Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1903-03-19
LICENSE LAW GOSSIP.
New Bill Favorably Received Militia
Appropriation Increased to $4,000.

f'ff'oP''ubob tuNiNuSNb w PoOsVVOs
CONCORD, n. H., March 1.-THE elev-
enth week of the legislative session
opens with the first consideration in
open house of the main business of the
general court of 1908, the changing of
our statutes governing the sale of liquor
The house committee on liquor laws
made its report to the lower branch Fri
day morning of last week. Nine men,
bers of the committee, Batchelder of
Keene, Goss of Berlin, Buckley of Ian
caster, Whitcher of Haverhill, Mitchell
of Littleton, Woodman of Concord, Scam
mon of Exeter, Whittemore of Dover,
and the one democratic member of the
committee, Small of Rochester, made
a majority report recommending the pas
sage of bill entitled san act for the
regulation of the traffic in intoxicating
liquor
Two members of the committee, Mason
of Dover and Cavanaugh of Manchester,
made statement, endorsing the bill
with the exception of the provision Civ
ing the cities straight license. They
expressed their desire to go on record as
in favor of local option for all sections
OF the state alike.
The two remaining members of the
committee, Remich of Littleton and Phil
lips OF Franklin, submitted minority
report recommending that it was mex
pedlent to legiSlate in the matter.
Mr.. Remich moved to substitute the
report of the minority for that of the
majority; and this motion was made
special order for cons Iteration at 3
O'Clock this afternoon. The discussion
Will occupy all of this week certainly,
ana, In my opinion, next week as well,
The attitude of the democrats, who hold
caucus this evening, will materially
AFFECT the smooth or rough progress Ct
the bill. If they cooperate with Mr..
Remich, who intends to offer numerous
amendments, considerable time must be
taken up before the bill is finally passed.
The opinion of the majority, as thus
far heard, is in general favorable to the
bill and [ look to see it become a law
without material notifications.
1t follows the New York Raines law in
giving the general control of the issue of
licenses into the hands of a state board.
composed of three commissioners, not
more than two of whom shall be of the
same political party. They are to be
appointed by the governor, with the
advice and consent of the council, for
terms of two, four and six years at the
start; thereafter for six-year terms. The
chairman and clerk and treasurer are to
draw salaries of $500 a wear: the third
member of S2400.
Licenses are to be of eight classes and
are fully described in another column in
this issue.
The usual restrictions as to the sale OF
liquor under licenses are made and pro.
visions are included for the transfer, sur.
render and revocation of licenses. One
of the restrictions is that no license shall
be granted, except in the case of hotels
and drug stores, for the sale of liquor
within 200 feet of church or school,
house. One-half the net total derived
from license fees is to be paid back to
the city or town, and one-half to the
county.
The law goes into effect on May / 1903,
and on and after that date the sale of Ii
quor by licensees will be lawful in all
the cities of the state. In the towns no.
license will prevail, but the selectmen
may, and upon petition of 10 per cent
of the legal voters must call a special
town meeting at which majority vote
shall decide whether or no licenses shall
be granted in that town. If no special
election is called the question shall be
voted on at the regular town meeting in
March, 1904. The cities come under this
local option provision in 1906.
Licenses of the first, fifth, sixth and
seventh classes, that is hotels, druggists,
railroad restaurants and clubs, may be
issued by the commission even in no.
license towns. The penalty for violations
&C = b, To-, =
prisonment for not less than one month
nor more than two years.
In addition to the introduction of the
liquor bill considerable work was done
in both branches last week, business
sessions being held on Wednesday after
noon, Thursday and Friday.
Friends of the bill for the establish
ment of state sanatorium for consump-
tiveS held up, in the interests of that
measure, the appropriations for the state
college, for the proposed armory at Man
chester and for the representation of the
state at the st. Louis Exposition.
The committee on labor reported adj
versely upon the 5S-hour bill and on the
act requiring the stamping of convict
made goods, and they were tabled by
their friends for extended debate later.
A lot of soiled linen from Manchester
was aired in the course of a discussion
over the bill to enable that city to build
and maintain an electric lighting plant
Improper motives were charged against
both the supporters and the opponents
of the bill, which was finally recommit-
ted to the Manchester delegation in Il e
hope that they may fight it out among
themselves.