The Kentucky Brewers' Association by its educational work is bringing about a greater improvement in conditions in the retail trade, and by its wise and conservative course is making friends for the liquor trade among all classes. All the work done by the Hotel and Café Association is in perfect harmony with the policies of the Kentucky Brewers' Association and the prospects are for material improvements to result from the educational campaign that is being pushed by this Association.

Maryland. The Anti-Saloon League's bill extending local option to counties not already "dry," was passed by the House of Delegates and sent to the Senate, where it was defeated on April 1.

The measure had been amended so as to provide that Baltimore City, several of the counties and two towns be permitted to vote as units on the question instead of by wards and districts.

Residents of St. Mary's County entered into a campaign to secure higher liquor license rates at a special election, which was held on August 3, when the voters decided against the proposition-857 to 611.

The fight for the higher license was led by Cardinal Gibbons and local members of the clergy. Sentiment for the innovation was aroused when a large mass meeting was called and a letter from the Cardinal, in support of the movement, was read.

In his letter to Father Kelly, the Cardinal said he believed the solution of the temperance problem in rural districts lay in high license, by means of which the number of saloons was curtailed and the amount of temptation lessened.

Maine. The proposed amendment to the Maine constitution to allow local option on the question of permitting the manufacture and sale of liquor in all the cities and in such towns as accept the provisions of the resolution, was defeated in the Legislature, March 23. The Democratic majority in the House failed to muster the necessary affirmative vote of two-thirds. The vote was 71 in the affirmative and 64 in the negative. There are eighty-five Democrats and sixty-six Republicans in the House. The amendment previously had passed the Senate by 18 to 8. Later the Senate voted to non-concur with the House in its action, 18 to 6.

Local option for cities and towns was demanded by the Maine Democrats in their biennial State Convention held on March 19.

The Eastern Argus comments: "State-wide prohibition has lost its grip upon public sentiment in this State. It can no longer command an 'overwhelming' majority. It has practically no majority at all. Half of the State is opposed to it. The cities of the State are opposed to it by a large majority. They require and demand a measure of local self-government suitable to city conditions, and that will best promote the cause of genuine temperance and the public welfare. The imposition by one-half of the State of a sumptuary law opposed by the other half and impractical of enforcement, cannot be maintained. It ought not to be maintained. It is against public policy. The consequence of maintaining it under these conditions, will be greatly to increase the evils of a system that has already aroused public denunciation and created a public disgust."

Maine continued "dry" as a result of the election last September when Prohibition was reaffirmed as the settled policy of the State by the narrow margin of 376 votes in a total of more than 120,000, but from the freedom with which liquor is sold in all the larger places, says a Bangor press despatch, one would think that the "wets" had won by a tremendous majority. Bangor was never more wide open in the palmiest days of the famous "Bangor plan." Portland is much the same, and in Lewiston the dealers complain that the authorities have allowed so many new saloons to open that there is no longer any profit in the business.

Massachusetts.—There were forty-two measures introduced into the Legislature, at the late session, the great majority of which were against the liquor industry. A bill forbidding the saloons to open until 8 o'clock in the morning and one to prohibit the sale of liquors on Good Friday were defeated.

An amendment was secured to the so-called minors' bill, making it a misdemeanor, subject to a substantial fine, for any minor over 17 years of age to misrepresent himself in order to secure liquor. The same punishment to any grown person who instigates a minor to secure an illegal sale. Also a bill was passed providing that where a license commissioner or commissioners be removed by the Mayor pending an appeal to the Superior Court for a review of the case, said commissioners shall perform their functions until a decision is reached.

Michigan.-In Michigan, after four years of constant agitation by the Anti-Saloon League, the score of "wet" and "dry" counties now stands 48 "wet" and 35 "dry," as compared with 44 "wet" and 39 "dry" in 1911 and 43 "wet" and 40 "dry" in 1910. The sentiment of the people with reference to county prohibition is clearly demonstrated by the fact that only 763,501 persons are living in so-called "dry" territory, while 1,987,702 are living in “wet” territory. Elections April 1st were a net loss to the AntiSaloon League of four counties, Wexford and Mecosta counties being "wet," voted "dry" by very small majorities. Presque Isle, a "dry" county, voted "wet" by two to one. Ogemaw, Otsego and Arenac, among the smaller "dry" counties, voted "wet," while Lapeer and Ingham, among the larger counties, rejected county prohibition by large majorities. The counties voting "wet" are Lake, Presque Isle, Leelanau, Ogemaw, Otsego, Grand Traverse, Oakland, Lapeer, Ingham, Roscommon and Arenac. The "dry" counties are Osceola, Wexford, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Charlevoix, Antrim, Cass, Shiawassee, Alcona, Mecosta, Isabella, Oceana, St. Joseph, Branch.

