Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-10-17
NUMBER 40


by name of physician end purchaser
and delivered once a month to the
county clerk who must keep sum-
married. record of the contents. A
. blank inventory is also provided, which
the clerk, if he is suspicious, may re-
quire to be filled out every month
showing the quantity of each kind of
liquor on hand, the purchases of the
month, with prices and names and ad
dresses of parties from whom pur-
chased. The druggist must make oath
each month that he has made no sales
except those shown by these books and
if he is found to have lied or violated
the conditions third -otfense) he for
feits a bond of $1,000 and his registry
as pharmacist The county clerk is
subject to removal if he neglects his
duty and the states attorney is re-
quired to go over his records and to
submit the books to the grand jury.
The Doctor who gives a false prescrip-
tion is subject to 500 fine, and the
purchaser who makes false affidavit
to penalties of perjury. This license
is for druggist who wants to do only
a strict drug business: if he wants to
do any other kind he must take one of
the other licenses. Any licensed phar-
macist who can give the bond can get
druggist license without regard to
the limit of population.
All these bills require licensees to
give bonds. but the Democratic differs
from the others in requiring all pen
alties for violation and costs to be
paid out of the bond, on decision of
the licensing board, but with right of
appeal and collections to their amount
made out of them in any action for
civil damages. Members of the board
are required periodically to visit Ii
censed places to see how the business
is conducted, and police officers are
required once a month to make oath
whether they have knowledge or have
rlceiyed information or had their at
tention called to any violation or unli-
censed selling The licensing board
is also subject to heavy penalty for
neglect or refusal to do its duty.
Another distinctive feature of the
Democratic bill is its provision for
pure liquor. Two inspectors are ap-
pointed by the state who have to visit
every licensed place at least six times
a year at irregular intervals, sample
liquors and where suspicious, send
them to the state laboratory for chem
ical analysis Any dealer found to be
handling adulterated stuff forfeits his
license and bond. unless he can show
by checks and vouchers that he bought
it for honest goods and paid accord
ingly In that case the wholesaler is
forbidden ever TO sell any more liduor
in Vermont The fact is advertised in
every county in tht state and any deal
er thereafter found to be selling liquor
bought from him forfeits bond and Ii
cense
The penalty is from 500 to $500 and
forfeiture of license for violation of
any of the conditions or prohibi-
tions of the act. The theory is that
the bond requirement. operating
straight against the bondsmen and
leaving them TO recover, if they can,
from the licensee, will prevent any
bad man from getting a license, and
then the written oaths from both po-
lice and licensing boards. that they
have investigated every complaint or
indication of violation or unlicensed
selling will compel them to do their
duty. If they don't they take the
train straight for state prison. Any
citizen can bring them to book and
trial. and the fact that the penalties
all go to the town treasures instead
Of the state makes it an object for ev-
cry taxpayer to look after them. If
cense laws should occur. the penalties
would pay every dollar of towns in
iebtedness: this fact is an assurance
hat they wont occur. Even when vi
olations of the license cannot be
proved sufficiently to convict, and the
frequency of complaints or any other
'eason afford suspicion. the license
,an be revoked. by the money be-
ng refunded for the balance of the
ee. Even where dereliction can not
)e proved on the part of licensing board
n any member the selectmen can
emove them if satisfied that they
ire not efficient or the public good
will in any be subserved thereby.
The restrictions and penalties are all
he severest contained in any license
ill ever drawn. But they are still
'nly just, for they leave the right of
urv trial to every accused man and
hey apply only to abuses that the
moral sense of mankind will agree
ught to be severely dealt with and so
re enforceable.
| feel certain that it is the best tenn
'erance law possible and that is the
Judgment of all who have studied it.
The committee reporting it included
Dr.. Conland and Gale of this county,
,hile Porter and Bridges gave good
uggestions.
The other restrictions. as to sales
sundays or election days. TO minors, ha-
itual drunkarks, paupers or insane
ersons, and as to screens. etc, are
luch the same in all three bills, but
D the Democratic are the most strin-
ent. The Democratic bill also limits
censes to men % years old or more,
hile the limit in the other two is u
ears. c. II. Davenport.