The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-03

above named purposes. and 1t pro-
vided in the bill for the sale by drug
gists to whom the court should grant
license. 1t is left entirely discretion
airy with the court, and every appli-
cation for license can be opposed by
the people OF any community. and
the Judge must be satisfied that the
granting of license will be in accord
ance with a sound business policy.
and not contrary to the moral and
material iatsrests- the-eefsaHtaaity.
If the court grants license, then the
sale is safeguarded by very stringent
restrictions. and violation OF the law
brings penalties OF such severe ma
ture that the druggist is not likely to
run the risk of violating the law.
The granting OF license by the court
is further restricted by the right OF
the people to prevent 1t absolutely by
a petition of the majority of the quail
flied voters: the right is further re-
stricted in towns and cities by au-
thority given to town and city roun-
ellis to provide by ordinance against
the sale OF ardent spirits by drug
stores. Finally the representatives of
cities and counties In the General As
sembly can ask that their cities and
counties be exempted from the drug
store provision.
It does not seem that II the pledge
to the people to allow the sale for
mechanical. pharmaceutical. medici-
nal and sacramental purposes u not
to be entirely ignored, that the Mapp
bin has done everything possible to
give an opportunity for local senti-
ment to protect itself. The proposal
made by Mr., Parker to exempt en-
tirely from the provisions of the drug
ctr a ~ UT FRY A,aT Ia. ali Ettt ~u
counties, towns or districts which are
at this time dry takes 1t for granted
that the communities which are al
ready dry" do not want ardent spir-
its for mechanical, pharmaceutical,
medicinal and sacramental purposes,
but the speeches before the Senate
committee and on the Senate Moor
do not support Mr. Parker's position,
and the fact that when the time came
to exempt from the provisions of the
drug store section. only one Senator
exempted all of his district, and one
Senator. one county of his district,
showed that the representatives OF
the people in the Senate did not
think that their communities, al
though already dry" desired to be
exempt from the drug store plan.
Again concerning the liquor ship
ment provision. towns and cities can
prohibit shipment entirely II they so
desire. and country districts can do
likewise by vote of the people. II
was not thought wise to prohibit the
shipment of ardent spirits into any
territory for mechanical, pharma-
ceutical, medicinal and 1acrAmentai
purposes, for that would have b, n
strongly resisted as an interference
with legitimate and necessary uses
OF alcohol. To those who followed
the course OF the hearing, Il was a
genuine surprise to find out to what
extent alcohol Is used for mechanical.
scientific and pharmaceutical pur-
poses. So the Senate committee re-
commended the vote on the question
to be "for beverage purposes'
IT is frankly admitted by every
body that there are possible evasions
of some provisions OF every law. but
The virginian believes that the Mapp
bill in It's present form Is, to quote
from an editorial Of the March issue
of the DanvilIe Methodist. zone of
the strongest measures ever enacted
by any State Legislature for the en-
forcement of the prohibition OF the
sale and manufacture Of alces -iic IL
quors. Editor Virginian.)