Norwich bulletin., 1915-04-29
Liquor License
 Will Cost S75O
SENATE CoNCURS WITH ACTION
 OF THE HOUSE.
FINAL VOTE 1s TO 16
Majority Report of Excise Committee Favored $500 Fee, but the Minority Report Was Accepted-LobbyW Work ed for Disagreement.

ed for Disagreement.
 Hartford, Conn, April 2S.-The gen. eral assembly today began to speed up it's work under influence of a reso- lution adopted in both branches for final adjournment on May IS instead of under constitutional limitation on June g.
 Day Full of Excitement.
 The most interesting incident of the legislative day, which was full of ex- citement, was the adoption by the sen ate of the bill increasing liquor H- censes 66 2-3 per cent. in the same form in which it was received from the house. Attempts to amend the bill failed, one such amendment offered by Senator Futile being ruled out as not germane to the bill itself. The debate on the bill came in the afternoon and the audience was a large one, made up of many house members and a delega- tion of liquor dealers.
 Lobby Worked for Disagreement.
 The action of the senate had become a matter of concern to many, owing to reports that the So-called lobby had been active in trying to bring about means to reach this end. This lobby activity was scored by Senator Hewitt in a speech supporting the amendment to the majority report on the bill, which amendment was the substitu- tion of figures in the minority report for those given in the majority report. The minority report was for the twO- thirds increase as against the one third increase favored by the majority of the excise committee with acqui- essence of the liquor interests. Hewitt Favored $75o. In opening debate Senator Hewitt said that he was for the higher figures for license in spite of the lobby. He thought the latter was too active in pulling senators from their seats and buttonholin~ them at every turn to get them to change their position on the | liquor fee" He believed the liquor | interests could afford to pay more rev. enue and while they are to be com mended for assenting to a raise to $600 1 for license that should not be bar | to a further raise. Senator Hewitt favored the $750 figure because it would increase the states revenue and aid the towns and counties The ma l jority report would not bring such l results.
 1 High License Condemned by Barnes. | Senator Barnes said that he had taken a great deal of pleasure in fol- l lowing the lead of Senator Hewitt, but today he differed with him. He said he recalled back in 1909 when the leg islature lodged the issue of high li- cense and limitation. Again it dodges l the issue. The question before the | excise committee was not one of rais- 1 ing revenue for the state at the eX- pense of the rum sellers, but ques- | ton of high license and limitation. | Until we can abolish the selling of li- quor the only way to control it is by | law" he said. "Is it fair to take an underhand method to put them out of | business? Do it like our sister states 1 Rhode Island and Massachusetts. They | do it in a fair way. They do not do lit as we would do by saying to the liquor dealers-you pay us $50 if you want to stay in business. How you | get it we do not care"
 To Eradicate Vile Saloons.
 Senator Futile made a long speech on the evils of the liquor traffic and l said that what was wanted was a, law to eradicate the low and vile saloon. He said that this class of saloons was owned by the brewer and if the brewer can afford to pay $500 for a license
 the senator believed the brewer could
 afford to pay s750. Senator Futile later voted against the bill.
 Majority Report Called for $500 Fee
 Senator Pierson, chairman of the ex- else committee said that the majority | of the committee. It was their pur- pose to increase the revenue for the state and they did not wish to impose hardship upon anybody so they placed the fee at $500. Such increase, he said would go wholly to the state, increas- ing the revenue about $300,0 | Whiton Favored Amendment.
 Senator Whiton spoke for tho amendment. He said that the speaker of fho hO11Sa had hean nnOfpd 9S SaV- ing that a measure having been once
 reconsidered could not again be en-
 tertained. He disagreed with this
 prospective ruling.
 Defended Liquor Dealers.
 Senator Heineman was for the $60( fee and he defended the liquor dealers against the charge that all were
 ''black'' in their character. He sait
 the most of them are honorable bus. mess me men. The one-third increase h,
 claimed was a fair increase, while the
 higher one twas unjust.
 Senator Purcell accused Senator Hewitt of lack of consistency becaust
 the latter earlier had fought for a clul license bill under which clubs paying a small fee would sell liquor to theil
 members. Senator Barnes also crit l icized Senator Hewitt along the sam'
 lines.
 After further debate a vote on tn, amendment was taken on roll call ol
 motion of Senator Bishop. The amend
 ment was adopted. Is to IT. Those fo
 were:
 Alcorn, Whitney. Isbell, Bree. Evarts
 whiton, Hewitt, Bartlett, Comley. Jr Salmon, Bishop, Mead, Tatem Thomp son, Wadhams, Alvord and Magee Those against: Cheney, Molloy, Pur cell King, Pierson, Klett, Grady, Tut ] tie. Heineman, Peasely, Hurley, Tyler Barnes, O'Connell. Lyman Lewis ant
 The vote on the bill as amended wa
 by roll call
 Passage 19 to 16. li Senator Klett at first voted for tn , | bil .lbut corrected his vote, but Sen ator Grady voted @yes," making fina , passage 19 to 16. The senate refuse' l l to consider completing the joint ac t ton.
 (Other legislative proceedings ar
 printed on Dage eight.)