The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1908-04-30
hiuuor Commissioners
n for North Dakota

Business Thinks State
] the Business
wave that carried several states. to a,
point hign and dry on the landscape
recently. Local option has its favor
able arguments, but to state that the.
will Of the people is carried out in
the respective localities at all times
would be but an empty assertion. The
fact remains that the liquor question
lis difficult one of, solution and It
would be presumption on the part of
anyone to claim the mastery of so
great a social problem for has the
liquor problem not taxes the brain of
statesmen Of various nations repeat
fedly and is the solution thereof in a
satisfactory way, still not afar in the
dim future Notwithstanding the fact
that this question yields grudgingly
Ito a happy solution to all concerned,
yet is Ill not8possible that present con
ditions be ameliorated and if SO,
should one be content with the worse
when the better can be had? I be-
llieye that a happy medium could he
reached between prohibition on the
one hand and free saloons on the 9TH
lei that would satisfy all parties to
the controversy. i think the wording
OF the old saw est modus in rebus'
there is moderation in all things,
would apply to this as well as to any
other question presented The idea
as applied to the liquor question in
NORTH Dakota would be on the follow
4 ing plan:
Should the present prohibition law
he repealed, the legislature could
enact a law (the, constitution OF the
state being conformable) providing
For the sale of liquor by the state It.
|salf 1T could provide for the election
m a state liquor commissioner who
would be elected to office, whose duty
lit would be to inspect and approve
faE liquor manufactures and to be sold
IWI thin the state. On petition OF say
65 per cent of the resident voters ;of
cities, towns and Incorporated vii.
Elages, None saloon could be allowed for
sc many capita, said petition to Ike
filed with q county officer. The peti-
ton having been granted all fixtures
and appurtenances necessary for the
ldispensary could be furnished by
the state and paid for out OF profits
OF the sales All liquors to he sold
Ito the retail trade should be procured
from the Liquor Commissioner and
from him only which would be inspect
en- and approved thus insuring quail
Iity and kind The liquor dealer put
l1r charge would be an officer 0i the
Estate Hleriting his appointment thru
competitive examination who would
receive a stated salary and who
might be invested with some powers
OF the police onicer The liquor com
missioner could have inspectors over
a given district to whom the officer
in charge Of the dispersary could re-
port receipts OF sale daily, the IN
speetor to report to the commissioner
weekly who in turn wou1d report to
the state officer. The sales Of liquor
could be so governed that all expen-
lses for rental, salaries and cost OF
supervision be paid ont Of the profits
accruing, and any remaining profits
could be paid into the county treas
ury to be divided at given percent
between the county, municipality and
school funds. All liquor supplies
could be requisitioned from the com
missioner as they be needed who
could thus keep accurate record Of
the consumption through hout the state
and TINS obyiate the possibility Of
fraud .on the part Of his inferior Off
GERS. This plan given In the rough
could be amplifed SO as to admit Of
a practical appliance II fully believe.
Were this plan adopted and put in
orertion, the greater portion of the 4
evils existant in connection with and
resulting from the sale OF intoxicat-
ing liquors would be abolis OF
q certainty blind pigs could have no
standing and would not be tolerated
III community where law and order
: 4 = -
would provide in quality and quantity
in place commens urate in digniry
to that Of a state institution. Boot
Logging would fail for the same rea-
son. Drunkenness would be minniln- |
lied, for to the sober and temperatas
there would be no occasion to partake
to excess and the drinking privilege
80 4. - II
Of liquors would be en-
couraged within the state thus en-
ploying home labor and. capital and
utilizing home products . The expen-
ses for prosecutions under the liquor
law would asnount to nil and in conse-