The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-25

visions against graft on the part of the members of the commission. AplIcants Must Be Bonded The provisions against the violation of the law by liquor dealers are ex- ceedingly strenuous. Each applicant
 must have a number of citizens to vouch for his good character. Licenses
 shall be bonded by bonding companies doing business in the state In the sum of $4S00. or twice the sum to be paid for ther.issuance of retail licenses On the first conviction for the vio- lation of any provisions of the bill the license of the licensee shall be sus- pended for a period of SO days. If dur Ing the time of suspension the licensee
 shall retail liquor he shal, on conv1c- tion. be sentenced to hard labor for the county for a period of from one to six months. On second conviction for tho violation of any of the provisions of the bill the license of the licensee shall be revoked From the decision Of the excise commission there shall be no ap- peal
 To Prevent "Dives" further provision of the bill Is di- rected at the so-called "dives,' and de- clares that no man or firm shall op- crate a business under the name of an- other individual or firm
 There are the usual provisions against the sac of intoxicating liquors to minors. to habtual drunkards and to persons of unsound minds In case either of these provisions Is violated the mother or father of minors' the husband or wife of habitual drunkards or the closest relatives of persons or unsound minds can recover from the bonding companies in the sum of $1O0 for damages.
 On complaint of one qualified voter as to the bad character of a licensee or as | to alleged violations of the provisions or l the bill on the part of licensee. the ex- | else commission will be compelled to hoid | an investigation, empowered to summons witnesses, and to render a decision. From
 the verdict there shall be no appeal. Other Important Provisions | Other provisions of the bill are that no license 10 do a liuuor business shall be l issued to a woman or to minor, ana that no credit shall be extended to those purchasing drinks in quantities Of less than one quart. In case such credit IS extended the debt cannot be recovered m | any court of the state.
 | It is provided that if it is determined | bv the supreme court that any section | of the bill Is unconstitutional, such de- | claration shall not affect any other sec ton or sections of the bill.
 1 If the applicant for a retail license | has borrowed money for the purchase o1 l liquors or for fixtures, he shall so state Tn | his application. Each excise commission | is authorized to employ chief clerk at salary half that of the chairman of the commission employing such clerk. To PrecIpitnte Fight l The bill consists of 2S pages and 50 sec tIons. It was drawn by prominent mem bers of both houses and the effort to en- act 1t into law will be a strenuous one. | It will have the earnest opposition or the prohibitionists of both houses, and 1t | is the very measure which Brooks Law
 renee has been preparing to fight. If Is expected, too, that it will have | inc opposition of the determined dispen- sary advocates. It will be resisted, too. It l is thought, by the representatives Of the counties containing cities of less than l0,- | O00 people who are earnest in their effort | to gain relief from the oppression of the
 nresent system of statewide pro hibition. l Where Lies It's Strength l On the other hand. iC will have the sup
 mort of the temperance committee of
 inc house. of the speaker of the house, of
 some of tha strongest members of the lbouse. and the moral support of Governor O,Neal. It will not be opposed, further
 more, by some of the representatives or
 counties containing smaller cities, who are
 aware that by local legislation they can obtain what they want. And many Of the dispensary advocates will nov oppose It's l pa ssa ge because of he fact that 1t con
 cerns only cities of 10000 and more pop
 ulation.
 l But the bomb has been tossed and the
 battle for local option as against state wide prohibition is on.