Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-11-16
State Control, But With
Revenue Kept Locally, Is
Liquor Plan Considered
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will suggest" the type of law which
1t thinks would operate most salts
factorily. So, instead of making a de-
finite set of recommendations it is
regarded as linely that the commits
sion will merely present a draft of a
bill which in it's opinion will set up
Statewide liquor control and liquor
stores system best adapted to condi-
tons in North Carolina. Some also be-
heve that the commission will not at
tempt to touch upon the question of
whether Statewide election or coun-
tywide elections should be held in de-
termining whether liquor shall be sold
In the State and where but that the
commission will leave this matter en-
tirely up to the General Assembly.
It is agreed, of course, that the
commission will submit an exhaustive
report on the results of it's various
hearings and Investigations and that
1t will set forth in considerable de-
tail both the advantages and disad-
vantages of the two principal systems
y,
State monopoly system, such as is in
effect in Virginia, and (2) the State
license system, such as is IN, effect
in South Carolina It is also expected
that the commission will devote con-
siderable wordage to the county con-
troll system in effect in IS counties
here in North Carolina, also that it
Will have some very critical, if not
caustic, remarks to mka about the
county system, Several members of
the commission are understood to
have expressed very decided dissatis-
faction with what they have learned
about county control and county IL
quor stores in the State.
County Systems Not Favored.
In spite of the exhaustive hearings
neid IN the eastern part Of the State
IN. wet counties, and in spite of the
effort made by these counties and
their liquor control boards to con-
vince the members of the liquor com
mission that county control was SUI
perior to State control and working
beautifully in the 10 counties which
have it, the commission most decided
~ has not been impressed by the
county systems a man known to be
close to the commission told this cor
respondent recently. 1.-The facts are
that the commission has found a mum
Der of very unsavory things in con-
nection with county control and coun-
ty stores and which it is likely to
point out and oppose"
Skeleton Law Outlined.
Gus liquor sale systems and control
laws in other States and after visit
ing both Virginia and South Carolina
to study the operation of the State
monopoly an dthe State licenses sys-
TENS first hand, it is expected that
the commission will recommend or
Suggest" the following type of law
for North Carolina if the legislature
decides to permit the sale of LIQUOR
in the State:
1. A. State monopoly liquor control
system.
2 Uniform Statewide rules and re-
gulations to govern the operation of
liquor stores in whatever counties
may want and authorize such stores.
g. The creation of a State board
with full-time chairman, whose duty
it will be to administer the law and
enforce the rules and regulations in
those counties having liquor stores.
4. Authorize the appointment of
county liquor control boards in each
county having liquor stores, compos-
ed of three county officials, but with
the State administrator as ex-officio
member of each county board, with
power to veto any acts Of the county
board, these county boards to have
general powers to select store sites,
personnel, store buildings and so
forth, subject to the approval of the
State administrator.
5. Provide severe penalties for boot
logging and other violations of the
control laws and set up strict regula-
tions to prevent the selling Of liquor
by the liquor stores to persons sus-
pected of being bootleggers.
9. Provide for strict enforcement OF
the law by the county law enforce
ment agencies, but without the crea-
ton OF any centralized State law en-
forcement division.
Revenue Locally.
Z. Leave most of the revenue de-
rived from the sale Of LIQUOR in the
counties where the liquor stores are
located possibly with some of this re-
venue going to the cities and towns.
with only enough revenue going to
the State to pay for the cost of adj
ministering the law and supervising
the stores.
8. Permit any county that does not
want liquor stores to remain "dry"
and to permit the sale of liquor.
In addition to the above provisions.
expected to be contained in the law
the commission is regarded as sure to
suggest" there is possibility that
the commission may suggest that if
the State wants to get more revenue
from the sale of liquor than it now
gets from the three per cent sales
tax, it might increase the rate of this
tax to five per cent, but to make this
change in the revenue act and not
impose any tax in the liquor control
bill, 1t is understood.