The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-04-03
Com
To the Citizens of Van Buren, County.

Among the reasons assigned why the
saloon should be returned to this county
is the illegal sales of liquors by drug
gists.
If it were a fact that druggists sold
liquors under the provisions of the local
option law, there would be some force in
the reason assigned. But druggists do
not sell under the provisions of the local
option law, but under the general laws
of the state. They sell under exactly the
same law in counties having open saloons
as in those having local option.
The mission of the local option law is
to close saloons and other places where
intoxicating liquors are sold outside OF
drUg stores.
The local option law now in force in
this county is as follows:
"The people of the state of Michigan
enact, that it shall be unlawful for any
person, directly or Indirectly, himself, or
his clerk, agent or employee, to manufac-
ture, sell, keep for sale, give away or
furnish any vinous, malt, brewed, fer
mented, spirituous or intoxicating liquors,
or any mixed liquor or beverage, any
part Of which is intoxicating, or keep a
saloon or any other place where any
such liquors are manufactured, sold,
stored for sale, given away or furnished,
in any county of this state, on and after
the first day of May next following after
the adoption by the board of supervisors
of such county of resolution prohibit
ing the same as provided by section l3
of this act, so long as such resolution re-
mains unrepealed; provided, however,
that the provisions of this section shall not
apply TO druggists or registered pL,drnld-
cjStS, IN selling such liquors under and
IN compliance Wih the restrictions and
requirements imposed upon them by the
general lolOs of this state" (Sec. 5412,
&. l.. 1872
Section Is of the act further provides:
proof of a single sale of any one or more
of the liquors or beverages mentioned in
this act, or of the posting in any distil-
lery, brewery, saloon, or other place of
business, of United States revenue re-
ceipt permitting the manufacture or sale
of any one or more of the liquors or bev-
erages mentioned i'm this act, at the time
and place alleged in the complaint or
information, shall be presumptive evil
dence of such manufacture, sale, keeping
for sale, giving away or furnishing of any
such liquors, or of keeping place where
such liquors are manufactured, sold,
kept for sale, given away or furnished,
as the case may be"
BY this law, druggists and registered
pharmacists are exempt from its provi-
sions. 1t is not fair, it is not decently
honest to lay the sins of omission or CON-
mission on to the local option law, where
it does not belong.
The law of this state under which
druggists sell liquors reads thus:
1T shall not be lawful for any druggist
nor for any person whose business con
sists in whole or in part of the sale of
drugs and medicines, directly or indi-
rectly, by himself, his clerk, agent or
servant at any time, to sell, furnish. give
or deliver any spirituous, malt brewed
fermented or vinous liquor, or mixed
! liquor, part of which is spirituous
q
minor, except for medicinal or mechan.
zeal purposes on the written order of the
parent or guardian of such minor, nor tc
any adult person whatever who is at the
time intoxicated, nor to any person il
the habit of getting intoxicated, nor tC
any Indian or any person of Indian de
! scent, nor to any other per
son to be used as beverage, nor to any
person to be drank on the premises, mol
to be mixed and drank with any bever
age drawn from a soda fountains; bu
such druggist shall be allowed to sci
said liquors for medicinal, chemical sci
entific, mechanical and sacramento pur
poses only, without the payment of an,
tax specified in section one, and subiec
to the following restrictions and condi
tons: He shall procure and keep a suit
able blank book, in which shall be re
corded by said druggist, his clerk o
employe, the names Of all persons apply