The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-11-07
The License Question.

II should be understood that the recent
association u the liquor dealers OF this city Is solely
for the protection of their weunderstood and defined
rights, hut on those rights they propose to take hrm
stand, ms becomes law abiding members Of q commu
nifty. They are pursuing avocaton which is rccog-
nised and regulated by the Statutes and should lie
secure from mere persecution any other legitimate
business just at they have been subjected by
the interference Of lot OF meddling bisybodies
petty annoyances innumerable which, while they can
have no good result whatever, uDjustihably disturb
aud destroy vested rights of property. the support of
deserving families and the general convenience Of the
public The licensed victuallers claim that the laws
in relation to them should be fairly and reasonably
construed any other, and that the rights conferred
by and under them should he In every Of the
word protected. Instead Of this, 1t seems II the
reflection tn movement to harrass and annoy class
OF good taxpayers and citizens. For Instance, the
law requires for the Issue OF license the consent OF
the majority OF the prorerty-owners or hosehcders
the same square, to he testified by their signatures
on the application for license. Now, by the
the signatures of all these si.ners by rule
thrown open to public inspection. however idle or
to have been deliberately and malicously calculated.
What good purpose can 1t possibly serveY On the
other hand It merely gives pain and annoyance both
to those who have signed these applications 1t may be
from the very best OF motives, and increases the diff
fcnty OF obtaining signatures in the most
mon cases contemplated by the law. Ladies, in par
icular, object to public parade Of their names
signers for liquor licenses, although they may have
no objection to the establishment of q restaurant
| upon the property they The publication of
their names is therefore uniusthabe hindrance to
the business Of the retailer who needs their sigma
| lures as matter Of FORM on his application
As an instance OF the measures proposed to be
taken, committee composed OF bfessrs james l..
| Barbour, Frank Hume, Cropley, Holmes, and
Muehleisen, will walt upon the District Commissions
ers to- morrow. to represent In tho proper light the
| fact that the present License Board-known the
Small Board-is absurdiy composed OF three temper
ance men. supposed to he conscientously opposed to
issuing any licenses at all. Of course these will
throw all the obstacles In the way OF each particular
license that are possible. The committee win claim,
as matter OF common Justice, representation Of AT
| least one member on the Board.
There Is no doubt that fanatical feeling has far
too high on this question: and instead of making a
fair fight the Issue OF total prohibition before Con-
gress where II belongs resort has been had to unjus
thable guerilla warfare men who have built hand
some improvements and invested their all the fati
Of existing laws, which should be properly construed.
The president Of the Washington Market Company,
though he has right to speak only representative
OF large corporation holding valuable public fran.
cse, has let his personal feelings carry him to thu
point of refusing to sign all applications presented t.
him, though he can alege no valid reason under tn
| law against any OF them.