The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-05-08
THE NEW LIQUOR LAW.

The license law which recently went
into effect in Montana makes some
changes, but not as many in the small.
er cities as in the large, for the reason
that but few of the merchants here
handled liquor in their stock. Under
the new law the distinction which
formerly existed between wholesale
and retail liquor dealers and between
liquor dealers and grocers is wiped
out. They all pay the same license,
graduated according to the size Of the
place in which they do business, and
they can all sell liquor in any manner
or any quantity, SO that a grocer can
have a bar in his store, if he pleases,
and a liquor dealer can sell canned
goods from behind the bar.
The effect of the new law is brought
out in an opinion given by Attorney
General Donovan in answer to let
ter from James Maher, county treas
urer of Silver Bow county. Mr.. Maher
says AC ID a. u AOoS W uAuOA oCoAu tAO
meaning of the law in regard to gro
GERS licenses and continues:
For instance, the saloon license OF
Walkerville is at present time $240;
Centerville $24O; Meaderville 5000;
and the balance of the county $3.50
every six months.
"Now, the code says: In all cities.
towns, villages or camps which con.
tain population of 10000 or over, and
for distance of one mile from the
limits thereof $500 semi-annually.'
What want to know is: How much
license we will have to charge the
grocerymen who will handle liquors in
Centerville, Meaderville and Walker
vile. 1t doesn't seem to me that we
should charge those people 5000 when
the saloonkeepers will get license
for $240. Hoping you will explain
this to me as specifically as you pos
sibly can, SO that no complications will
arise in my Office. and hoping to hear
from you Immediately, as the law takes
effect on May 4, and we are crowded
for those licenses at the present time,
etc.
In reply the attorney general says:
"The bill you have reference to is
house bill No. 80, and is an amend
ment to the codes passed in 1897
which it amends; you will observe
that the new law does away entirely
with the division of liquor dealers into
two classes, A and B, based upon the
quantity in which the liquor is sold
and provides that every person who
sells, or offers for sale, directly OF
indirectly, any spirituous, malt, vinous
distilled or fermented liquors or wines
no matter whether the quantity is one
drink or one barrel must obtain L;
cense therefor from the county treas
urer.'
"This new law does not apply to the
grocers any more than it does to any
other persons who sell liquors, and
under it grocer who sells liquor il
required to pay the same license a.
saloonkeeper, no more and no less,
''If under house bill No. 80, the sa
loon license of Walkerville is $240;
Centerville $240; Meaderville 5000
and in the balance of the county $15|
per every six months as you state IL
your letter, then what you call tn
'grocers' license. would be the same
'The proportion Of the new Law
which you quote in your letter i
} identically the same as the old law o
1897. as you will see by reference t
it. So that, If the towns Of Walker
) vile. Meaderville and Centerville ar
: within mile Of the limits Of Butte
: the saloonkeepers in those place
should have paid $500 semi.annuall