The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-12
FOR LOCAL OPTION
TOTAL ABSTINENCE ASSOCIATION
PREPARING FOR HARD FIGHT
NEXT YEAR
CIRCULAR j Is DISTRIBUTED
Proposed That Voters in Counties
Having NolLarge City May De-
eide as to Having Lii
- cense System.

Inc Minnesota Total Abstinence asso-
citation has already inaugurated a new
cdInpalgn Tor county option in Minnesota
70 be fought out in the regular session Of
legislature in 1903. Circulars have been
distributed to the members Of the 1egts-
Iature, briefly 1rehearsing the history Of
past attempts in this direction and ask
ing support for a county option bill next
spring. The bill was defeated in the
legislatures of 1897 1889, and 1901 but
mace a better showing eacn time, and it's
promoters hope for success in 1903.
The bill provides that the vot2rs of
counties which do not contain a city Of
1910 or more population shall determine
by ballot whether license to sell liquors
may be granted in the county. No cleo
ton on this proposition shall be held until
petitioned for by one-half of the regis
tered voters of the county. If a majority
(amended to one-third) of all the votes
cast upon said question at such election
IN any county shall be for license, then
may license be granted within such coun-
ty, subject to the laws of the state and
the ordinances Of each village or city
within said county, including the local
option laws pertaining to townships and
villages. If two thirds OF the votes cast
upon said question at said election in
any county shall be against license. then
it shall be unlawful for any licensing
board or council in said county to grant
a license to any one to sell Intoxicating
liquors in and for such county for a
period of four years from and after such
special election shall be held to vote upon
such question
The circular for this stipulateS that il
two-thirds Of the votes in any county are
cast against license. then the council of
any incorporated village and the city
council of any incorporated city within
SIR ng1Vatxy chm ~
same are hereby empowered to establish
within such village or city, regulate, re-
move and discontinue dispensary, sub
ject to such provisions and limitations as
are hereinafter set forth, in which dis
pensaries -fntoxicat ting liquors may be
sold" The person in charge of a dis
pensary shall be called dispenser"
No village, township or city can have
dispensary until two-thirds of its regis
tered and legal voters have signed q Pc
tition asking for such dispenSary.
"The council or board empowered to
establish d dispensary" may appoint a
person to superintend the dispensary, and
he shall be called q "dispensary commits
sioner." He shall receive a specified sal
airy, and may test and buy liquors and
manage the details of the traffic. He
shall be resident of the place, legal
voter and "a. person of good. moral char
acter, free from the habit Of intemper-
ance." Bonds may be required of him.
There shall be- only one dispensary in
any village or city having less than 10000
inhabitants.
A dispensary shall be continued for a
period of four years, unless removed or
discontinued by the authority that es-
tablished the same. The dispenser shall
give bond in the sum of 81, 900. The 0is-
penser shall receive monthly salary; all
liquors sold in the diSpenSary shall be
examined and pronounced pure by the
state dairy and food department. The
proceeds of the sales shall go into the city
or village treasury; the dispensary build
ing shall not be located within $50 feet
of any public school, church or other pub
lie institutiong shall front on a street and
shall have but one salesroom There are
provisions for putting the liquor up in
sealed packages, and declaring that there
shall be no chairs, tables. or billiard
tables in the dispensary. or any food,
fruits, tobaccos offered for sale.