Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-10
The Liquor License Question.


the platform were Rev. Mtssra. Mason, Parker
Steele, Kelly. Rankin and Chickering; the Choir
OF the congregational Church. with Prof. Bis
chOff at the plano and Mr.. E YOungs cornetist.
Rev. Mr.. Mason presided and the meeting
opened with religious services Rev. Mr.. Mason
read the report made TO the Pastors Union,
Der 81. 1885, had approved about four hundred
licenses Second. IL granted licenses to one
hundred or more saloon keepers W no continued
selling without license and the Commissioners.
knowing that these men were vl0latOrs both OF
the law and their own rules, nevertheless
| licensed them. Third, when such parties were
arrested because selling without license and
| were fined by Judge Smell. they We're promptly
pardoned by the Commissioners, thus. in the
language OF Judge Smell, 'paraly zlng the law ,
Fourth, the Washington Market Co. protested
| streets, facing the market. AS the market
house covers an entire square, the protest was
fatal to all applications for licenses opposite the
same, yet for two months after IL was sent 10
| them said saloons have kept open. IN defiance
| OF law, but with the consent OF the CommIs-
sioners. Fifth, other cases could be named. II
necessary. Protests from pastors and other
| citizens, government officers. and trustees of
| public schools and other institutions have been
in vain. whilst scores Of public places have been
permitted 10 sell without licenses and I'm some
cases after the commissioners had even rejected
their applications. Sixth, In striking contrast
Win Their refusal 10 heed protests In favor OF
TEMPERANCE ana morality, such as that OF the
postmaster General, Washington Market Com
paDy, etc, was the action OF the Commissioners
| In granting a license 10 Abner's saloon. on ON
street, near d. against the protest OF the Young
Mems Christian Association, though Abuer 5
saloon was opened after the occupancy of the
Young Mems Christian Association building by
It. and the law makes the granting OF iieens 8
discretionary with the Commissioners after the
| requisite number Of stgners has been obtained
| The report appeRds the resolutions adopted by
| the pastors On Monday last, declaring .that the
| supremacy OF the violated law the peace and
| quiet OF the community, and the protection OF
| the public morals demand the appointment of
commissioners VINO Will faithfully and justly
| execute the law regulating the liquor traffic"
Kew. T.. II. Richardson, pastor of Mckendree
chapel, addressed the meeting on this paper
saying 1t must be very grave cause which
should induce the pastors to censure the Com
m1ss1oners who governed the District. They
made no charge OF corruption or OF intentional
Wrong-doing. but they censured the course OF
the commissioners in the matter OF license.
The commissioners had shown weakness and
an unWlil1ngDeSS to execute the law. When
commissioners do not execute the law they
should give way TO men who would execute It,
lApplause.l They must execute the law which
they have sworn to execute or give way. ZAP
plauSe.l The pastors did not ask the removal
or all the commissioners. 1t asked the removal
or those only who were unwilling TO emf lrce the
law Ii one stood In the way, let him be re-
moved. II two or all. let two or all be rem owed
Applause The law which the pastors asked
the Commissioners to execute was passed by
the legislative assenbly-that was not an as
seinbly OF temperance fanatics. Laughter
1t had been confirmed by Congressman Goa
gressmen were not temperance fanatics
ILaughter.l And In conclusion. he demanded
In the name OF God, that the men who put 10
rum for revenue should be removed.
Rev. DR.. Rankin read and criticized a letter
rom Major Morgan. which he said MAJOR NJ.
had asked him TO keep private. Major Morgan
nad. last october, charged that church mem
oerS had signed application for licenses, and he
nad asked MAJ. Morgan to furnish him rhe name
OF the member OF his church who had signed
one OF these applications. but he mad not done
SO up to this time. He believed that the Com
mlssioners were in a hot place, and he could
appreciate the embarrassment under which
Major Morgan labOTs-hiS bondSmen all being
dealers In liquor. He wanted at least one Com,
missioner who was total abstalner, and when
Gen. Garfield gets here we will have one He
wanted one VINO could 90 to Cobbs Island
without doing as the rest do. Before conclud.
