Waterbury Democrat., 1902-07-22
MAKE AN OPEN CONFESSION
Statutes Revision Committee Own Up to Making a Blunder.


 They Point Out Way to Get Around
 the Liquor License Question-Some
 Local Attorneys Think the Commits sion Made the Mistake Fully Aware
 of the Consequences, However, Hartford, July 22.-All of the mem- | bers of the commission on the reVlslon i of the statutes were present at q meet | ing held yesterday morning III the ante I room of the supreme court chamber at the Capitol. Changes which were made 1 in the revision by the commission were discussed and considered and especial attention was paid to the change from the old statutees in regard to the loca- ton of saloons within POO feet of any church, schoolhouse public library, postoffice or cemetery Under the old | law an applicant for a license to sell | liquor was simply obliged to state in l his application that his place was To- cated within 200 feet of any of the l buildings or localities named. The commission in the revision which it submitted to the legislature and which l the legislature adopted made it man. datory on county commissioners to re l fuse to license saloons within 2OO feet of any church, schoolhouse, public H. l b. ary, postoffice or cemetery.
 l After considerable deliberation yes | terday morning the commission made public the following statement:
 '.The provision of section 2657, pro- hibiting the licensing of places within | POO feet of churches, schoolhouses, etc, is an error for which the commission is solely responsible, and which it would l correct if it had the power. Until the legislature can amend the law the rights of present licensees can be pre- | served under section 2692.
 ! The above statement was endorsed by every member of the commission. Section 2692 of the revision, referred l to in the statement is as follows: "Section 2,692 Sale pending decis- l ion as to renewal of license-NO appli- l cant for the renewal of license to sell l spirituous and intoxicating liquors un- | der any kind of license shall be con- l victed of a violation of section 2,692 or of section 2691, pending the decision l of the county commissioners upon his 1 application. or pending the determina- tion of any appeal from any such de- I cision of the county commissioners; l provided that such application shall have been made and filed with the county commissioners and shall have been duly advertised before the expira- l lion of his old license, and that the ap- plication conforms in all other respects
 with the restrictions contained in his old license"
 Tn explanation of the above James F. Andrews of this city, a member or the commission on revision, said to Cour- ant reporter yesterday that it would be lcompetent for the county commission CTS to receive applications for the he newal of licenses and to hold the decis- ions upon them in abeyance until the legislature could change the law. MT
 Andrews said the commission would 1 itself have changed the law had such action been within its powers, but the 2OO-feet prohibitory law had been adopted by the legislature Tn 1901 and the commission had no power to change it. The change might perhaps have been made previous to July l, when the revision went into effect. but after that it was clearly impossible. I To the question if the changes in the
 statute has not first been made by Gardiner Greene of Norwich, mem
 Der of the commission, and that al
 though requested to make the statute
 similar to the old MT Greene had not
 carried out the request MT Andrews
 replied in the negative and said that
 the revision was the work of the entire
 commission.
 Tn regard to the changes made in
 the revision by which person on first
 conviction of illegal liquor selling for feits his license and also forfeits his | Eu nIr han o.
 were intentional. as were all other
 changes except those in regard to the 200-feet prohibition.
 Senator Michael KeneaIy of Stam ford, also a member of the revision
 commission. said in response to an in l Quiry that the county commissioners
 could "hang up'' applications for re
 newa1s of licenses until the legislature
 can change the law in regard to the
 2O0-feet prohibition. He did not think
 the change in the law would affect
 druggists licenses, but said that ever i. although it did the druggists could be
 treated by the commissioners as the liuuor dealers were. Their licenses
 could be held in abeyance.
 Local lawyers do not care to be
 quoted, but it appears to be their opin i #E lOu IudI IL WdS UOL d Oh tAiS part of the revisory commission. unless | it was mistake in judgment. Int i. character of the men who constitute the commission is well known to many
 lawyers here and they are of the opin
 ion that no mistake was made, but tha'
 it was the intention of the commission
 to knock the 1iquor business on tht head forever and get through with it
 Most of the men who formed the com mission have been too long in public , life to make mistake of such a seri ous character. and it is on that accoun that the statement made by them now | is somewhat doubted
 Prosecuting Agent Pierce believes . the difficulty can be overcome by th' county commissioners deferring actio1 on the applications for renewal of Ii
 censes next fall, and meanwhile th'
 liquor dealers can start legislative ac
 tion going to repeal the law.
 SHOWER OF PUMICESTONE.
 Baltimore. July 22.-The fact Ina! ! hot f711,. h