Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-03-12
Sweezy Bill For Regulation Of
Liquor Business Gets Through
House in Sadly MutiIated
Form.
LOCAL OPTION FEATURE
LOST OUT IN COMMITTEE
County Salary Increase Meas
ure Passes After Strong OPP
position Led by Davidson Of
Grant,
Morning Journal Bureau,
The Palace Hotel,
Santa Fe. y. NJ. March II.

~ = -
Santa Fe, y. NJ. March II.
The regulation of the liquor traffic
in New Mexico came to the front in
the house OF representatives this aft
crnoon when the steering committee
reported the Sweezy bill, house bill
No. ISIS, for the regulation of the
liquor traffic. and fixing a scale of IL
censes. The bill was passed after a
vigorous debate led by Mr.. Brown, OF
Union county. in which the opponents
sought to delay the bill upon the
ground that sufficient time had not
been given for consideration. The
vote upon final passage was as fol-
lows:
Ayes-Baca. Blattman, Brice. Dav-
idson. Martinez. Mirabal. Moffett,
Btuliet IS. ! lberts. Sanchez, Stack
h.u4e swe ~. Upton. Walters, the
speaker. Total, fifteen.
Nays-Brown, Chaves of Sierra,
Chaves Of %Bernalillo, Gallegos, Garcia,
Pacheeo and Valdez. Total. seven.
Mcssrs. Baker and Bushkevitz abb
sent Mr.. Baker is i'll and Mr.. Bush
heVitz is IN CHICAGO
The original Sweezy bill Is a doeu-
ment covering t%hirty-two printed
page and provided not only for regu-
lation OF the liquor traffic and the
license system. but also carried pro-
visions for local option elections. The
steering committee presented the biz
with some nineteen amendments
making it practically a new bill. the
general features and regulation of the
license system being retained while
the provisions for local option are
stricken out. Although the bill is far
from meeting the desire of advocates
of local option, it is considered by
those who have studied it carefully To
he n decided improvement over the
present system in hat it provides
rigid regulation as to the character OF
each person to whom a saloon license
is granted and leaves the granting OF
an licenses to the board of county
commissioners and giving the board
power To hold hearings upon the APP
plications of any person who desires
a license. at which citizens Directing
to the granting of the license may
appear and be heard. A retail liquor
dealer is described in the bill as one
who sells liquor in quantities or less
than five gallons to one person at one
time. Licenses are divided into five
classes as follows:
'First-To sell liquor Of any kind to
he drunk or not on the premises.
Sccond-To sell liquor of any kind
to be drunk on or about the premises
or adjacent thereto.
Third-Druggists and dealers SELL
ing alcohol for mechanical or chemi-
cal purposes. and eXempting denatur-
ed alcohol from the license.
Fourth-To sell liquor of any kind
To be drunk on the premises to he is
sued only to organized associations or
clubs in the discretion Of the board of
county commissioners.
Fifth-To distillers and brewers. to
sell their products in packages.
The law provides that no license
may be granted for less than one year,
and must be issued by the board of
county commissioners. Incorporated
cities and towns may exact an d
tional license fee. Rigid regulations
are provided as to the character of
the applicant for a license. Notice of
the application for a license must be
published in a daily newspaper, in
counties wherein dali newspapers
are published. and in other counties.
in a weekly newspaper. h fees for
licenses are graded as to population
and class. ranging from n thousand
dollars in cities and towns having
population of three thousand or more.
down to seven hundred dollars in
towns having population Of less than
three thousand. In any precinct out
side OF the limits of any cities or in
~corpOrated towns where the popula-
ton is moro than three thousand
the license fee is "a thousand dollars;
loss than three thousand. seven hun
dred dollars; less thar two thousand,
five hundred dollars. II is provided
further that in cities and Incorporated
towns. where the license fec now i'm
posed is less than three hundred dol
lars. there shall be imposed an adff-
tinnal license fee OF eight hundred dol
lars in towns having a population Of
three thousand or more. less than
three thousand. five hundred dollars.
second class licenses cost one-fourth
Of the amount for first class licenses.
Third class. ten dollars a year when
sold on prescription. otherwise "A hun
drcd dollars. Fourth class two hun
bred and fifty dollars "A year. fifth
class. three hundred dollars q year.
The board Of county, commissioners is