Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-26
The Liquor License Agitation.
ANOTHER MEETING OF PASTORS.

pIeSlueo, and the meeting was opened with
prayer by Rev. DR.. Butler. Rev. DR.. Reilly, Of
the committee to form temperance alliance In
TINS CITY, reported progress In that direction.
Rev; MessTs Leech. Kelly; johnson and others
MADE remarks. Rev. Mr.. Kelly stated that Hon.
Horace Maynard Postmaster General, had sent
a strong protest to the Commissioners against
the relcensing of the saloons opposite the Post
once building: A committee was appointed,
Rev Dr. Lanahan chairman, to request the
other members Of the Cabinet to send In similar
protests against the saloons In their respective
neighborhoods. Rev. Messrs. Lanahan, Parker,
Noble and Wilson were appointed By the meet
ing 10 prepare protest 10 the Commissioners
which was reported and adopted:-"rhat the
commissioners had failed to make record Of
the applications for licenses to sell liquor, as
they promised, so that the citizens OF this Dis
trfct might have ample facility TO examine said
applications prior TO granting the license. and
that In granting certain licenses without afford
ing an opportunity to examine the signatures
there seemed TO be an 1ndisposition on the part
OF the commissioners to co operate with the
peraEce and good morals" A committee Was
also appointed to induce the trustees of all the
public school buildings TO protest against the
issue Of licenses within two squares OF sad
buildings.
AID Informal conversation was held with
Comm issioner Morgan upon the subject OF Is
SUNG licenses Tue pressure against Mij)r
Morgan on the part OF the ministers was frce:y
talked over, and the former told the reverend
gentlemen that he should talk no more. lie
stated TO Lem again that the comm isSio9crs
u.
act other than 1t directed; that II the Gu irges
the preachers were In the habit Of making at
their public meetings were true. 1t was their
duty to PIT them In writing and file them ". til
proof, at the Commissioners Office.
THE RECORD BOOK.
The complaint made by some OF the
preachers that the book OF records prom
ised by the Commissioners which was
10 contain the names designers to applet
tons. &C.. had not been prepared, is not
strictly the fact. The blank books are now
being filled up By the clerks as fast as possible.
Most OF the morning hours are consumed by the
clerks In the office of the license board In re-
ceiving applications and answering questions
so that they do not have time to enter ali the
record book up with the applications filed.
The average number of siguers to applications Is
not less than fifty each day, and many OF them
have one hundred s'gners and upwards. and
it would puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer in very
many instances to decipner them. This re
quires much time and the process is quite slow.
The clerks in charge are working early and late
to keep up the books and the preachers viii
have to wait until they are all entered. AS
proof OF the careful manner liz which the board
are working. 1t is only necessary to state that
but three license applications have been passed
upon favorably; two for the new license year,
and one for the uneXp!red term OF the old year.
About dozen others have been considered ana
MAJ ked suspended" Already upwards Of 200
applications have been filed and over $50 900 de-
POSTED with the collector OF taxes on account
OF such applications.
COMMISSIONER MORGAN STATES
this morning that he is done talking; his only
course must be to discharge his duties conscl-
enciously In accordance with the laws. The
laws recognize the business Of dealing In liquor,
and when men comply with the conditions re-
Quired by law and regulations the license must
issue. unless the citizens put In well founded
protests, In each case setting forth the reasons.
&C., With proofs. This can always be done aud
no snap Judgment VIII be taken In the matter
OF issuing licenses, but all will be given an op.
portunity to see who have applied for them,
and VINO nave signed the applications.
APPLICATIONS TO-DAY.
The application OF John Howser, who had
Jailed TO procure necessary power OF attorney
to make his papers complete, was finished to-
day, and 1t Is probable that favorable report
win De made on 1T by the committee. Quite
the treasurer and assessor and some to the lieu
tenants Of police for verification of signatures
and TO test whether the necessary number of
property holders had signed.
OPINIONS BY THE ATTORNEY OF THE DISTRICT.
The following is copy OF the answer OF the
attorney, ID. c., to certain questions pro-
pounded by the committee on liquor licenses
and transmitted TO them by the Commission
ELS: Il think an agent properly created by
power OF attorney, or any sufficient writing
which authorizes him to lease the property and
collect the rents, will empower him TO sign
under the license law. He should produce the
written instrument A note from him to the
effect that he Is an agent, will not answer. A
letter from the owner that named person Is so
authorized win do. II the square is vacant un-
occupied, there Is no one TO assent or dissent,
and there is nothing 10 be said. II occupiei oy
a govern M mt department or building, the
Chief may sign or refuse"
THE POSTMASTER GENERALS PROTEST.
The following Is copy OF the protest Oh P )st
master General Maynard to which alluSiol was
made in the preachers meeting:
"GENTLEMEN:-The squares fronting on tla
General Post Office building are now occupied
by various beer rooms and drinking saloon Is,
which are, IN my judgment. highly preJuticial
to public interests and morality. The business
0l o. at pe eSe she9 M
department, and to many people whose opia
ions and feelings should not be disregardei iC Is
offensive TO make their way to this deparCm MT
past such places. The establishing of places
for the sale Of intoxicating liquors IL close
proximity TO the department Is also Injurious 30
the pubic service, by presenting temptations
In the way OF the employees OF the government,
and, In The event OF their yielding TO the same,
uniting them for the discharge OF their official
duties. therefore respectfully and earnestly
protest against the reissue OF any license now in
force or the issue of any new license for the sale
OF intoxicating liquors upon the sides Of the
squares facing the General Post Office building
or contiguous thereto. have the honor 10 De
very respectfully, &C.,
HORACE MAYNARD, Postmaster Genl."
ANOTHER PROTEST.
Ire oiilcerS and members OF the Y.M.C.A. and
number OF pastors have filed with the Com
nj SlonerS protest against the renewing Of
MI. EGwald AbnerS license TO keep bar at As
9th street They state that the work OF the as
ISOLATION is reformatory In its character. and
the location OF this saloon Is a strong ternpta-
ton TO the unfortunate to return to their evil
hat1s; that the reading room educational
classes, 6c., form an important part OF their
WORK, aud these rooms should be granted the
same exemption from saloons as is granted TO
scnoois; that a large part OF their work par
take OF the nature or church work. and II a bar
room Is considered an improper neighb1r to a
church II would hold true In regard to
their chapel. All the reasons therefore to
forbid the continuance OF a bar-room in the
tains In this case. In answer to the objection
that Mr.. Abner has erected his building at con-
siderable expense, they say the law takes DO
account OF such considerations; that the party
who erects building for the purpose does it
with full knowledge OF the law and its restric-
lions. and the law regards the business rs Ques-
t.onable, ard guarantees the right only from
year to year. 1t cannot be claimed that the as
ISOLATION is the intrusive neighoor, for the erec-
ton OF Mr.. Abner'S saloon tOtlOlCett instead OF
precet ded the erection Of the Y. NJ. c. A. Build
Ing. They state that they do not seek
to iDjure Mr.. Abner, nor to destroy
Ills business, but simply maintain
that his present business on our block should
be changed TO one less Objectionable and In
conclusion they say they are under the con-
yfction that the law Is intended to restrain IL
rather than the work which such associations
as ours seek TO accomplish: or, in other words,
that IL is intended for the projection and
educational interests. rather than the interests
In the traffice.