Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-01
District Government Affairs.

District Chemist De SIN, d. has made an anal
ysls OF The water In the pump IN The smith
soniah glouEGS south OF the main building. aud
nndS IL Ulint Tor drinking purposes. containing
hecteIia and other animaicGlte deletogious 10
health.
The inspector Of buildings has submitted
plans for The extension or the shcfs IN rear OF
No. ergDe house, at cost not 10 exceed 500.
tho omnisSioners have accepted the sugges-
ton, and ordered the building Inspector 10 pre-
pare contract for the lowest bidder for the work.
TIE TAX SALES
conunued to-oay as usual. the list for Washing
ton including distinct list OF miscellaneous
taxes bayirg been disposed OF. Ii Is the pur-
pose or the collector to give tax payers, whose
property may have been disposed Of the oppor-
tunity 10 come forward and pay up during the
sales without additional cost, except the cost OF
advertising and sale. This privilege WIZ be eY-
tended until the close OF the sale and until GER
uncates or sale are issued.
THE LIQUOR LICENSE QUESTION DISCUSSED
This morning a delegation OF pastors from
the several churches OF the District waited on
the District Commissioners, and had full and
Lengthy ipformal discussion with them I'm rela.
iceDses In this District. The whole ground
was discussed fin all its bearings. and a very
free talk indalged I'm. The grounds taken by
the delegation was that the administration or
been very loose; and that It is necessary that
new board; consisting OF persons OF undoubt-
ea resi-, e6a6iil'y ga1 and pr9oity OF charac-
tr1ct Government be appointed, TO whom
al sppl.Catlons for Hduor license with
the names OF signers on the same. be SUBJ
mltted and Ia this connection the following
memorial was submitted and advocated, In brief
and pointed remarks, by Rev. Dr. Lanahan,
Eev. II. Pey ton Brown, Rev. j. q. Butler, DR..
Mason, Rev. Mr.. Kelly and others: "ln view OF
the loose construction OF the law by the pres
ent license board, the pastors OF the District
or Columbia respectfully request that a
well-kaown citizens OF the District OF CO.
lumbia, In no way connected with the District
government. And further, that ali applications
for license with the names OF the petitioners be
made matter OF public record. (Signed0 T.
A. Kirg. c. c. Meador, j. ii. Cutdbert. owen
James, B. sunderland, 4: S. Wynkoop. b. f.
Bittinger, Geo. o. Little, Chas. Il. RamsdelI q.
b. Patch, j. T. Murray, b. Peyton Brown Fred
erick ID. Power. John Lanahan A. T. Mason. J.
G Hagey. l. NJ. Gardner, J. G. Butler J. McKen-
dree Reilly, Geo. V. Leech. C. Herbert Richard
son. E d. Owen, w. Z. McKenney, John w.
Smith, J9meS McLaren, j. r. Wheeler Geo. w.
Heyde, Jose ph T. Kelly, John q. Amei
They argued that II was inconsistent and
Illogical that persons connected with the Dis
u!ct government and subordinate TO the Com
mlsSicnerS should have the powers of an ad-
Vlsory board, TO the Commissioners. on this
matter OF liquor licenses. They citel SeV raj
cases where licenses bad been Issued. In their
judgment, in direct violation or the law and In
conflict with the regulations fixed by the COM
nlsSioDerS themselves, and certainly against
the Interests Of good order and public morals.
i he merits or these cases were discussed pro
ard con, the Commissioners claiming that In
accoTdance with law, and that where the appli-
cations are n ade In conSonance with the re-
qurements OF law and regulations. they haven
discretionary powers In the matter, as the lawit
self recognizes the traffic OF selling intoxicating
liquors and regulates its sale, but Ia no case
have they granted licenses where the citizens
have entered protest against IL. backed up with
good and sufficient reasons TO sustain such pro-
test. They claimed that the clergynen and
many honest temperance advocates are mlSin-
formed In relation TO the facts In particular
cases of alleged loose administration of law and
that In very few instances, comparatively have
citizens come forward TO protest against or %
scrutiniZe the list OF signerS TO applications;
ard they challenged that Ii could be shown In
any case with perhaps one exception, that the
law had been set aside fn the issuance OF license.
After all had stated what they desired 70
upon the points raised the question was put 70
the Commissioners whether they would con-
sent TO the appointment OF such board as they
proposed. from among such citizens as they
Uhe cleIgymen) would suggest, such board TO
be composed of men against whom no one
could object Commissioner Dent stated frankly
that he had no OBJ lection to the proposition and
would consent to it; Commissioners Morgan
and Twfning stated that they would not CON-
nit themselves at that time TO such action;
Mr. Cox, of the present liquor board remarked
that he would be only too glad TO be relieved
OF the duties OF that ONCE and would
like to resign In favor OF Rev. Mr.. Mason.
but that gentleman was not seeking
for duties In this direction. The delegation
informed the Commissioners that these matters
they had come TO talk about were causing con-
siderable discussion and much interest In the
would be public meeting called, at which they
desired to be able TO set the facts before the
people, and also to state the feelings and spirit
OF the District commissioners upon these mat
tiers. They also asked TO be permitted to sub.
nit the names CT dozen or more citizens who
In their judgment would be suitable persons for
new Doaf1 The commissioners promised to
siQerdtion.