the clerk of bills and presumably was as it came from the committee on temperance. If it was changed after it left the committee some member of the committee, at least the senate or house chairman ought to have discovered the change The bill as passed was the bill that lay for days on the desks of the mem bers of the senate and the house. Pos sibly none of them read it. but an ex- animation of the bills passed by the general assembly would seem to indi- cate that this was not the only bill to escape careful thorough scrutiny.