Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-04-13
THE MANN LIQUOR BILL,

The Legislature, through the pas
sage of the general revenue bill, which
now only awaits the signature of thu
governo in order to become law, anc
which carries with it the Mann liquor
amendment and the high license section
has placed some rigid restrictions upon
the liquor business, both in the city
and country districts.
The whole system of taxing liquor
dealers and of granting them licenses
has been changed. The tax, for in
stance, on social club members has beer
doubled. Under the present law it is
81. The new bill makes it 81 up to the
point of $3.50 for any one club and
when it reaches that point it stops, as
this is the amount of a regular city bar
room license. Club licenses are 10 be
obtained in the same manner as bar
room licenses.
Another sweeping innovation is the
raising of all liquor licenses from $500
and 500 to $3.50 and $l75, according
to population.
Still another is the provision put in
by Mr.. Folkes making it mandatory
upon Judges to revoke the license of
any person convicted of Sunday liquor
selling, and in addition thereto the
offender is subject to fine and imprison-
ment. The same provision applies to
those who are convicted cf selling to
minors.
But, perhaps, the most sweeping OF
all is the Mann amendment, which ap-
plies to the rural sections of the State,
and to towns of under 500 inhabitants,
watering places, seaside and mountain
resorts being exempted.
The gist of the bill is that it requires
person applying for license to sell
liquor in the territory named to secure
the signatures Of a majority of the quail
fed voters of the magisterial district
where such license is sought before he
can appear in court for his license. The
right Of appeal is afforded to both sides
under the present court system, but nc
appeal will be on either side from the
decisions of the new circuit courts.
Judge William Hodges Mann, the pa
tron of the amendment, was asked Satu :
day night for a statement concerning its
effect upon the liquor business of the
State and he prepared the following:
According to my recollection, which
may not be entirely accurate, the esti-
mate made by the finance committee Of
the Senate was that there are nine hun
dred saloons in the cities and about
eleven hundred in the counties and
towns.
"Of these, while the saloons in cities
and towns over 500 population will not
be affected by the Mann bill, it was
estimated that about one-fourth would be
closed in consequence of the increase in
the license tax. The committee also
thought that of the town and county bar
rooms, there we're about three hundred
in the towns having population of owe
five hundred, which would leave about
eight huni ed to come under the oper
alton of the bill just passed. Some o.
these come under the exceptions to th'
bill, and it will, therefore, BE- fair to say
that some seven hundred or seven hun
dred and fifty will be directly affected
and all of these will be in the country
where there is practically no police
protection, or in small towns where th'
protection afforded is likely to be in.
efficient. l think most, if not all, o.
these saloons viii be closed. 1t is, O
course, understood that unless the public
demand for legislation of this charactel
is very strong that it cannot be enforced
and is not likely to prove beneficial.
Under that view the bill which has jus
passed was not introduced before Christ
mas, and was not passed until public
sentiment, in my opinion, became 81
strJns that felt justified in asking fo
its passage. That members of thu
Legislature agreed with me as to th'
wishes of the people they represented ],
manifest from the vote which the bill
received. The temperance people art
going to see that the law is enforced,
and do not contemplate the formation
of any new organization, but expect t.
make their fight, if further Legislation
shall be thereafter desired, inside of the
democratic party, Of whose action to
wards them there is no complaint.