National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-04
FIGHTING TIE BILL.


The Temperance Mass Meeting Mt Masonic
Temple and the Report OF the Conn
mIttoe.
Tho mass meeting held in Masonic hall
yesterday afternoon under the auspices of tho
Woman's Christian Temperance union was
very largely attended. fow gospel hymns
were sung with much spirit under the leader
ship of Mr. johnson, chief clerk of the senate
Tho scriptures were read by Mrs. Tilton, and
prayer offered by Rev Sir. Black, of Ohio
after which Mrs Roach made the opening
address She introduced Maj. Ii. a. Hall,
who reported on behalf Of the committee APP
pointed by the Woman's Christian Temper
ance union TO confer with the congressional
committee in relation to the proposed amend
ments to the license act now before them.
He said that they had waited upon the sub
committee of the district by invitation, and
were very cordially received, but by some
strange coincidence the liquor dealers in
tercsts were also represented at the same
time by their employed counsel. The chair
man, DIR. Tanner, submitted the written ar
gument in support of said amendments as
proposed by the w. c. r. U. committee to
the license bill, and Mr. b. II. Warner ad-
vocated to adoption of said amendments from
business standpoint, insisting that for the
protection of business interests and
commercial welfare section IL of the
proposed act should be 50 amended as to
throw the burden of obtaining the consent of
the majority of property owners and residents
on the squares where the liquor traffic was
designed to be located upon the parties most
Interested, the liquor d. alers; that the peo-
pie, who were paying out SlI Tor every dollar
received as revenue, should not be further
called upon to protest against such u traffic
They were very much pleased with their
tpn uf fhn hap nf hn al f,nl
committee. and trusted that the members
If that committee would not say TO the
country that they, by, their recommendation,
had imposed a perpetual license bill upon
this, the capital of the greatest republic in
the world. They hoped TO meet tho senate
committee some day during the coming week,
ana hereafter make complete report Rev.
+. ID. Power was next introduced, who stated
that no question was more agitating the
minds of the aw.abding citizens of the
District of Columbia than the proposed license
bill before congress. If we are to have a
license law let us have one that will place
such restrictions in that law rs become all
respecting, law-abiding citizens. If the con-
grcssional committee who had charge Of our
present proposed excise bill permitted the
same TO become a law, that would inure to the
injury Of law-abiding, taX-payinc citizens.
He was followed by II. g. Moulton, who
said that he was not an advocate of any
HCabuIe tndJ WOulu permit the sale OF llquOr,
but if we were to have u license law let us
have one with all tho safeguards possible
thrown around it, in order to protect the
lives and property of our citizens. Ifthe pro-
visions Incorporated in section II of the pro-
posed act were allowed to become law with.
out being amended us proposed by the w. c..
| Il. u, il would work most injurious
results TO both residents and property
owners What the people wanted
was that the man who was to be benefited by
the sale of liquor should yearly obtain the
consent of the requisite number of both prop
erty owners and residents, in order to carry
on the traffic. He also called attention to
section of the proposed law, which, he said,
provides that brewery may be established
in any locality or upon any square without
the consent of either property owners or
residents and that tho brewer or distiller
could dispose of his productions in any guam
tity. lie thought that was very dangerous
provision and should not become law, as, if
it did, we should have barrooms on every
square, Rev. J. p. Lee, the chaplain of the
union at the soldiers barrack, next said that
if We were to have a license law lot it be a
good one. The meeting then adjourned.
Il