The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-03-04


amendment to prevent beer
dealers from selling whisky
by making the beer dealers
bond liable to civil suits for
damages by licensed whisky dealers
in the area in which the bootleg
ging takes place.
One of the chief amendments
scheduled to be made in the Senate
is one governing the sale of pack
age whisky. AS the House bill now
stands, liquor dealer permits could
be issued to ANY merchant who
has maintained bona fide business
continuous for the last five years"
Seek Cut in Prices
Such a broad definition of mer-
chant, it is pointed out, would per-
nit almost any type of business to
qualify as a whisky dealer. The
contemplated changes will place the
sale in drug stores, bona f1de gro-
ceries and department stores.
Department store sales, it is be-
| lieved, will do a great deal towi ID
bringing prices down to the levels
in other states, such as Illinois, for
| instance, where department stores
and large grocery concerns sell at
| far cheaper prices the same brands
of whisky sold in Indiana.
Payment provisions for the local
licensing boards also may be COR
rected to eliminate what is termed
an ambiguity in relation to the 81
fee for board members.
IS the bill now stands, local board
members receive $40 month salary.
plus 50 fee for each application
over 40 which they investigate. In
tent of the provision is said tc be So
a year for each license over 40.
However, attorneys say the word
ing of the provision would enable
the board member to collect So a.
month, or $24 a year, on each license
application he collects, in addition
to his $40 month salary.
The Senate, assembling at II,
passed a batch of bills previously
approved by the lower house.
The most important of these was
the administration measure rewrit-
ing the state securities law by
bringing all security dealers under
strict state supervision.
Rail Bill to Governor
Another bill approved and sent to
the Governor, requires additional
warning signals at extra hazardous
railroad crossings.
The fee provision was put in the
liquor control b., to equalize differ
ence in the amount of work the
board members would do in small
counties and the amount they would
have to do in the populous counties
like Marion, Lake, Allen and others
where there necessarily would be q
large number Of applications to in
veStigate.
However, it is pointed out that if
a board member we're able to collect
$24 a year instead of the contem-
plated 50, board appointments in the
big counties would be rich political
plums.
A slight amendment in the word
ing can correct the ambiguity, if one
exists, as claimed by several at
torneys.
Ready to Act Today
Meanwhile, the Senate was pre-
pared to act this afternoon on the
controversial State Police bill after
the reaching Of . compromise
agreement between three admins
tration Senators and three favoring
the contentious of Al G. Feeney,
state safety director.
Prospects for a second floor fight
on the bill dimmed when the COM
mittee agreed to keep IN the bill the
four-man bipartisan board, as
sought by the administration fac
ton, but left with the Superinten-
dent complete control of the police
department personnel. This was
done in compliance to the anti-ad-
ministration Senators contention
that sole control by the superin-
tendent. who would be answerable
to the Governor, is the best method
Of keeping the department out Of
politics.
Majority Holds Caucus
The majority Senator'S caucused
at adjournment today to receive
the special committees report. The
procedure after consideration Of the
report was scheduled to be calling
the bill back from the committee
where it was sent with instructions
to eliminate the board
Then it is scheduled to be amend
ed on the floor to include the spe-
cial committees agreement.
This agreement confined the boa1
authority to supervision OF
chases, equipment and appes
dismissed officers. Dismissal
be the prerogative of the S
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