Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-03-12
SWEtzY'S LIQUOR ACT
PASSED BY HOUSE
YESTERDAY
It Does Not Provide Local OPP
ton but Its Provls-
ions Are Thought
Enough.
HAS GOOD CHANCE
TO PASS THE COUNCIL
The Bill Was Amended Consider
ably as II Passed the Lower
Body and Other
Changes May
be made.


much debate the lower house of the
legislature late yesterday afternoon
passed House bill No. 159, introduced
by Mr. Sweezy. an act to regulate the
viding a penalty. The bill was drawn
by Representative Roberts of Col
fax county. 1t was reported favora
bly, by the steering committee with
| the amendements, seventeen in all.
After the amendments had been
adopted Mr.. Martinez moved that the
bill ''do pass whereupon the oppo-
sition to the bill made itself known.
Mr.. Brown, in an extended speech,
opposed the passage of the bill until
the members had time to- carefully
consider the amendments thereto. He
pointed out that failure to legisate
properly on the liquor question meant
the defeat of the Republican party at
the next election.
Mr.. Roberts then explained the pro-
! visions of the bill at length and urged
its passage as good law.
! Upon roll call, Brown took occa-
sion to talk against the bill in ex-
+ to passing the bill, without due con-
slderation and voted no, Others yot-
! ing in the negative were Julian
= Chaves, NJ. Chaves, Gallegos, Garcia,
! Pachecho and Valdez. The opposi-
! tlon was only able to muster seven
votes. the bill finally passing by
vote of 10 to Z.
/ Perhaps the best speech made in
| 70 - nf =
! Upton. He argued that decent men
only should conduct saloons and that
under the provisions of this law
! which, while it did not provide local
option. it provides high license and
hence would result in fewer, but bet
ter saloons, doing away with joints
and dives.
Sanches also spoke in favor of the
passage of the bill.
Provisions of the Bill.
The provisions of the Sweezy bill
are good 1t is drawn after the style
Of the Catron bill, introduced early
in the session Of the Council. 1t pro-
vides high license as follows: Cities
of the first class, $1,000; where pop
ulation is less than 5000, $500; in cit
les where population is less than
1000, $500 second class, one-fourth
of the amount required for license of
the first class; third class, SO per
year where liquor is sold upon phy-
scians prescription il otherwise,
Sl0O per year; fourth class, $3.50 per
year; NTH class, $500 per year.
The license for the sale of liquor
by retail are 10 be Issued by the
board of county commissioners and
for period of not less than one year.
The act does not, however, prevent
Incorporated towns and cities from
exacting an additional fee from the
holders of such licenses.
one of the most beneficial pro-
visions of the act is the restriction
placed upon those to whom license
shall be issued No person ever con
victed of a felony. or having such
person in his employ. shall be entitled
to a license; no one under the age of
% years. unless he be a registered
pharmacist n years of age; no one
who is not a citizen OF the United
States and who has not been resi-
dent Of the territory for two months
prior to the filing of his application
who is not fit person to be entrust
ed with the sale of liquor and any
one who is a person Of bad Teputa-
tion or morality. 1t provides also for
hearings before the board Of county
commissioner.
The sale of liquor Is prohibited 10
minors or to a minor for any other
person: to an intoxicated person; "a
a habitual drunkard or 10 any per
? son when notice in writing has been
given forbidding the sale or delivery
of liquor to such person.
The sale Of liquor is also prohibited
T on Sunday and between the hours OF
midnight and 3 a. m, on any calen-
2 dar day or on any election day.
Another splendid feature OF the bill
is that provision prohibiting the sale
Of liquor in villages of less than 800
% inhabitants and there must be at leas
;, 500 people living in the precinct The
I present law licenses saloons i'm VII
p. lagos having 100 inhabitants.
4 Taken all in all, the provisions o
$ the Sweezy law are far reaching anC
r although local option is not provided
!. for. the law, if enacted, will regulate
. the traffic in intoxicating liquors 10 /;
a far greater extent than is now tn,
case.