Sober by Act of ParliamentMcKenzie, Fred A. (Fred Arthur)
History
Sober by Act of Parliament
McKenzie, Fred A. (Fred Arthur)
Drinking of alcoholic beverages; License system -- Great Britain; Prohibition -- United States; Temperance
The chief difference between the Kansas law and that of Maine is that the
sale of drink for purposes other than tippling is made through licensed
druggists, instead of through city agencies. The regulations to prevent
the druggists from selling drink for other than medical, manufacturing and
mechanical purposes are very strict. No druggist can trade in alcohol
without a permit; and he can then supply only on an affidavit of the
customer, declaring the kind and quantity of liquor required, the purpose
for which it is wanted, that it is not intended to be used as a beverage,
and that the purchaser is over twenty-one years old. Any person making a
false affidavit for liquor is counted guilty of perjury, and is liable to
imprisonment from six months to two years.
The affidavits have to be made on properly printed and numbered forms,
supplied by the county clerk, and have to be sent in once a month by the
druggist to the probate judge, with a sworn declaration that such liquor
as stated has been supplied in due accordance with the law. The druggist
has also to keep a daily record, in a book open for inspection, of all
drink sold. For breaking these regulations he is liable to a fine of from
100 to 500 dollars, and imprisonment from thirty to ninety days, besides
losing his permit. There are still further checks and affidavits required,
in the hope of making drug store tippling impossible. But these have by no
means succeeded in their purpose. They have led to a considerable amount
of perjury; and both druggists and customers have developed such elastic
consciences that most of them will now swear affidavits to any extent
required.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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