The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-03-14
Battle Looms Over
State Liquor La,v
New Petitions Ask Second and
More Liberal Measure Go
On June Ballot
SPONSORED By LOCAL MEN
Local City Option and Other
Changes Are Specified in
Proposed Enactment

VVOpOS0o en6CImenI
A battle over q North Dakota liquor
law loomed for the primary election
In June as petitions for q second init
lated measure started circulation over
the state Wednesday.
Backed by group Of Mandan and
Bismarck businessmen, the second
measure seeks to supplant the first,
announced early In January. Both
would legali1e sale Of whiskey in the
state.
Members Of the petitioners commit
tee sponsoring the new bill are Frank
Barnes, F. L. LOOMS, B. O. Ward, w.
B. Couch, all Of Bismarck; D. H. Ham,
ilton, Eckman: Thorvold Mostad, Mi
not: John Lish, Dickinson: A. A. Boil
linger, Hazelton and J. M. Hanley, G.
+. Winters, Charles Hawley and w. J..
Goodwin. Mandan.
More liberal in its provisions, the
second measure Is claimed by the
members Of the committee to correct
many errors" In the first. The new
bill Is wider in license qualifications,
more liberal In hours and places OF
sale and provides for q definite in
come for the state schools.
It provides also for local city option
and specifies that the administration
shall be turned over to the present beer
commissioner or any office the state
legislature may designate.
Would Broaden Sale
Where the first bill provides only
drug stores may sell bottled liquor ano
hotels, clubs and restaurants Of Ger.
tain types may sell liquor by the drink
.petitionere for the latest proposed
law said. the new bill provides thai
any legitimate merchant or firm, q
resident OF North Dakota and operat.
ing within the municipal limits ma,
sell liquors. This, the petitioners said
would eliminate the monopoly" sci
up In the first proposed measure.
The first measure provides for a
combination off and on-sale license
Of $500 for each place selling liquor
while the second provides q state IL
cense fee OF $50 and municipal TAI
between 500 and $500 to be set by the
individual municipality. It also pro-
vtdes . state tax Of 10 cents per wine
gallon ON all vinous liquors and q state
tax Of 20 cents per gallon on spirits
and Ill other liquors containing more
than SIS per cent alcohol. A $500 fee
Il eat f<>ss 1{Naacae
The new law would prohibit sale Of
whiskey any place except within the
business district Of each city, the
district to be determined by the city
itself. The first measure sets up ar
II o'clock closing hour and the second
leaves the closing time to the city OF
municipality to set up by ordinance.
Pay enforcement Costs
All funds gained from taxes, state
license fees and the state wholesale
license fee Of $500 goes into q state
liquor revenue fund from which ex-
penses Of enforcement are drawn.
The first measure sets up an entire
~ new enforcement agency and COM
missioner with IL employees while the
new measure provides for enforcement
Of the whiskey law under the beef
commissioner or whatever the legisla-
ture decides. This, the petitioners
committee declared, saves the state the
expense Of two enforcement agencies
since It eliminates provisions Of the
first measure which sets up . whiskey
Commissioners ct . salary Of s. 800 an.
nually, . secretary and five inspectors
ct 1850 annually and 5 office EN-.
ployes 1t 81 400 annually.
Under the local option provision Of
the second measure, any city may pro-
hibit sale Of whiskey within its limits
through Z clause which provides that
petitions signed by . majority Of the
voters prohibit sale.
- Per Cent Schools
The new measure also provides that
50 per cent Of all income from whiskey
wines and the new SIS per cent beef
sold within the state shall 60 to q state
school fund. The liquor revenue fund
which receives al revenue from sale
Of licenses and from the taxes. viii
~ 04v4000 C4010y 0OtWSSA Vac OC4SOOae
and the state.
The oritinal measure provides that
al surplus funds 50 to schools after Z
standing fund Of 5000 and ali ex-
penses Of the commissioners office
are deducted.
The new bill prohibits bootleg liquol
and sale to Indians. minors and in
competents and also provides for dis
tiller1es and manufacturing within the
state without license other than 4
Wholesale permit, and requires that
80 Per cent Of the grains and supplies
for state distilleries Be North Dakots
raised.
The first measure provides for sale
Of sacramental wines from drug stores
In package lots while the new bill
allows importation without license
charge, provided It Is used exclusively
for sacramental purposes.
The new hill leGalises beer contain.
Ing up 10 S. per cent alcohol BY weight
without Interfering With the present
81 brand, sponsors said. Drinking
while driving automobiles also = pro
limited under the new measure.