Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-18
THE DISTRICT LICENSE BILL.
The PrOspecs of Its Defeat.
WHAT COMMISSIONER WEST SAYS.

and faithfully to get this bill framed as they had
hoped. In such shape, If not TO meet the hearty
approval Of the community, to at least prevent
positive opposition TO the passage OF the Dill In
this, however. they had been very much diSap-
pointed; where they had expected support they
had encountered opposition. Interested parties
We're Raising false issues against the measure.
The corporations are its worst Opponents Sulk1ng
and growing after asserting TO It's features in con-
ference with the Commissioners. The paid advo-
Gates OF interests affected by the bill are haranguing
the committees and are blatant at temperance
| meetings. clOaking their designs under the cause
OF good morals. and chuCkng at the fees that the
temperance enthusiasts are inn0cently aiding them
To pocket.
The advocates OF prohibition are estranging
Themselves from the sympathy OF the community
by their ill-tempered zeal, and when Senator Of
the United states. one did yesterday at public
meeting. says that the flame OF Washington for
inenperance Is travelling nearly fast that of
Its better qualities he lbeiS this community In a
manner that would receive quick rebuke from his
own cCnstltuency were he to apply 1t to them
concurrence amount 10 by citizens representing
the different branches OF mercantile and other in
tereStS Invited To conference with the Commission
ers pending the framing Of the bile"
Commissioner misunderstanding! Absolutely
nothing, but snare We see men almost daily be-
fore the committees urging objections to this license
plan. on account OF some little point which they
conceive to detrimental to their personal interests,
and The committee have been SO badgered that they
are almost ready tc give 1T up These very men, In
many Instances, are those whom we invited, and
were present 1T the conferences with the Commits
SnnrrS, and favored the passage OF the bill as q
Who". on the ground that 1t was the best that
could be- done under the circumstances OF conflict
ing interests. The fact Is, said the Commissioner,
81 begin 10 lose interest In Ii myself. seeing SO
much opposition from those we had a right to look
for support"
QI.'lf the bill fails, Of course the present per-
sonal tax law oontinueS?'
MISUNDERSTANDING. and these gentlemen
who labor 81 much under the oppressive personal
TAX law Will BIZ apt 10 get all they want OF II. The
commissioners have been deceived in other respects
They have not been encouraged supported as
they hoped To have been by the local press OF the
city. Instead OF advocating the passage OF the bill
as whole. not on account Of its perfection. but as
step In the right direction they condemn it in
some trivial points they, of course, have the right
10 do. But all Of these peckings at it from differ
eat quarters inpresseS the committees unfavor-
ably
Q.-"IIow about the temperance element? The
leaders of this cause We're before the Commission
ers several times pending the framing OF the bill,
AMI the impression prevailed that little. IL any OPP
position wCuld come from this quarter
toInmiS>ioner-"Som Some opposition WAS expected
from the more RADICAL members of temperance
organizations. but not the wholesale rush that has
followed TN" presentation Of the bill. and they Will
probably bt among the first TO regret the defeat o.;
the proposed license bill, They do not know how
near whisky is To running riot under the present
law They s'eIn to expect too much at once. and
may possibly fan in their fayoriie Object which is
to secure the passage OF Il prohibition law
O." hat would be the result OF such q law In
this Districte"
Comnlssioner-"I is not likely that prohibit
trct. nor. il enacted. that it could be successfully
enforced But what the Commissioners haveSought
To do In Training this proposed license bill Is to sub
Sttute for ingUsitoral and ineQuitable personal
tax bill-a license SyStem-sO that the revenues
may DE- kept up To the needs or the District. In
doing sacrifice had To be made in all classes
OF business. and IL was for this reason that the
Commissioners called in the representative citizens
OF the District to confer together in order to
harmony and prevent opposition 10 the results OF
their own labOrS"
@. at seems To he the impression among the tenn
praEct people that the local option principle OF our
present law has been compromised in the proposed
bill and facilities extended to liquor dealers In pro-
curing their annual licenses this so!'
