The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1903-01-03
FOR LIQUOR D|SPENSARY
Measure to Be Introduced at the
Coming Session of the Gen.
eral Assembly.
PREPARED BY SENATOR ". \. COLLINS
sale of Liquors to BE Under Municipal
Control - Di,pensaries to BE Kept
Closed at Night aud Only One Sale Per
Day to lie Made to Same Person-Public
schools to share In Profits

One of the most widely discussed
measures to be presented at the forth
coming session of the legislature is a
bill providing for dispensaries for the
sale of liquor.
Senator Collins of DeQueen is the
author of the bill, which we publish
in full, that the public may become
thoroughly acquainted with its pro-
visions.
The proposed measure is as follows:
TO authorize municipal corporations
of the state Of Arkansas to buy and
sell spirituous, vinous and malt liquors
and compounds and preparations there
Of, and to further regulate and control
the sale of such liquors within their
| limits.
BE it enacted by the General Assembly
of the State Of Arkansas:
Section l. That each incorporated
town or city in the state of Arkansas,
In which the sale Of liquor is not pro-
hiblted by law, shall have and they
are hereby given authority to conduct
and carry on in its corporate name and
capacity and through its council, or leg
| islativo body, the business of buying
and selling spirituous vinous and malt
| liquors and compounds and prepare
tions thereof. subject to the restric-
lions and conditions hereinafter men
| toned. The place where such business
shall be carried on shall be called a
dispcnsary, and each town or city hav-
ing population of ten thousand OF
| less shall have one dispensary and no
more. Cities having more than ten
thousand population may establish ana
| operate one dispensary for each ten
| thousand of its population or fraction
Of ten thousand over five hundred, but
no more. The populations of cities and
towns for the purpose of this act shall
be determined by the past preceding
United States census. These dispen-
saries shall be established and operated
only within the limits Of Incorporated
towns and cities. Each city or town
which may establish a dispensary,
under this act, shall invest in said bus
! mess, in excess of the license paid,
sum Of money not less than three nun
| bred dollars nor more than three thous-
and dollars for each dispensary il may
establish and operate. The liquors
| bought and sold by dispensaries
shall be Of the purest and best
quality, and In any ana all cases
where the liquors sold to such dispensary
! shall be found to contain impurities, or
shall fan 20 DC as represented by the
/ parties selling the same, or their agent,
/ then ana In that case the person, firm
or corporation selling such liquor shall
forfeit all claim to pay for same and
shall not be entitled to prosecute any
suit for such claims in the courts of
3 Furthermore the lUlDl
80 sold shall be destroyed by the town,
or city authorities of the town, where
game is sold,
Sec. .. Tho office Of dispenser is
| hereby created, and there shall be one
/ dispenser for each dlspcn9ary operated
under this act. The FIRST dispenser
shall be elected by the council of the
city or town whore the dispcusary is
/ 10 be established on or before the first
day Of January 1904, and the person
80 chosen shall hold said office for the
term of ono year from and after the
FIRST day of January 1904, unless re-
/ moved for cause, or uutil his successor
IL elected and qualified
Sec 3. For the purpose OF aiding,
as hereinafter set forth, In the sclec-
ton Of dispensers, 1t is hereby made
the duty Of the Judge Of the county
court of any county in which II is
some date between the first day of Octo-
Der. 1908, and the nftoenth day of De-
| ccmbcr, 1908, and every year thereafter
| between the same dates to make and
/ furnish to the council Of any such mu-
/ uicipal corporation as may establish
/ dispeusary the Names Of three times
the number OF men as there are TO be
dispcusares I'm their respective cities
| aud towns. from which list Of names SO
. furnished the council shall choose a
dispenser or dispensers as the case
may require. No dispenser so chosen
shall be loss than twenty-five years Of
! ngc; and shall be a resident of the town
or city for which he is dispenser for
moro than one year before he ~ 40 Chos-
ON. They shall be mon who bear the
/ reputation OF being honest lawabiding
| citizens, and shall bo possessed OF the
necessary educational qualification TO
conduct such business mud keep and make
/ correct statements thereof At some
regular or called meeting OF the city
or town council, after the furnishing
I OF the names as aforesaid, by the Judge
uc the county court, and before the
first day OF January following, the said
council. from the names 80 furnished,
/ shall cloct dispenser or dispensers for
! their cities and towns, az the ease may
! require, The said dispenser, under the
] ullftllOn una ihOllhl ~ llt ''NllNll "
| the city or town, I'm which ho ~ dlY.
/ pcnscr shall buy and sell OF such kinds
Of liquor us may be deemed best by the
, councll. ana shall operate the dispcn.
/ sury for the term Of one year from and
| after the first day Of January next after
] hts election. unless sooner removed for
/ cause or until his successor IN elected
ana qualified, Each town on city oper-
| Nting undor this act shall provide rs
| dispenser with whatever amount OF
money II may determine 60 invest IN
/ said busncpa within the limits nforc.
/ said before entering ON his duties
each dispenser shall take and subscribe
| an oath before the mayor of the town.
| or some other officer authorized to ad-
! minister uuthg that ho viii obey and
support the laws of the United states
| the laws OF the state of Arkansas and
/ MI the laws Of the city or town IN
which his dlsponsnrY II situated. and
| further that he viii not, during his con-
! tlnuunco IN office, accept from any
| Wholesale llQuor dealer or from any
other person Tor them, anything of value
] Whatever UN n WIT ar otherwise, ana
! that he win faithfully discharge tho
! dutlos OF the office of dispenser, on
/ which he ~ about "a onloG 60 the best
! ut mis- ability and further that during
! his continuance that ho viii not VIC.
! lato any law of the state of Arkansas
! relative to the sulc ana giving away of
| liquor, ana of the city or town ON tho
/ same subject and especially that he
! VIII not knowingly sell or give ll0uoF
| tO any minor Indian or person known
| az q hnhltunl drunknrd, or TO any per,
son for them The dispenser shall
also, before entering upon his duties as
such enter into bond 20 the state of
| Arkansas. IN a penal sum Of not lcsn
than two thousand dollars, for the use
aud boncit OF the town or city In which
| he u NO chosen, NJ also FOR tho uac ana
! bonont or any person who may be In
/ iured hy his wrongful net M such dis.
! rcnseri which bond shall be conditioned
i that he Will hold the town or city harm.