Evening star., 1902-03-19


grocery stores provided with wholesale
liquor license. where. without this amend
ment, a minor would not be permitted to
enter for the purpose Of purchasing gro
ceries."
The changes In the law contemplated by
the bill, and the reasons therefor, are sub
stantialy as follows
Section / changes the act Of March 3.
1893 Che present excise law. by requiring
the maker, brewer or distiller OF liquors 10
take out license therefor: it also includes
among the things as defined In the term
Intoxicating liquors" 'cordials' and 'hard
or fermented cider"
Section incorporates section 10 or the act
of August IA. 1894. providing for an excise
board to be composed of the board OF as
sistant assessors. Provision is made for
reference of questions of law arising under
the act to the Supreme Court of the District
Of Columbia. The annual report now re-
quired by existing law to be MADE 10 Con-
gresS is changed so that the same Is MADE
to the Commissioners, SO that 1t will be sent
to Congress as a part of the Commissioners
report, and not separately, as now.
Increases Clerks Salary.
Section g. An assistant clerk to the board
was provided for by the act of May 10,
1894 Proposed change incorporate old law.
increases his salary from $1,000 to s12eo
per annum; imposes the duty of the clerk
to make inspections on assistant clerk ana
requires him to wear a badge Indicative Ct
his office.
Section T. paragraph l. requires applicant
to swear how long he has resided In the
District of Columbia. At present he swears
to his name and residence and how long he
has resided there
Section 4, paragraph 2, provided, in addi
tion to giving location of place. as now
provided the length Of time he has been
engaged in business at said place
Section 4, paragraph 4. applicant must
hnfh hn
violation of the excise or gambling laws.
and mot as provided in the organic act.
that he has not been convicted OF such
violation.
Section 4, paragraph 6, strikes out pro-
vision of present law requiring applicant
to swear whether he has any other license
for similar business.
Obtaining Signatures.
Section 5. In obtaining signatures of own
ers and residents in the county for bar
room license a change Is made so as to re-
uuire the applicant to obtain the signatures
of such persons within 2;,O feet Of the build
ing where license is sought. instead Of the
place Provision Is also made that persons
licensed at passage Of act are not required
under 1t to again obtain the legal signers.
There Is added a prOviso that 1t shall not
be mandatory on the board to grant re-
newal of license.
Section g. The age limit Of sixteen years
Is stricken out In regard to notice by wife,
etc, on saloonkeeper forbidding sales OF
liquor to person who is In the habit OF
becoming Intoxicated. father and son
may also serve such notice. and 1t may be
served IL the saloonkeeper gives or fur
nishes 1t can now be only given in case
sale Is made and son cannot serve such
notice. requirement providing that in
terror of bar room must be exposed at all
times to full view from the street Is sought
to be enacted. This at present Is provided
for by regulation Of the board, but it only
applies to Sundays and after II o'clock mid
night.
The proposed law provides in the case of
club that some member shall be desig
mated as licensee. who shall be held re-
sponsible: 1t remedies a defect In the law
as passed upon by the Police Court.
Section Is new legislation. there being
no law to punish a minor who obtains liq-
uor by falsely representing his age.
License Year Defined.
Section 8 more clearly defines the license
year. changes the fee for transfer of Ii
cense to be paid by the party applying for
transfer and not the one transferring, and
allows license to be transferred to any
other place.
Section In part amends section 8 of the
law, and Is to correct regards sale of
liquor in quantities less than a pint not to
be drunk on the premises. Makers, brewers
and dstillers in the District Of Columbia
and the agents of such outside the District
but doing business here are not required to
take out license. nor are they amenable to
the law except by special act providing
against Sunday selling. This enactment
would require them TO pay license fee and
be held responsible for violating the law.
Section IL gives member of the metro
politan police force on duty who has rea-
son to believe the law Is being violated a
right to enter and examine at all times the
licensed premises. There is no such pro-
vision of law now.
Section II changes the law in requiring
druggist selling liquor on prescription
to only fill the same when made by duly
registered physician. reputable physician be-
ing the requirement now. 1t allows men,
bers of the metropolitan police force, in
addition to the boards Inspector to exam
ine the record book to be- kept by drug
gists.
A New Section.
Section II is an entirely new section in
corporated in the contemplated law. 1t au-
thorizes the seizure of liquors. etc, and
in case Of conviction directs forfeiture and
sale of the articles so taken. 1t further di-
rects that the things taken shall be used
as evidence. etc. and the proof of one sale
Is made presumptive of an illegal sale. This
is important in view of the holding of the
court.
Sec. 15 This changes the present law
In reference to the revocation of license
upon licensees second conviction, giving
power to the court trying the case to revoke
by an order such license. The existing law
provides for a revocation without saying
by whom it shall be done. The new act
further provides that no license shall there,
after be granted to such convicted person
nor to another person to continue business
at some place.
Section 16 refers to witnesses testifying
not being excused on ground that answer
tends to incriminatet and provide against
prosecution under such circumstances,
which Is new.
Penalty for False Swearing.
Section II gives authority to the city So
licitor or his assistants. to administer
oaths to complainants and others presenting
themselves. and provides punishment for
false swearing. That officer has no such
power now.
Section Is changes the law by requiring
that an established hotel, in order to en-
titles 1t to bar room license must have
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