The people's voice., 1959-02-27

Money-Muking Not Liquor Control
Boards Paramount Duty
Governors Contention Valid

B0urd'S paramount Duty
Three important pieces of legislation sought by
liquor dealers gone the drain this
vetoed by the Governor Two others died by adverse Legislative
action.
Repeatedly sought by the liquor interests these
SB 63) would have permitted the Governor to
retail liquor representative to the Liquor Control Board
second would have allowed dsteres have resident liquor
agents within the state The third bill sought to abolish the
state retail liquor stores.
Only of these reached the Governors desk
SB 63 Like similar proposal in 1857 the gubernatoral
was not long in falling and the veto upheld by the State
Senate.
While the veto message concerned primarily with the
matter of permitting representative of the industry the
board Gov Aronson made several important points which
equally valid pertains the State frownng resident
agents Glib 81 being permitted in Montana the State
Withdrawing from the retail end of liquor distribution Glib 48
'he paramount duty
ot i 49, srnonIons IN an resnects with tb intts ~ +n
liquor and Dealers This particularly
the issuance of retail licenses and the suspension revocation of
such licenses for violations of the laws.
Normally representation part
cratic of government However, the operations of the liquor in
duy certainly within the bounds of the The
nature of the industry and the obvious effects of
lives of people within Montana make imperative that
originates within the industry
addition negligent I
approval of such legislation would result the Liquor
becoming political football four Since appointment
liquor license holder permssive
candidate for Governor would be pres
from both sides of this
politics and liquor just oil and water do not mix
The three points made by the Governor CD public interest
not in all respects with the interests of deal
ers 2) the liquor industry not within the bounds of the
norma and (3) would result in the board becoming
political football most applicable to maintaining the
State in the retail end Of the business.
The liquor industry by and large not capable of effec
lively policing itself to the extent has solid foundation
for claiming is just like other business One need only
noe me constant parade Oh Incense suspensions he ooaro
suspended eight at its monthly meeting last week. to under
stand the above contention Sales Juveniles although
operators careful in this respect continue large
volume It's young fellow told this Editor while back
on reaching the magic of Fl " now can do legally
what I've been doing illegally the last four Shortly
thereafter he asked for the first time for I'D card
That the industry is not normal is also valid state
men Only increased sales bring about profitable
operation and expansion of the industry The
the industry is the higher the welfare load the greater the
tragedy of broken homes of children going without because
both parents place higher priority liquor than
family needs Highway patrol records concusvey close
between auto accidents and Incorporate
ton of the industry's products
This notnormal industry already has too much influence
in the affairs of parts of this State The Governor and
the legislature by holding the stop sign against further
avors to the liquor traffic have done most important service
in behalf of the overall well-beng of Montana IL