The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-28
BYRD LIQUOR BILL
BEFORE THE HOUSE
---------------~-----
As i Committee Delegates Con-
siidcs This Important
# Measure.
NO DECISION REACHED
Discussion to be Continued at Even
ing Session---Alueh Inter-
est in Bill.

TIE House Of Delegates spent tho
last half OF the morning session Mon
day in the discussion OF the Byrd
liquor bill. Each clause Is being taken
up separately and disposed OF, AT
: thu nd tournament at-4..-efs- e,HiiiisYf -estS
sessions of the bin had been acted
upon. and it is not probable that a
anal vote wifi lie taken on the matter
until Tuesday morning.
This b.II VIII materially effect the
revenues OF the State, and was call
ed up fer continuing order on a mo-
tlcn made Saturday by Colonel Bow
man.
BY unanimous vote, the constitu-
tionai reading of the bin was dis
pensed with.
Mr.. Byrn moved that the House go
Into a committee OF the whale, with
Judge Williams as chairman. and that
each section be taken up and adopt
ed separately.
Mr. Byrd, the patron OF the bin,
gave 7afgful GXpTanatTon and history
81 the bill, and declared that it was
not radical change from the pres
emit law He said that certain amend
naents had been added 10 the original
bill to prohibit the sale of near-becr
which would food the State.
Mr. Byrd suggested that the sale
OF any liquors containing more than
2f-e per cent. OF alcohol be prohih-
tired, which suggestion was adopted.
Mr. Cox stated that everything
should be added 10 the bill which
would prevent the sale OF intoxicatins
1ruH0Fs WE are ieTB Tor temperance
and should al any temperance meas
5 ureS,v ha added. A great deal ol
objection was raiged II the bin b3
MIR. Cox, which MIR. Byrd stated Wes
I Tor The purpose OF hurting the bill
instead of helping. Several Interest
ing and humorous debates were in
dulged In between Mr. Cox and tht
patron of tho bill.
Drug stores May Sell.
DR.. Stephenson offered an amend
snent to u clause OF the bin which
allowed drug etores to sell liquor In
order that whisky could be sold IL
prescriptions. This amendment WA
UppoEEd OFT tfIs gruuHu ttIat II wuutr
result In turning every drug store into
baTruuUT. Mr. i. W. SrF pheNsOT
stated that he had praoticed law IN
West Virginia for twenty years and
on account OF such a law in that State
nearly every drug store in the State
was a licensed bar, selling whiskey
without license, He cited cne cHss
where one man testified before the
Z EFAIiu jury Inht &2A iaaa purchaser ANH
gallons OF whiskey within a week on
prescriptions
An effort WAS made by Mr.. Cox to
let the bars down as TO granting
licenses. II offered II amendment
nfaking 81 suwfuio ~ grant ~iiernses
within four hundred feet OF public
school or church which Ii the pres
ent Law and which the bill prohibits
This amendment was lost. however
Axtf small maj
MIR. Lion offered an amendment Il
ehe seetAonFNsfth reference Co not
issuing licenses in towns not having a
population Of Ave hundred people. Mr.
Lion would have the standard lower
ed to towns having q population OF
800. No action will be taken on the
amendment until tho afternoon ses-
zion.
Dir. Clements objected seriously 70
The passage OF this amendment and
In fact any law on prohibition He
said: Il am SIS good temperance
man as there lis on the floor and
say the churches and the legislatures
from Governor Mann down TO Speaker
byrd were acting wrongly I'm adoptins
prohibition measures"
The committee took recess unit
o'clock.