The daily morning Alaskan., 1899-05-11
LICENSE LAWS TOR ALASK

There |, a certain small and miSchievouS .Iemen, in SkagwAy that takes particular pleasure in airing itS anaIehlStit views abou, defying the government when the time comes to collect licenses Suth agl- tatorS are usually found to be men who have not a dollar lt stake, no standing ln the community and no chlTlttef Co lose. They thrive. like mlggOtS, on the couup- tion Of a few unfOuunateS and are only ln their element when creating iiS>enSionS among the citizens of the community. Such men should be summed and treated with the silent contempt their iUeSponSi- ble characters deserve. Armed resistance Co the laws Of the United States comes pretty neai being rebellion and liable Co the treatment and punishment that that term implies. The criminal laws Of Alas ka. passed during the eleventh hour Of the last congress. appear faulty and are faulty Co the extent that they are only pat ot all the other laws into which these criminal laws tovetail. When first received here they appeared on their surface to iuflitt a great injustice on the people Of Alaska. and until the laws in their entirety are passed neN; winter thev wlll bear heavily on every one taxed. Further investigation into the matter, however. shows that all license money so collected. while it will have to 70 into the United States treasury for the time being, can be ppropra,et back to Alaska after the laws ln their entirety shall have been passed by congress next winter. The hardship lies in Alaska be ins deprived of that money from July to next winter. In other words, the passage oi that criminal law this last winter antici' patet the passage of the Carter bill, which lt was expected would be passed at the same time, bu, which, owing to the late ness of the session and the accumulation oi war legislation had io be laid over This Carter bill makes ample provisions for the disposition of all license money collected. The best evidence of this connection Is Co be found in the reading of the criminal laws which show that they were ever in- tended to be considered alone but in con nettiOn with the civil laws and the pToviS- lons fol local government. lt Is therefore in order, in view oi the tac, that ro other taxes are eNactei from the citizens of Alaska, 10 meet the issue squarely ani pay the demands Of the government. under pro- test if deemed advisable, but pay neverthe- less.
 There also appears Co be some m.Suntef- standing among the saloon men Us Co the mode of procedure for securing license, many believing that eIch applicant mus, have the ndor>ement oi a majority ot the white nal. and female residents within two miles oi the pllce where liquors are Co be sold. This IS denied by several attor- news who nave examined section 46l oi chapter U on miscellaneous provisions n relation Co criminal proteeiingS in justices courts. This seItiOu SavS; That beiore any license Is granted it shall be shown lo the satisfaction ot slii court that the ma- iouty 0i the whites. male and female resi- dents within two miles oi the place where liquor is Co be sold, e,c.. have in good faith consented ,o it, and that the burden ot proof Of this shall be upon the applicant or applicants. and that no license shall be granted in the absence of such evidence" " AS construed by the legal fraternity it means that one such Detitioa with the con- sent Of the majority oi the whites, etc, would cover the entire district and any number Of saloons coult be opened whose owners had the money Co pay the high license fec. In other words such petition would practically mean local option for that particular dis uiet. The attorneys claim that this construction Of that section IS borne out by
 sction 46s, with itS SiX clauses. which reads as follows: That every person ap- plying for a license To sell intoxicating liquors % said district shall hle with the clerk of the court a petition for such li- cenSes and Such petition shall be considered and acted upon by the court in the order in which the same was iiled and numbered. Said petition shall contain: FirSt-1he name ant residence Of the applicant. and how long he has resided there. Secoud- The particular place for which license IS desired. designating the same by reference 10 street, locality or settlement in such manner that the eXltl beaten lt which such sale oi liquor is proposed may be clearly asd definitely determined from the description given. Third-The statement that the applicant is a >itizen Of the United States, or has declared hls intention Co be- come Suth; that he IS not less than 2I yearS ot age, and that such applicant has not been, since the passage oi this act, ad- judged guilty oi violating the laws gov srning the sale of intoxicating liquors or laws for the prevention of crime in said district. Fourth ll any false statement IS made in any part Of said petition or afii- davit the petitioners shall be deemed gull iv Of perjury. and, upon conviction thereof, his license shall De revoked and he shall De subject 10 the pen .ltieS provi ied bv law for that crime. Fitth-rhat he intend to carry on Such business for himself and not sS an agent of any other person, and that it so licensed he will carry on such business for himself and no, as the agent of any other person. Sixth-Ihat he in- tends to Superintend in person the manage ment Of the business licensed, and that if <O licensed he will so Suprrinteni in person