The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-09-13
Applications for License to
Sell Liquors Not Yet Sat-
isfactorily Concluded.
BOARD SUSTAINS
COUNTY ATTORNEY.
Adopt Resolution That Peti-
tions Must Contain 25T1
of Qualified Voters. 4

After the entire morning lad baen
consumed in hearing arguments by
counsel for the liquor dealers who
sought permits to conduct their bust
ness, and for the remonstrants who
objected to. issuing the permits ON
the grounds that the law had not
been complied with, the board Of
county commissioners yesterday aft
ernoon decided that the petitions
must contain twenty per cent of the
Qualified" voters, in each precinct
The decision was reached in a mo-
ton offered by Commissioner Candy
and seconded by Commissioner
McCurdy, which read as follows:
"On motion by Mr.. Candy, Sec
onded by Mr. McCurdy it was re-
solved by the board that in consider
ing the eligibility of persons signing
the petitions of Jake Lipps, Chris
Thiesen, Alfred Moog, and Baxter and
Schoettlin, for permits to sell wines,
liquor, and beer, as now presented
before the board, the board will con-
slider only the names of such persons
signing such petitions who, by the
payment of poll tax as required by
law, or who being exempt from the
payment of poll tax, were qualined TO
vote at the last general election"
Only three members were present,
and Chairman j. George White, as
Commissioner Soderlind had with
drawn owing to his connection with
the circulation of the petitions. Com
missioner Hardy voted against the
motion, having stated at the morn
ing session that he did not believe
that the law had been complied with,
as in his opinion 20 per cent of ths
registered" voters should sign the
petitions in each precinct.
AS soon as the motion was adopted.
the board proceeded to the considera-
ton of the petitions, and spent the
remainder of the afternoon in check
ing the names. No final action was
taken in any case, as there is yet
much work to be done, and the board
will meet again this morning at $50
to continue the work
When the meeting opened yester-
day morning arguments were made
on the proposition by John S. Beard
and Scott M. Loftin, representing thu
petitioners and Judge Francis B.
Carter. representing the remon-
strants. H. J. Mackey was associated
with Judge Carter in opposition, to
the issuance of the permits. After
the other attorneys had closed, the
board called upon County Attorney
r. Pope Reese for an opinion, which
he delivered, coinciding with his state
ment of the day previous, that in his
opinion the two terms, registered"
and qualified" are synonomous.
In his first speech, Mr.. Beard pre-
sented an elaborate argument to
show the fine distinction between a
registered voter, and qualified vot-
er, claiming that the latter only was
qualified to exercise the right of suf-
frage on. public question as he had
complied with the requirements OF
the law.
AS far as voicing an opinion in a
question which concerns the entire
community, the vote in an election.
and the signing of petition are
closely related, the speaker contended
and said that obviously a man who
could not express an opinion in one,
can not be supposed to do so In the
other.
Judge Carter elaborated on the
presented Tuesday, con-
tending that the petitions should con-
tain a majority of the registered
voters of each precinct, and not quail
fed voters. He cited the constitution
to show that the term registered
voter" is used in all reference TO the
elections, and in the provisions for
calling wet and dry elections.
He said that if the qualifications
for voting should be taken as show
ing the eligibility of man for sign
ing the petitions, that there is not
a man in the county at the present
time able to fulfill the requirements.
His contention was that if that con-
struction were placed on'the law. the
board would read into the law an
which was not there.
At the conclusion of his argument,
Judge Carter said that the question
before the board was not a COM
plicated legal proposition. but a very
simple matter. Before going further
in the cases, he asked the board to
pass upon the question which had
been raised in the arguments
Before the matter was finally taken