Ing he moved that Mr.. Richardson be requested
motion was adopted
Dir. u. Richards moved that committee of
seven be appointed to present the action OF this
meeting to the President; carried. Adjourned
THE MEETING TO DAY.
the Pastors MON met at Wesley Chapel
this morning. Rev. G. b. RamsdeI presiding.
and Rev. Arthur Foster secretary. After talk
over the success OF the meeting yesterday Rev.
Mr. Mason, as chairman OF that meeting. ap.
pointed the following committee to present the
paper adopted then to The President Rev.
Mason Noble {Pres.), j. 6. Butler Uuth.) j. E.
Rankin lCong). John Lanahan on. e., J. W.
Parker tBaptisD. F. d. Power (Chr1sttan), A. r.
steele tEplseopai'; Bishop Brown a: II. E.,
J, l.. NJ. u. A.,
and {. II. Richardson. IN. E.)
BOOK SALE THIS EvENINa.-Tnomas Dow!iry.
auctOneer. " Ill commence the sale THIS evening,
at his auction rooms. OF very valuable c1a'
logue OF miscellaneous books tn every depart
ment OF literature. The sale Will Ooen with
the library Of the late DR.. Snodgrass.
THE HIGH SCHOOL PRoJECT.-About thiFty-fve
gentlemen. including Commissioner DEM, ST.
periniendenL Wilson, Trustee Lovejoy, e& rrus-
tees Wilson. Alice and Randolph, ea-Mayor
Emery and Gen. Brney, responded to a call for
a meeting at the Seaton school building Satuf-
day night TO urge the erection OF suitable
building ivi District high school EX-Mayor
Marche as secretary. Messrs. Birney, Mussey.
Hovey. Randolph and Mason were appointed
committee On resolutions and after cJnsuita-
ton reported a preamble and resolutions, rec
omIpcnding the application OF what Is known
as the Washington school fund.-" amounting,
with interest. to more than $4,000 to the cree.
ton OF building for the use OF the highest
grades, and also that said building be erected
on ground belonging to the District. in square
446. Which site they pronounce central, acces-
stDle and available: that the Washington
school fund should not be diverted to the use
or benefit of any one or two school divisions
but should be applied to the erection OF build
Ing for those grades in which all parts OF the
District are represented; that committee OF
nfteen be appointed to present The resolutions
To the District Commissioners and to the con-
gressfonal committee having charge OF District
affairs Addresses were made On the reSOiu.
lionS Dy Gen. Blrney, Commissioner Dent j..
NJ. wilson, j. b. johnson and others, and they
were then adopted. Mr.. Emery was made the
chairman OF the committee, and the following
fifteen were appointed VIM. Brney. Ii. D.
Cooke, jr., W. Dickson, ". &. Dodge ThOS. L.
Hume, Rev. Geo. o. Little, w. II. Chase Col. o.
Il. Irish, J. Il. johnson, A. j. Donaldson Geo.
Z. Gorham. L. Clephane, Rev. b. f. BitJlnger
and b. Il. Swart.
The committee OF IS waited on the District
commissioners this morning 10 urge The move
ment before them and through them upon Con.
yresS. Mr.. Emery stated that they had called
TO ask the Commissioners to Cooperate with
this movement. Gen. Birney then made
lengthy remarks in favor or the high SCHOOL
ana recited the need OF such an Institution in
this city, the capital or the country. Gen. Biz
ney closed by urging the expenditure OF the
public fund known as the Washington school
fuD0nOw amounting to about 500 900 together
with an additional 100000 TO be Appropriated
TOR the establishment OF this proposed school:
all this In addition: to the usual annual school
appropriation for the coming school year. Mr.
MuZZy, Mr.. Chase and Mr.. johnson followed
Mr.. Dent in reply said the Commissioners. he
thought, were In entire harmony with the con-
mittee AS TO the needs of such an institution
he thought there was no difference between the
commissioners and the committee; the only
question was as to the funds to WORK with. IL
+ was fact we'll known that while Congress had
been lavish In expenditure for the school
throughout the states, 1u mad done compare
lively little for those In this District, at The
same time II was a,Well known fact that the DIS
trfct had expended over one million and half OF
dollars for the Improvements OF streets and
rnnft