National Republican., 1883-10-26
LIQUOR LICENSES.
sharp letter from tie worthy Cbief Tenn
Plnr 10 the DIsiriet commissioners.

plnr 10 the DiBiriot commissioners.
hoioilowng communication was yesterday
addressed to the commissioners in reference
T. the Issuing of liquor licenses
OFHCE uF GgASD WuHrY CHtEF rEMPLAR fSDE.
rENDE ,r OBDEROF Coop TEdPLARS, W MAsnI.uiruS,
ID. c., Oct %. lSSi-Tu rms COMMISsIoNkRs W the
DISTRICT uF COLUMBIA .--GCnt eIHH! ON Sept. II
you were pleas cd to issue printed "instruc ions 10
uppiivuuts ior ICCnsj " sel heating lquIts,"
aud IN said instructions You were pleased 10 give
public nutce that licenses will not he granted to
the following classes Of persons or places To any
party convicted during preceding year of selliug
or giving liquors 10 minors " any party whO dur
ing the preceding year, has beeu couvc Ell OF sell
ing liquor Oh Sunday or during the hours pro
hl9ited by law; to any party who during the pre-.
oedny year, has been convicted of selling liquor
without lcen'e; To any party keeping place
where ldle, noisy, disUr1Irly, Or suspicious char
ucIers cOngregat,; nor To any person who shall 10
shown " thu satisfaction Oi The commissioners TO
have knowingly given or sold liquor to any cnu-
titmed drunkard or to any intoxicated person"
You are also pleased to sny that The district COM
missOuers hereby give notice that II is their ill.,
tenton strictly IL enforce te several PROVISIONS uf
law governing the sale OF Intoxicating liqnuri as
hctetotOrs rected, and they invite tie co.ope.a.
ton OF all iceusres or other citizens ~ deect NIL
inftingcments thereof" On behalf Of the order
OF Good Templurs, embracing very large number
of prominent and respectable citizens OF this dis
ttiUt had the honor on the sixth instant TO fur
nis you list of such persons as during the pre-
Crul OF the provisions OF law above cited or given
bonds TO defend suit in a higher court This
llst was turllSneQ III response 10 your INVITATION
to the public TO cooperate with you to the end
that the several provisions Of law governing the
sale Of Intoxicating liquors be strictly enforced.
The instructions" OF sept 2l are clear aud posi-
tive, aud the public ielt assured that they would
be adhered to. The "instruclions" were issued
at your own instance and without solicitation Oh
the part of the temperance people, and were eml.
nenily calculated to secure proper observance OF
the laws IL adhered to. The law In saying that a
license shall not he issued until approved by the
board of district commissioner" confers upon you
absolute power In the premises, and that you are
aware OF this power is shown by your advertise
ment in the daily papers, in which you say that
"no license will be Issued except at the discretion
of the commisS toner's"
In view of these facts the public, to say the
least, surprised to find in the daily record OF
licenses approved by the commissioners the names
of largo number Of persons included in the list l
took the liberty to send you. One of our leading
daily newspapers In trying to find the reason for
was informed by member of the license board
that /" the list OF saloon kee ers convicted in the
police court, recently published by the Good
Tempars, was not considered binding in any
degree" Permit me to say that the Good Tenn
plars did not say that these voaors of law should
not again receive Il license That decree went 10
the public over the signatures of the district com
missioners and the public learns now for the first
time that 1t contained any reservation, and is
vainly trying 10 fnd where 1t Is expressed If the
public declarations of the commissioners are not
binding in any degree, the Good Templars are glad
that they are not responsible.
Through the press and the courtesy OF men,
Der of the license board the public now learns that
"in any case the payment OF fines, when the CON
victons do not exceed the maximum limit In
year, are held to clear the record of the saloon
keeper. Tho commi' sioners reserve the right OF
fixing thelmaximum limit convictions and when
granted that is exceeded the offenders will not be
another license, and no license will be granted
pending appeal. This decision of the commls-
sioners, of which the public is informed OH Oct.
%, only through the enterprise of newspaper, Is
strangely at variance with the instructions 10 ap
picants for license issued by the commissioners
on Sept. 2l. Very respectfully, A. kALsTRoM,r