The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-19
.UNRAvEL UTAH'S
NEW LIQUOR ACT
Lawyers Will Attempt to Reach
Basis for Uniform In
depreciation.
WILL HOLD CONFERENCE
WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL
Many Points in Law Upon
Which Legal Opinions
Widely Differ.

In an effort to unravel some OF the legal
tangles OF the new liquor law meet
ing will be held today In the office Of At
torney General A, r, Barnes Of the prose-
cutting attorneys of this and other coun-
ties. There are several points in the
new liquor law upon which attorneys
have held differently and at today's
meeting they Will endeayor TO arrive at
a uniform Interpretation.
Among those who will attend this af-
ternoon,s meeting are Attorney General
A K. Barnes. Assistant Attorney Gen
eral George Buckle. l. e. Wiley, county
attorney of Salt Lake county; II. ]. Din
inny. city attorney OF Salt Lake City:
County Attorney Jacob Evans of Utah
county. City and county attorneys of
other cities and counties OF the state
have been invited TO the meeting and 1T
is probable that several OF them will at
tend.
Tho conference of these officers will be
liquor law will be discussed. This will be
with a view to obtaining If possible uni
| form Interpretation OF the law and the
pursuance of uniform policy OF enforc-
ing IL throughout the state.
City Attorney ii. j. Dininny OF Salt
| Lake and some of the other attorneys
take the position that the new law in
its entirety is now in effect and that all
laws and ordinances heretofore existing
governing the regulation and licensing
OF the liquor traffic are repealed and that
at once to conform to the new law
Is Vital Point.
| Some attorneys hold that the regulation
| features of the new law and the portion
providing for the local option election are
now in effect. but that the power Of city
regulations not In conflict with the state
law remains as it prior to the pas
sage of the new law until October l.
when all OF the features of the new law
boc0noc Is ifa1
OF variance. since 1t determines the IL
censing power in cities of the first and
second class during the apparent inter,
also determines the status of towns and
| cities now dry.
II the Interpretation OF Mr., Dninny
| Is now with the district courts and places
| now dry Smust necessarily be wet until
| October /, when the result of the cleo
| tion will become operative. II the as
| sumption OF some OF the others is taken.
| the city councils in cities of the first and
second class may continue TO Issue liquor
until October /, when this power Will be
| transferred. If this Interpretation is
| taken. the city ordinances making cer-
tain cities and towns of the state dry
| are still in effect and will continue i'll
effect until October 1. when. in case the
| city or town votes wet the city conn
ell or town board will be obliged to pass
| IN ordinance providing for the licensing
and regulation OF the liquor traffic in
conformity to the new state law.
To Discuss Validity.
| Also the attorneys at the meeting to-
| day Will discuss portions OF the law which
are held by some lawyers TO be uncon-
| sttutlonal No test cases under the new
law have yet been made and 1t is likely
that none will find its way into the
courts until after the coming liquor cleo
| tion. The saloon men have shown Il
disposition to conform as nearly as possi-
| BILE to the regulations imposed by the
new law and the city and county officers
| have been disposed to show considerable
| lenity TO the saloon men in allowing
| them ample time in which to so change
| their premises to conform to the con-
struction placed upon the law by the Of
| llcors.
Attorney General Barnes said yesterday
| that there would be nothing official in
the meeting OF the officers at his offico
today. He said that the law was Il COM
prehensIve one and that there were sew
eral points which the attorneys wished
TO discuss in order to exchange Views and
IL possible arrive at some uniform meth
od OF enforcing its provisions.