The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1917-03-03
REGULATION OR DIFFERENTIATION ,

Senator Kedde's bill providing for state regulation
of the liquor traffic as against local regulation was report
ed adversely by the committee on education and public
morals of the senate and was later laid upon the table,
where it awaits further action by that body If it should see
fit to take it up.
The measure is embodied in senate bill number 80, and
an examination of its provisions leads to the conclusion
that its author has been studying the laws of Kansas on
one hand and the laws of Pennsylvania on the other,
Out of the fortv-eight states there are only two left
having neither statewide prohibition nor some torn OF 10
cal option. These states are PENNSYLVANIA, which many
years ago adopted a form of regulation that has regulated,
and Nevada, which has been without regulation and has
treated the subject almost solely from a standpoint OF
revenue.
In PENNSYLVANIA the issuance of a license is under
control of the courts and the Judges III that state are
chosen for a term of ten years. Licenses are limited IN
number, and the laws were SO framed as to make it to the
interest of the licensee to observe them. The license is
transferable and in many instances it has become a highly
valuable asset, which disregard of the law would impair
if it did not destroy. Consequently the sale OF liquor to
minors and to those already intoxicated or to habitual
~drunkards, or out of legal hours involves a risk that the
licensee can not afford.
In Kansas it was found that local peace officers were
too frequently chosen and controlled by those who were
disposed to violate the law, and authority was given to
officials of the state to correct this.
The bill of Senator Keddie provides for control of the
liquor traffic through a board of five excise men to be ap-
pointed by the governor, the attorney general and the sec
rotary of state. 1t contemplates an eventual reduction of
the number of licenses in force, the number not to exceed
one for every 500 inhabitants, and gives the excise board
authority to refuse or to revoke any license without any
reason whatsoever other than consideration for the public
welfare.
The bill is an apparent attempt to take the matter OF
license regulation entirely out of the hands of local author
tiles and place it in the hands of those who would be en-
tirelv independent of any local influence or antagonism.
Those who have observed the trend of affairs have
reached the conclusion that the retail liquor traffic will
either be regulated or eXterminated. More than half the
states have statewide prohibition in force or on the stat
ute books to become effective at an early date. All but
two of the others have local option in some torn. -Four
local option states voted dry last November, including
Michigan, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota. 9th
ers went from statutory to constitutional prohibition.
Since November at least four additional states have been
transferred to the dry column by Legislative enactment,
while others, including the pOpulous state OF Illinois, are
submitting the question to the people.
In the meantime congress has already voted Alaska
"bone" dry, has indicated its intentions concerning the
District of Columbia, and the only thing that will prevent
the submission Of an amendment to the federal constltu-
ton next week is the rush of other business IN the closing
days of the session. Its action yesterday, the house con
firming a senate amendment prohibiting shipment into
dry states, was the most drastic of all. The vote was $40
to u, or more than 4 to I. Arkansas, Arizona, Montana,
Oregon, Tennessee and Washington have bone dry laws
already effective, or soon to become effective, Similar
measures are pending in Colorado, Iowa, Mississippi,
South Carolina, North Carolina and Michigan. This
action by congress will cover, by its blanket provisions,
what the dry states have been doing by individual enact
ments since the Webb Kenyon decision three months ago.
What Nevada might do under regulation when she
comes to vote next year is a problem; what she will do in
the absence of regulation is no longer open to doubt. E
bilitv of potatoes at four dollars a bushel, protests 4 con-
trib,,tor to the indianapolis News. Outrageous! Still,