The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-05-24
STATE DLSPENSARY LAW.

Since the days when Noah made
wine out of his own vineyard and
became drunk from too much imbib-
ing, the question of alcoholic stimu-
Tents has been a serious matter,
affecting not only church and State
affairs but also entering within the
portals Of many Of our homes, not
only of the poor and humble but the
rich and opulent. That it has its
uses, no one can deny, and legislation
has never been invoked to prevent it's
sale for these purposes. 1t is only
the abuse of liquor that causes so
much agitation.
In the past fifty years attempts
have been made by legal enactments
of various kinds to either control or
prohibit altogether its sale. Twice
has this question been passed upon
by the voters of Hartford county, and
today, the local option law that is
upon our statute books is the result
of what was considered to be the
most effectual measure that could be
passed, to prohibit the sale ofintoxi-
cants.
Hartford county is not alone in her
efforts to deal successfully with the
liquor question, There is hardly a
State in the Union that is not more
or less in some stage offoment about
either legalizing or prohibiting al
together its sale. Careful thinkers
have of late years been very strongly
impressed with the State dispensary
law which is now in vogue in South
Carolina, and many of our best citi-
zens are disposed to give it trial in
this State.
Florida has just passed law sses-
tablishing State dispensary for the
sale of intoxicating liquors. 1t pro-
hibits the vending Of such liquors in
the State except by the regular dis
pensaries provided for in the bill.
The object of the law is to put the
liquor traffic in the hands ofthe State
government and to apply the profits
of the business to making public
roads. The machinery provided in
the bill is much after the order ofthat
which has been tested in South Caro-
lima. The Governor is to appoint
commissioner to carry out the law,
and the Governor, Attorney-General
and Comptroller are to form a State
Board of Control. In each county
there is to be local Board of Con-
troll, which is to grant license to coun-
ty dispensers to sell. There is to be
only one dispenser in a county unless
otherwise ordered for special reason
by the State Board of Control. The
county dispensers, as far as possible,
and all officials in the system are to
be persons who do not drink intoxi-
cants and all are to be under heavy
bond. The country dispensers are
made liable to suits by wives, parents,
ETC., for damages resulting to them
through infractions of the law.
Liquors are to be bought by the
commissioner from distilleries or
breweries in the State when they can
be had as cheap and of as good quail
ity as can be purchased elsewhere.
All are to be tested by the State
Chemist and none which are impure
will be purchased. They areput into
packages containing not less than
half a pint nor more than a gallon,
and the dispenser is to sell in these
original packages, the seals of which
must not be broken nor the liquor
drunk on the premises of the dispen-
ser. Heavy penalties are prescribed
for violations of the law, and State
officials are authorized to seize as
contraband all liquors brought into
the State except that which comes to
the commissioner, and heavy penal
ties are imposed upon common
carriers for bringing it. Travellers;
however, may bring not more than
a gallon as part of their baggage.
Druggists are permitted to buy from
the dispensaries such liquor as may
be needed in compromising medicines,
but they are not permitted to sell it
as beverage. Persons wishing to
buy liquor must make written appli-
cation upon official blanks, and it is
to be refused to minors and drunk
ards. Places where illicit sales of
liquors are made are declared public
nuisances, with a provision for the
protection of hotels. A majority of
the voters of the county can prevent
the issue of a license to dispenser in
that county. =:
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T,PIISTc AND POI ITIcS