The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-10-12
a modern innovation.


But the complete answer to the pro-
position is that this requirement Is not
written In the law as prerequisite
to the courts action. and II is in
conceivable that any court will i'm
pose upon applicants conditions which
the law does not require and does not
recognize. conditions which impose
considerable delay upon this class OF
business men, together with an annual
expense mounting up into thousands
OF dollars.
In conclusion. It is respectfully sub
mitted to the prohibition commissioner
and the attorney general that they
might render some service to the pub
lie by explaining how certain obvious
difficulties In the practical admins
tration OF this stature. are to be over
come.
This statute with exception of the
part relating to the prohibition COM
missioner. goes into effect on the first
day OF November.
Difficulties Sugy ested.
On and after that date 1t will be
unlawful and punishable for drug
gst to sell certain articles and perhaps
to use certain commodities he has been
daily accustomed to selling and using.
unless he has a license from the court ;
hospital or laboratory to obtain ardent
spirits, or alcohol. without a license
from the court; and 1t will also be un-
lawful for any person. firm or corpora
ton to dispenses soft drinks without
a license from the court.
Now. none of these licenses can be
issued before the 1st of November, be-
cause the Act not being In effect until
that date the court will be without
Jurisdiction to consider the license
matter. How then are all the licenses
to be issued upon the same day in
every city, town and county OF the
State?
The law seems TO provide that IL
censes can be obtained only during
the term OF court. and there are fifty
seven counties In the State which have
no term OF court during the month
of November. and some of them no
term for two or three months there
after.
What is TO become OF these lines
Of business from 81st OF October to
the next term Of court? This seems to
be a legislative connection of fifty
tunity of getting the license does not
come until after the penalty accrues
for going on without It!
A similar state of affairs win be OBJ
tain in some OF the cities as to their
Corporation Courts.
Other Questions Raised.
Must the apothecary cease COM
pounding prescriptions calling for al
cohol. and the hospital and laboratory
stop the use OF ardent spirits, and the
soda fountain man put a quietus upon
the sizzle and fz of his attractive out
At until his thirty days notice and his
o1x
PRED, and then some more. until the
slow moving court comes along7 II
there is any alternative. what is it7
Then too, after all the existing deal
ers are duly provided with licenses,
supposing new drug store, a new hos
pttal or laboratory. or a fresh pop bot
tie enterprise should geek to open bust
ness in a county. are the wheels Of
business to be scotched for say two or
three months. awaiting notice. adver-
usement and court IN regular course.
or la there any way of speeding up the
wheels?
The question also arises, what are
the rights of a person who purchases
a business licensed under this statute;
does the purchaser proceed under the
privilege of the license issued to his
vendor, or must he go through the
same tedious formalities7
These problems are not presented
here in any spirit Of captious criticism
OF the law as 1t Is. but with the pur-
pose Of engaging the Offices OF the
attorney general, the prohibition COM
missioner. and the States Legal De-
partment' in an effort to elucidate and
clarity the situation on behalf of big
business and the general public.
Respectfully,
! SINGLETON DIGCs
Lynchburg, Va. Oct. 10, 1918.