The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-11-04
LIQUOR LAW HEARING
Present Law Considered in All Its Points
Ly Legislative Committee.

Montpelier, NOV g The attendance
was small this evening when in represen
tatiyes hail the Join committee on tom
peranee gave a public hearing on several
bills now Ia its hands j. H. Senter III
Montpelier first took up the present r.
cense law section By section stating 10
the committee what sections should IN
his opinion be amended 81 repealed II
conclusion Mr. Senter asked the commit
tee to darft a law that eliminates all
the Objectionable features Of the present
law, TO darft a law that will be so plain
that every one can understand it, law
that every one can have faith III and
obey On being asked BY a member
Of the committee what he would do
with the fifth class license, Mn. Sentel
replied that he would abolish IL
Ex-senator G. J. Russell of Hines
burg, member 81 the Joint committee
on temperance two Years ago, advocated
! board Of license commissioners to be
appointed by the governor instead Of
having the commissioners elected in the
several towns He believed with Mr.
Senter that section "a Of the present
law which has recently been declared
Unconstitutional by the supreme court,
should be amended SO that it viii hold
water This could be done BY allowing
the sale Of unfermented wine and cider
Ionlv. Mr. Russell would make minors
and habitual drunkards disclose where
they purchased the liquor on which they
became intoxicated and would reinstate
the search and seizure clause Of the pro.
hibitory law Second class licenses
should also be abolished
State Auditor Graham was not in
favor Of the governor appointing the
license commissioners. They should be
elected by the people, whether they ARE
.county or town commissioners. Mr..
Graham thought a search aud seizure
clause should be added, that only town
grand Jurors and states attorneys should
be allowed to issue warrants and be
declined TO allow bills for search and
seizure incurred BIZ any other officials
and that the committee should say
whether the towns or the state should
take an the fines and costs and pay all
the bills
Emmett MeEeetels OF Eliosburgh
Falls protested against inserting the
search aud seizure clause in the present
law, il encourages the crime Of per-
jury.
Representative Sherbnrne Of Pomfret
urged the committee to amend the law
I mot 50 that the man who gets drunk
/ but the man who sells the liquor shall
be punished, especially if he sells to
minors and habitual drnnkards.
Representative W. ~ Miles Of Bar
ton suggested to the committee that the
jsearch and seizure features Of the old
prohibitory law would not be applic-
/ able to the present license law.
Representative Hapgood Of Perm
/ thought the trouble arising from the
sale OF liquor Is not in the quantity
| but iii the quality sold. 1t would be
better If pure liquor was sold without a
license than to have such liquor as IS
sold today nnder license drunk either
ON OF oil the premises. Mr. Hapgood
favored state agency or in other
words a Battell bill,
Nv Il. Root 81 Brattleboro Of the
state board Of pharmacy challenged the
statement 0f Mr.. Senter that holders Of
! fifth class licenses have been during the
past year the most persistent violatofs
Of the law. Mr.. Senter replied that a
lifth slass license is simply q cover to
sell rum unlawfully. Mr.. Root replied
that a fifth class license is 50 drastic
i'll its provisions that it is almost inn
possible for a druggist to live mp to it.
A pharmacist should have q license to
sell liquors for domestic purposes at a
moderate fee
G. G. Fits Of Brattleboro advocated
no sales On Sundays, legal holidays on
on days when agricultural fairs are
held.
Chaplain Lamson made several sug
gestions to the committee regarding
amendments to the present law, which
closed the discussion