The Legislature passed the Taylor bill to prohibit brewery ownership of saloons. The bill forbids any contract between a brewer and a saloonkeeper, by which the former advances the money to pay for a license or owns the saloon fixtures. The brewery interests have taken the wind out of the Governor's sails by offering to keep pace with him in any reasonable reforms.

The Supreme Court of Michigan holds that a brewery has no right to manufacture beer in a local option county-even to preserve beer already manufactured before local option went into effect. As a result of this decision, certain stockholders and officers of the Eberle Brewing Co., of Jackson, who were found guilty by a jury in the Circuit Court of Jackson county, will have to stand sentence unless the Federal Supreme Court reverses the Michigan Court. The case will be appealed, the constitutionality of the local option law being the main issue.

A very valuable point from the anti-Prohibitionists' standpoint was made in this case. The local option prohibition law exempts from the prohibitory provision of the law the manufacture of wine and cider from home-grown fruits. This exemption the Michigan Supreme Court holds unconstitutional, and therefore

it is now unlawful for residents of "dry" counties to manufacture or sell wine and cider made from their own grapes or apples.

Minnesota.—No legislation affecting the brewing industry was introduced at the late session of the Legislature. The Senate passed a resolution authorizing an investigation of alleged unlawful conditions in the retail trade.

The City of East Grand Forks enacted an ordinance requiring wholesale dealers to pay a license fee of $1,000, furnish a bond of $2,000 and, in fact, comply with all the provisions of the statutes regulating sales at retail. The ordinance was tested on a writ of habeas corpus sued out after the arrest of one of the agents at East Grand Forks and the Supreme Court of the State, deciding the case, State ex rel Hogan vs. Sullivan, 135 N. W. 748, held that the general laws giving to city councils the power to license and regulate the sale of intoxicating liquors, construed with reference to whole legislation in the State dealing with the subject, does not apply to wholesale dealers selling in quantities of five gallons or more.

The license losses of 1912 were greater than those of 1911. While the number of towns lost was not much greater, the loss of important towns was decidedly so.

Montana.-During the late session of the Legislature, some 25 bills were introduced, varying from proposed amendments to existing laws, to several drastic attempts aiming at prevention of brewers and wholesalers from aiding or assisting, in any manner whatsoever, persons in the retail trade. No actual prohibition bill was introduced.

The following bills were passed, and have become laws:

A Food and Drugs Act, modified after the Indiana Law. The following clause governs the entire act: Provided, that such rules and regulations made and promulgated by the State Board of Health shall at all times conform to the rules and regulations of the National Food and Drug Commission made under the Food and Drugs Act of June 30th, 1906.

This bill was originally intended to entirely prevent the use of brewers' grains from being fed to cattle, etc., but was amended so as to permit of its being fed, if not in fermented or decayed condition.

An act to create the office of State Sealer of Weights and Measures, etc. This bill affects our business only in a general way;

viz, that, bottles, if sold by weight or contents, must be full capacity, and so branded or labelled.

A bill for an act, amending Section 8555 Revised Codes of Montana, 1907. This bill prevents dispensing any liquor within 5 miles of "any Chautauqua or grounds or buildings reserved, set apart, or used exclusively by any Chautauqua duly incorporated," and includes a definition of Chautauqua.

A bill which limits the number of licenses to one license to every 500 inhabitants. The bill is not retroactive, but is intended to check the number of licenses, heretofore indiscriminately issued.

A bill which fixes the time of closing saloons, etc., in unincorporated sections at 1 o'clock A. M. to 6 o'clock A. M., with penalties for violation.

An act prohibiting the selling, etc., of intoxicating beverages upon school house premises. Penalties added.

Several of the larger cities have in the past few years passed municipal ordinances closing the saloons from 12 P. M. and 1 A.M. to 6 A. M.; also several cities have Sunday closing from 12 or 1 A. M. to 1 P. M. and 2 P. M. Sunday.

This legislation is left to localities and it is believed, when supported by public sentiment or demand, to be beneficial, since criticism of the business is greatly lessened by employers, etc., Sunday legislation, however, is generally opposed by our trade, since it leads to more drastic attempts at restriction.

In Missoula recently placed under the Commission form of Government (Des Moines plan), the question of Sunday closing was changed by popular vote, from all-day closing to closing until 2 P. M. and remaining open until 10 P. M. on Sundays.

Beyond an interpretation upon the License Limitation Act, Senate Bill No. 33, mentioned in this communication, there have been no material decisions rendered.

The U. S. Government is vigorously prosecuting offenses against the sale of liquor upon Indian Reservations, although in a number of cases it has been shown that evidence against defendants was apparently secured by witnesses who acted in the capacity of decoys, and thus lured defendants on to crime.

Nebraska.-In Nebraska the town and village elections gave a distinct advantage to the license element. Beatrice and Auburn were among the large towns that changed from "dry" to "wet."