Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-04-23
BREWERS ASK FOR
DRASTIC STATUTE
"WETS" PROPOSE STATE BOARD TO
REGULATE ENTIRE LIQUOR
BUSINESS.
WANT COMPLETE CONTROL.
W. H. Austin Presents Bill to Assem-
bly, Committee on State Affairs
for Consideration.
ANTI-sALOoN LEAGUE IS OPPOSED.

MADISON, Wis, April 21.-[ Special
Wisconsin bids fair again to take the
initiative in legislation, the subject this
time being the control of the liquor traf-
6c- The Assembly state affairs commit
tee yesterday afternoon favorably CON
sidered a bill creating a state board of
license revocation. The bill is the re-
suit OF long consideration by experts I'M
der pay from the Wisconsin Liquor
Dealers association and the Wisconsin
and Upper Peninsula Brewers assocla-
ton. 1t was presented to the commit
tee by W. II. Austin, counsel for the
latter organization.
Details of New Measure
Briefly, under the terms of the Austin
bill. the newly created board is to have
authority to revoke the license of a
liquor dealer III any community Of the
state for any of the following reasons:
If licensee maintains disorderly, riot
Gus, indecent or improper house.
If he permits gambling upon the prem
Uses.
If he sells to minors without order from
or 70 habitual drunkardS.
If he permits girls under II years unac-
companied by parent to participate III any
ball or dance adjacent to or within prem
iSeS on which liquor is sold
If he has failed to observe and obey
any order of supervisors, trustees or alder
men or county superintendent of poor made
pursuant to law.
Any citizen unuier the terms Of the pro-
posed law may make complaint to the
state board of five members upon which
it is required to start an investigation.
If the defendant fails to appear or the
complaint is proved, the license may be
suspended for. ninety days. The board
is to have the option of suspension or
revocation, as it sees fit, and revocation
in all cases is to be for one year, without
rebate of the license fee. Provision for
appeals by defendants to the circuit
court is provided. Another provision of
the DILL relates to comprehensive in
yestigation by the board of the entire
subject of liquor traffic and excise laws
throughout the country.
Funds to Maintain Board.
The Austin bill, which is designed to
take the place of 4GOA, creates Il board
of five members to BIS appointed by the
governor for terms ranging from two
years to ten years, the regular term be-
ing ten years. Members must not hold
any other public office. Compensation
of members is to be $4,000 ii year and
actual expenses and it is provided that
the committee. while having its head
quarters in the capitol, may hold SEES
,sions anywhere in Wisconsin. Money for
I lne support OIL the board IS to be raised
by collecting each year from every town
village and city treasurer 3 per cent. of
iall saloon license money paid in. The
committee is empowered to employ q
stenographer and secretary and to pay
the usual fees to witnesses.
Humphrey Opposes Bill.
Yesterdays hearing was dominated by
G. A. A. MCGEE and Mr.. Austin for the
liquor dealers and q. G. Humphrey fol-
the Wisconsin Anti-Saloon league Mr.
Humphrey said that while he was moi
familiar with the terms of the bill he
fwas ready to predict that the forces OF
righteousness would be against it. There
was spell of excitement when Mr. Aus
tin accused Mr.. Humphrey Of making {
covert threat that if the committee mem
sbers recommended the bill he would
charge them with being in league with
the brewery interests.
! Other Milwaukee men at the hearing
were: 7. ]. Neacy, August linn, Pete!
Barth, J. e. Fitzgibbon, August Nc
Grau, Max Breslauer, George Balzer, A
y. Van Scoy, George Becherer, James T
drought and Fred Lineman.