The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-23
ADVERSE REPORT
ON STROBE BILL
Senate Committee Against
Passage of Measure, Eight
to Three.
NOW WAGE FIGHT
IN BOTH BRANCHES
Temperance Forces Will Insist
That People be Permitted
to Many Liquor
Bills Up.
Temperance Forces Will Insist

BY vote of to 3, the Senate
committee on privileges and cleo
tons, to which the Strobe Statewide
BIN was referred FOR Consideration
Wednesday. decided to report the
measure adversely.
Similar action was taken by the
House committee on privileges and
elections on Monday.
This does not mean that the ques-
ton OF allowing the people TO vote
on continuing to license the sale Of
liquor Will not continue to be the
burning issue until the lal9 Legis-
lature adjourns. II merely means
that the fight for and against the
measure Will shift from the commit
tee rooms to the floor of the General
Assembly.
Although reported adversely in both
houses. the bill still throbs and pull
safes with life. and has as credible
a position on the House and Senate
calendar as any other measure.
Real Fight Now Begins.
Senator STROBE. Delegate Myers. the
Anti-Saloon League and others in
terested in the bill will continue their
light until every hape-ha been dis
stpated. Senator STROBE simply smiled
when he heard of the privileges and
elections committees decision 10 re-
port adversely -----
I'm at least glad Ii is oct of the
committee reefff and wilt be given
place on the calendar" said Mr.
Strobe. THE real fight for the bill
will now begin In both houses
When the Senate committee met
Wednesday morning Senator Sale. the
chairman, entered the room with an
arintul- petitions kilograms let
tiers, notes and postal cards. contain
Ing probably 1850 or 20.o00 names
of persons who requested that the
Statewide bill be given favorable re-
port. There We're also a number of
communications from opponents of
the bill Whether the petitions and
other communications were read or
not Is not known, as the committee
went into executive session almost
Immediately after meeting. The last
thing heard before the committee
went into executive session was "a
motion To read all these communi-
cations is in order" The motion may
have been made after the committee
room door was locked
Tho Drug Store Bill
The keyser drug store bill which
WAS faVorahiy reported from the Com
rafttse on Counties Cities and Towns,
Is measure Of general interest Mr..
Keyser. Of Roanoke urged the pass
age OF the bill on the ground that II
WAS absolutely necessary to make
some provision to furnish alcohol for
medicinal purposes in dry towns
Druggists and doctors were compelled
to order liquor continually from liquor
dealers in wet" cities to meet the
necessities OF the people. He urged
the passage of the bill without any
special license tax. SO that IL could be
handled by reputable druggists
DIR. Cannon said that he recognized
the fact that there was demand In
some sections for some measure by
which alcohol could he secured for
medicinal purposes. He stated that
he would not have taken the respon-
sibility of introducing the bill. but
that as tho bill WAS before the COM
m'ttee he would not oppose the pass
age of a measure that WAS properly,
safegnarted against abuse The bill,
provides that the permit can be grant
ed only to licensed pharmacists OF
good moral character, who must post
notice of his intention TO apply for
said permit. The court play, in its
discretion. grant said application and
any citizen may appear in opposition
tn inc same. rs is at present provided
Ina the law for granting liquor IL
eense.
DIR. Cannon insisted that this per-
init should not be granted contrary
to the wishes OF the people. and offer
ed the following amendment to the
bill:
And If the court shalt be satisfied
that majority of the citizens in the
district. town or city or county in
which said pharmacy is located are
opposed to the granting OF such IT.
cense. or that IL is.contrary to a sound
public policy. or that II will be tietri-
mental to the moral or material in
terests of the community, then the
court shah refuse to grant said IL
cense. Any. such license may, upon
complaint. be revoked by the court
granting the same. or by the judge in
vacation. after ten days notice TO the
holder thereof"
This amendment will give tn the
people In each community control
over the granting of license. and
should a drug store become nui-
sance the judge can revoke the per-
NIT at once.
DIR. Cannon also insisted that the
law should require the physician to
make q personal physical examina-
ton of the patient before giving the
prescription. He agreed with Mr..
Keyser as to the license feature. He
thought the bill should not lay
heavy license tax and thus indicate
that the committee expected the drug
store to become har-room. but that
the bill should clearly indicate that Its
purpose was simply to provide a
method of providing alcohol as a
medicine.
The amendments offered by Dir.
Cannon were accepted by the patron
Of the bill. who declared that he was
himself registered druggist and
would welcome any further amend
ments to safeguard the bill. The COM
m!ttee reported Its bill favorahiy
County init.
The County Unit Hill offered by Mr.,
sdrsar was. then taissasis.tsp nnsi f,r.
Cannon represented the Antf-Sa loon
League In advocacy OF the measure.
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