Commissioner. NO: il Is not so; nothing OF the
kind has been done: there are rights or powers
possessed by the local citizens which would in
ANY wise be weakened by the enactment OF the
proposed BILL as all may understand who will read
the bill The local option feature Is still there as
strong as In the present law. AMI the powers OF
individuals to oppose the issue OF licenses to objec
Uonabe liquor dealers In their heighbOrhoods lust
as potent and can be exercised whichever u renewal
OF licenses is applied for, that the majority still
rules. Ii is true that the holder OF a LIQUOR license
would not be required under the proposed law to
renew his list OF signatures Of hoaekeepers every
year In order TO obtain license, as now required;
the local option power still remains with the cit-
zen. keeping the saloon keeper ON his good be-
havior in the transaction OF his business Some OF
the temperance people profess not 10 see this mat
ter In this light. but these are the facts"
Q.-"How do the clergy OF the district look upon
this NATTER"
Com,niSsioner-ssNot very favorably, as am in
formed they oppose the traffic always. matter
OF duty. without regard 10 policy There has been
but one clergyman in this District who expresses
himself reasonably upon this matter, both publicly
and privately. He says 1t is the very best law that
can be adopted at this time. and that in the near
future an advance can be made"
Commissioner West in concluding the cOnyerSa-
ton said: 1.-The Commissioners have labored long
and carefully In the preparation OF this bill, a
substitute for a most unpopular system OF taxation
In this District: they have sought SSnilate con-
nct1ng interests and sentiments by bringing
persons together for calm and deliberate dis
cSlOn: they have listened to the expressions OF all
sides. and had been led to believe that they had
struck about the right place-a happy medium,
where all might agree. The bankers and the street
railway men had also given the commissioners to
understand that they We're all satisfied. Now. II
they are Inclined To defeat this bill they may do So
The Commissioners personally have no more at
stake than other Individuals but, In common with
all rght-minded citizens, they feel Il Jealous
pride Ill the prosperity OF the city, and its attrac-
lions for homes and residences 10 citizens from all
the states i'll the Union. BY steady effort ignoring
all personal interests and uniufluenced by petty
carnor. the commissioners are striving TO lay Sc
foundation upon whici: q Superstructure of a
municipal government commensurate with the
grandeur OF the Mon can III established here as a
model FOR the nation. The WORK is in the hands OF
the people
Madison Avenue Church and DR.. New.
man.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
AT a recent meeting OF the members OF this
church. IL was voted to call an advisory council to
consider their difficulties with Dr. Newman. II
was agreed that the following churches he re-
queSt"d 10 constitute said council VIZ From Brook
lyn-thurch Of The Pilgrims, (tev. DR.. K = Storrj).
CLINTON Avenue church. REV. DIR. Behrends):
IompkihS Avenue church. (Rev. DIR. pentecoSt}:
Central. Rev. Dr. LYMAN. From New York
church % the Pilgrims. (Rev. Dr. Virgin; Taber-
n;iclr. lsev. Dr. Taylor. Congregational church
IN Schenectady. Rev j. H. MunSelN: Congrega-
tinnai church in Washington. DC, (sev DR.. RAN
Kin: also, Rev III. NJ Dexter, d. D.. editor OF the
"ngfrlfItiOHdiist; President Seeiye. OF Amherst
coilecc. and President Carter. OF Williams COLLEGE
IL VIII fe noted that nearly all OF the above
named gentlemen have national reputation. The
churches are among the largest and most infllen-
tisl ia the denomination The churches, by pastor
and delegate. have votes in the council The uues-
tons 10 bc considered will probably be.
LIST. l)r. Newman'S relation to the Madison Ave
nue. cAurch-lS he. In fact pastor?
2i- Is II best that DR.. Newman remain with said
church?
Sd What rights has Congregational church to
thu us. OF its house OF worship,
IL Is seldom that 50 distinguished and able a
ability. Its knowledge OF UNCONVENTIONAL law and
usages, its candor and eminent honesty cannot be
for an instant questioned It's deliberations Will be
watched with great interest, and while It's conclu-
SonS can have no legal effect, they Will be ac-
copied with almost the same respect as If they were
judicial and final. D.
DEATH OF Mrs. ELIZA PEYToN.-The funeral OF
Mrs Eliza PeytOn. who died suddenly Friday night
AT her nome on indiana avenue in the goth year OF
Htf age. took place to-day. She was a native az