The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-23

This list represents a days labor on
the part of what somebody called yes
terday the House Committee on "Coun-
ties. Cities and Liquor Legislation"
Bills on this subject were set for hear
along this line. The debate was at all
times interesting and occasionally
warm. The committee met both lin
the morning and afternoon.
Mr.. Keyser got the floor first With
his bill. II Is to allow druggists to
take out license, without charge other
than their regular pharmaceutical IL
cense. TO sell liquor on prescriptions
of physicians. Mr. keyser said that
many drug stores are now forced to
sell liquor. to alleviate the suffertnss
of hunia nifty in dry towns. and he
would make such sales legal and safe
guard them. He thought his bill far
superior along this line to the
Strode. Meyers bill. which. in his opin-
ion. would eliminate the sale of three
fourths of all the patent medicines
manufactured.
Dr. Cnnnon's SuEsestions.
The patron yielded the floor. taking
it again IN the afternoon. DR.. James
Cannon. Jr.. spoke On the measure, and.
perhaps contrary to the expectation of
tho members OF the committee, did not
directly oppose 1t. He said no doubt
hardships occur in dry towns where
liquor is needed for medicinal pur-
poses. Some physicians he said, still
prescribe whiskcy and brandy in cases
of illness. and when this was done In
his school he would not take the re-
sponsioi!ity OF forbidding its use with
another mans child. He did not doubt
that some sections Of the State wanted
this bill.
But, he argued. It ought to nc care
fully safeGuarded. He offered amend
ments which would require the physi-
the patient before giving the prescrip-
tion. Furthor. he would allow conf
plant OF law violation to be heard by
the courts. as ander the Ryri law.
with revocation OF license If the case
were proved. No objection was made
to this by Mr.. Keyser, who said he did
not care how rigid the law was made,
DR.. Cannon opposed charsing the
druggist any license. He said such a
course would put the drug store on the
same level with the saloon. 1t should
be passed a drugEi-ts' hill or not at
ALL If question Of revenue We're put
in. the implication would be tnat the
| Legislature was establishing q new
kind of barroom.
The committee favorably reported
this bill with the Cannon amendments
Anent DlS;,cnSncies.
| The South Rpston and Houston dis
! pensary bills. which have passed the
Senate. came next to the front. Mr.
| Isdmonds. of Houston, was the first
speaker. lie contenned that cond:'
t!ops hay;. area'Iv improved in his
town under the dry regime. He did
not think the people wanted the strif;
| which would result from a Campaign
of this sort. He was of the opinion
| that 1t was almost impossible to con.
| troll labor when the saloons We're do.
| ing business, and he knew people who
| said they would sell their farms If The
dispensary came.
DIR. Melville came next He has ht
said, practiced medicine in Houston
since September l. 1865. The petition
against the dispensarv in Houston, HI
! said, had majority over that asking
for such an election. But he urged, il
| a vote We're granted. the whole district
! should participate.
The Byrd law was good enough fol
I Mr., Easley, OF South Boston. HI
talked largely along religious linN
referring to the code of laws enunci-
ated on Mount Sinai, and called dis,
pensary a compromise with hell. He
! didn't want a Gispensdry because nc
was afraid the town would never gel
rid of it.
They had people in south Boston
who loved a dollar better than any
thing else, excepting two dollars. His
| sales had increased 10 per cent. fol
] the last months of 1909 over the pre.
oedins, year. when the town was wet
ReplyinE-to question from a member
4 Of Che committee, Mr. lIasley said 1905
/ was the year following the. panic.
Il sef tEste; petitioners Figure. {4 eEiy19
4 AS to the petitions, 100 had. 1t wa.
i said, signed the pro-dispensary paper
ilOf these. 106 live In tho town. twt
4 outside and one doubtful. Fourier
\ Of tic lo6 We're negroes. Among thos,
|opposed to the dispensary. live,
4 INSIDE. 80 outside, ~ doubttul--a tota
i Ia letter was written by Judge ", II
Rarksdale protesting against the dla
Joseph Stnbbins, III. ono OF. the mem
i hers OF tho House from Halifax, sal,
|that the question was vGHcd nne
|upon which opinion was much divided
Il He would leave itsswith the committed
Senator EdmOndson, tho patron
|stlle bsll s, closed the debate for til
dispcnsary. lie reterred 70 one OF Iii
(COntinuedi on Sixth Pa. sreIN AZ