The Detroit times., 1912-02-24
MORE THAN ONE LIQUOR
LICENSE MAY Be GRANTED
SAME PERSON, CHASE RULES
Joint Holding Of License Also
Declared Legal by Deputy
Acknowledgement
HARD KNOCK FOR LAWSON
Opinion Is Directly Opposite To
That Furnished Committee
BY Corporation Counsel

I That the common council has pow
er to grant more than one license TO
one applicant, and that single IL
cense may be granted to two or more
persons, provided the applicants are
qualified under the law to engage iu
the business. Is the gist OF an opinion
given City Clerk Charles A. Nichols
by Deputy Acknowledgement Henry r..
Chase. The opinion came by mail
from Lansing. Saturday morning
The opinion on both points is dl.
rectly contrary TO an oral opinion
given by Corporation Counsel Lawson
TO Aid. Ellis, chairman OF the liquor
regulation committee OF the common
council few days ago. Mr.. Lawson
was positive that no saloonkeeper
could hold more than one license and
that joint licenses were strictly pro-
hibited by law.
City Clerk Nichols, as the official
who receives the applications for
liquor licenses before they are sub
mitted to the liquor regulation com
mittee, wanted to be absolutely sure
on these points, and accordingly
sought the advice OF the attorney
general with the result as stated. MIR.
Chase's letter follows:
'Mr. Charles A. Nichols,
City Clerk,
Detroit, Mich.
Dear Sir--I am in receipt OF your let
ter OF Feb. II, in which you ask wheth-
er or not there is any legal objection
under the general liquor law TO the
common council of the city OF Detroit
granting more than one license to en-
gage In business as retail liquor deal
er to one person at the same time,
where such person Is otherwise quail
fed and has made application Tor more
than one license. Also whether or not
a single license may be granted to two
or more persons TO engage In the busi-
ness as retail dealers. provided each or
the applicants is qualified under the
law to engage in business.
For reply to the first question would
say, that this department has hereto
fore ruled that there Is no objection TO
granting TO duly qualihed applicant
business as a retail liquor dealer, all
OF the licenses issued covering the
same period of time
The department. has also ruled that
single license may be granted to two or
more applicants provided all such ap-
plicants are qualified under the law 10
engage In the business
Yours respectfully,
HENRY r.. CHASE,
Deputy y-Attorney-Generai.
l.. never WAS ouiCi VI ohJ :
nv life than / was in that opinion
to the liquor regulation committee
said Mr.. Lawson when told that the
deputy encouragement disagreed
with him. Il was so sure | was right
that did not even take the trouble
10 put my opinion In writing. Inc
whole object of the law, as | read H.
is TO make the individual responsible
for his own business, which can be
done only by limiting his operation
20 a single location. Why, under
this ruling what is TO stop saloon
keeper from running hundred
places, II the council will let him! l
cant understand how the attorney
general can make such ruling.
The number of licenses granted
any one individual is entirely up 10
the councils discretion, under She
attorney-general's opinion. In no
case would the council be likely to
grant more than two or three licenses
10 one man, for, other applicants, who
would thus be shut out. would be
apt 10 raise fuss over IL.