Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1902-10-30

board, for both cities and towns, required
TO be constituted of both parties, so as to
prevent the liquor traffic from being
MAGE an annex to any political machine
-lammanyized-as it is so apt to be-
come everywhere, and practically certain
TO SO lar as it includes abuses and ille-
galities, for which these other bills leave
the door open so wide.
Every police officer is periodically re.
CURED to make oath, of which record is
taken in detail, whether he has any
Knowiedge or information, or has had
his attention called to any violations by
by holders of licences or of any mil.
censed selling; if SO what it was. Every
M mber of the license board, as part
OF every receipt for his pay of SO a day
LOT actual time expended is required to
make the same written oath, if it be a
town That has no policemen, and also
tnat he has investigated every such COM
plant and information and if there has
Deen no prosecution, what the reason
was, with the evidence.
These oaths are all made under the
penalties of perjury. Besides the Ii
censing board is subject to heavy fines.
and may be removed by the seiectmen,
even if dereliction is not absolutely
proved, if the selectmen believe the pub
lie good will be subserved thereby. ANY
citizen may make complaint of their
dereliction which must be investigated.
The second provision is called the
bond feature. Under the democratic
bill the bond which must be made by
every licensee is for $4,000 instead of
$1,000 or $4,000 and penalties and forfeit
/ ureS are collectable directly from the
| bondsman leaving them to look to the
licensee against whom they can get a
close Jail.
The purpose of this drastic provision
is to prevent any man getting license
who cannot command such confidence
from his neighbors that they will risk
their money on his obeying it's condi-
tionS.
But even beyond this, and as still
further safeguard it is provided by the
democatic bill that the licensing board
or, on appeal, selectmen can evoke a
license, even where violations cannot be
positively proved if the public good
seems to require it, by refunding to the
licensee the money for the unexpired
part of the lisense's term.
The penalties for infractions provided
by the democratic bill are much severer
than the others or any other law. The
least is 5000 and from that up to $500
for every offence, all collectable direct
from the bond and payable to the town
treasury so as to make it an object for
every taxpayer to watch.
The third distinction is in reference to
the druggists license.
The democratic bill allows druggists
sales only on physicians prescription or
the sworn affidavit of the purchaser fun
der penalty of 5000 for the physician and
punishment for perjury for the pur-
chaser.) These prescriptions and affida-
Wits must be kept in books. numbered
and indexed, and delivered to the county
clerk once a month with written oath
that they are all the sales made. The
county clerk may, if suspicious, require
full inventory and account of purchases
from month to month, also sworn to, so
that the druggist can't lie a great while
without being caught. Licensing boards
may, and states attorneys must, examine
these books and records and present to
grand jury if they indicate illegality.
The penalty or conviction of third Of
fence of violation of restrictions is for
fixture of a bond of $1,000 and also of
liense to practice pharmacy.
The fourth distinction is the provision
l.
inspectors, appointed by governor and
senate and subject to summary removal,
must visit every licensed place in the
state, at irregular intervals at least nine
times year, must sample and test all
liquors by the methods in use by the U.
S. internal revenue which are almost GER
tain to detect adulteraton, but to insure
certainty and justice, must forward
every suspicious sample to the state
laboratory for chemical analysis. If
found adulterated the sellers license and
bond are both forfeited unless it appears
by vouchers and checks that he bought
the liquors as pure and paid accordingly.
In that case the wholesaler is forbidden
forever thereafter to sell any liquor in
this state, the fact is advertised in every
county, and record furnished to every IL
censee; and any thereafter selling goods
from that house forfeits license and
bond.
The fifth distinction claimed is local
option for beer only. The bill contains
the provision that towns may license
only beer or malt liquor selling-certain-
ly promotive of temperance and policy
worth following, if it can be made prac-
ticable. Other states have tried this and
found it to work badly because the sell
lol StUUluS llCeuSo lOF Ue6F, WOulu also
sell ''hard stuff" more or less slyly. But
it is believed, that against the machinery
here provided for swift exposure and
punishment, no licensee would dare do
it or could even get the chance.
The Conland bill contains many strong
features which should commend them
selves to the thoughtful consideration of
the legislature. If, after careful COM
parison, it appears that this bill would
insure greater degree of temperance
and sobriety than any of the others the
fact that it is of democratic origin ought
not to prejudice even the most rabid re-
publican against supporting it, unless he
is willing to admit that he places parti- |
sanship above citizenship. The people
of the state as we'll as of the legislature
ought to be giving these different bills
careful consideration. Any who desire
to see the full text of this bill or of any
or all of the other bills which have been
introduced can, no doubt, secure copies