Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-26
NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT
OF PROGRESS MADE
Little of Interest Connected With Work in the Fourteen
States Where Lawmakers Held Sessions During Past
Iear-Prepaledness Is New Phase of Legislation.

of beer or one gallon OF wine to any
| indiv idual in the State within any thir-
ty-day period aud n third law TO pro-
hibit liquor advertising, all OF which
took effect in May. this year. Florida
passed II package law which resulted
in tho ordinary saloons being closed,
as it prohibits the sale of liquor cN-
ccpt in unbrollcn packages containing
not less than half n pint and the drink
ing of liquor Oh premises where sold.
The Florida Legislature, however, de-
featcd bin for a constitutional amend
ment providing Statewide prohibition.
South Carolina, which had abolished
its dispensary. passed Il bill making it
unlawful to ship more than two quarts
of liquor or sixty pints of beer to any
individual within any calendar month.
The Governor would not sign the bill.
but did put his signature TO the one
providing prison sentences for selling
liquor
The mississippi Legislature also pass
ed bills 10 limit liquor shipments. set
ting the limit at one quart Of liquor
or twentyfour pints of beer every two
weeks to any person in the State. \
test of this law is now being made in
the courts mississippi also passed n
law prohibiting liquor advertising in
any form. lii massachusetts, the proh!-
btion forces were successful in hay
ing passed Il law prohibiting the
transportation of liquor from licensed
community TO a no-iicensed community,
an act for which they have worked FOR
n remarkable fight over two bills pro-
n t1 r. do.
ton. one in the Senate failing to Gain
the necessary three-fifths majority.
while the House bill died in the coln-
mittee. Some new restrictions on Ken
lucky saloons, however. were provided
by the passage of the so-callcd Hutch
craft law, resulting virtually In ahol
ishing Sunday liquor selling and clos
ing tight on certain other prescribed
days and hours. Maryland passed n
local option law for al, the wet terri
tory in the State to he voted upon by
the units affected next November. Thi"
law will bring the issue before the
people in Baltimore. Annapolis. Alle
Chen" County, and n number of other
places Virginia passed a bill putting
into effect methods Of enforcement of
the prohibitory law. passed in 1914,
of next November.
REFORM or PRISON AND
CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS
The reform OF prison and charitable
institutions was another item of pro-
gressive legislation in 4 few states
notably in New York. Tho way was
paved for the practical abolition of the
Anticipated and unsanltary Sing SING
prison and the cell block system of
prison construction. and the building
Of n now s2no0.0o prison along modern
lines. remodeling Sing Sing for use
merely as n receiving and distributing
center. The New York Legislature also
adopted q plaB under which long-tcrm
prisoners by faithful performance OF
their work and good bcha vior may earn
n communication amounting TO one fourth
OF their minimum sentences Virginia
took it's first step toward aholishing
convict labor by repeating an act which
permitted contracts to be made for the
employment OF prisoners. y law was
also passed increasing the good be-
havior~ allowance Of prisoners. An
other, new Virginia law provides for
the Segregation Of the feeble minded.
New Jersey revised it's law concern
ing the commitment of the insane and
the management of hospitals Tor tho
insane. a State colony for the care OF
feeble minded is also to he estab-
ished. still another New Jersey meas
urc calls for the destruction OF rec
ords Of conviction OF Juvenile offenders
after certain time Oklahoma passed
law providing for the employment
Of convicts on public roads.
Among numerous other accomplish
ncnts OF various Legislatures, not lend
ing themselves to group of CLASH
hcation. there are many Of interest The
virginia Legislature passed an "oustcr'
law providing for the removal from Of
nee OF any State. county or municipal
official who fails to enforce all State
laws. The law. which became effective
on June IS. already has brought about
n strict enforcement OF the Sunday
law. which prohibits all labor or the
sabbath. except work OF necessity or
charity Virginia also indicated it's
interest ia rural credits by providing
for commission TO report on the mat
ter. farm loan bank hill was passed
but was vetoed by the Governor, and
tho Senate would not override the
veto. Illinois made II large appro-
priation for the Board OF Live stock
commissioners 10 pay fODt-a nd-mOuth
disease losses
In New York and elsewhere further
regulation of the automobile traffic
was considered. y commission was ap-
pointed in New York 10 draft new
schedules of motor registration fees
under which commercial vehicles would
he required to pay their proportionatc
share for highway wear and tear and
tax OF $3.50 was imposed for each
motorcycle.
Virginia passed a law imposing n
direct inheritance tax, and Mississippi
a hill providing for a graduated tax on
Inheritance. New York State adopted
2 Legislative budget system for pre-
nar!nE annual appropriation bills, and
directed Ne" York City Ia adopt a
pay-as-yon-eo policy OF municipal
financing. and took preliminary steps
toward Incorporating the systems into
: 'hs Constitution by adopting pro-
posed constitutional amendments which
viii come up again for ratifcaiion hv
j tho i.l. !.crisJature