Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-12-04
The Referendum in Ontario.

1nasmuCh as the people OF Vermont are
face to face with the question of the sub
mission of liquor legislation to popular
vote, it may be profitable as we'll as inter-
esting to consider briefly the referendum
which is TO be carried out in the Province
of Ontario, Canada to-day. AS in our own
case, the issue involved in the Ontario
referendum is the temperance question,
but with our Canadian friends the propos-
ition to he submitted is whether or not
modified prohibition shall be substituted
for the license system now prevailing.
BY the proposed law all sale or barter of
liquor is prohibited except sale by licensed
druggists for certain purposes considered
necessary, and all giving Of liquor is pro-
hibited except the giving for such pur-
poses. or the giving in private house to
an adult friend of liquor that has not been
unlawfully procured There are two kinds
Of licenses for druggists, one for wholesale
business and the other for retail trade.
wholesale druggist is authorized to sell
in quantities of not more than ten gallons
for mechanical or scientific purposes, or
not more than five gallons to a retail drug
gist. A retail druggists license permits
the sale only for medicinal purposes or of
wine for sacramental purposes. A duly
qualified physician may have in his pos
session liquor needful for his practice not
to exceed two quarts. The dispensing of
liquors by clubs or societies is rlgdly pro-
hibited.
The chief feature of the Ontario liquor
act to be voted on Is to dispense with bar
rooms and retail liquor stores and place
the sale of liquor for medicinal and indus
trial uses with druggists under strict regu-
lations.
! The act makes special provision for eff
cient enforcement The government is to
appoint a chief inspector for the province
and local inspector for each electoral dis
trct in the province, or more local inspec-
tors If needful, whose duty it shall be to
administer the law and to prosecute per-
sons offending against its provisions. All
these inspectors will act directly under the
boards Of commissioners.
We may profitably study the method of
referendum adopted in the Province OF
Ontario. The question to be submitted to
the electorate is: Are you in favor of the
bringing into force of the liquor act, 1902?
The ballot is to contain two columns, the
one headed Yes" and the other headed
NO" The ballot is to be marked in the
column under one or the other OF these
words as the voter desires. The polls are
to be open from a. m to 8 p. m, and
the laws which govern elections are to pre-
vail on this occasion.
In case it appears that a majority OF
votes on the question are in affirmative
and that the number of votes on the
question exceeds one-half of the number
of votes certified to by the clerk of the
crown in chancery as having been polled
in different elections named, the lieu
tonant-governor-in council is required tc
issue proclamation declaring the act OF
prohibition to be in force from and after
the first day of May. 1904. sixteen months
after the mandate of the people in favor
of prohibition. If the people vote mo" the
present system is to continue without
change.
It can thus be seen that the method oil
determining the choice of the people Of
Ontario with reference to the method o.
restricting the traffic in intoxicating H.
is being urged so forcibly as de
srable amendment to the measure befor,
the Vermont Legislature.