National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-04
THE LIQUOR LICENSE.
The Conference with the Commissioners
and the Opinions OF Restaurnteurs.

| anu inc opinions OF hestnufntsurs.
| A committee of tho German Liquor Deal
ers' association called upon the commissioners
yesterday to lay before them the result of
| their meeting on Wednesday, The Regular
| l. liquor Dealers association, including many
wholesale merchants wore also present
After the result Of tho meeting had been an
| nounced the two associations discussed the
subject of compromise, asking that the Ii
cense DO equalized proportionaly between
| wholesale and retail dealers. The commits
| sioners were in favor of making the license
$3.50 for the retail dealers, instead of $500, as
proposed, and 500 for wholesale dealers, in.
| stead Of $3.50, rs proposed. The present
license is 800 for the retail dealers, and $50
for the wholesale merchants. The two COM
mittees were inclined to accept these figures,
and stated that they would make favorable
report to their associations, and appriso the
commissioners of any result.
What do you think of the proposed high
lcensoW queried a REPUBLICAN reporter,
speaking to Mr. Henry Petersen keeper of a
restaurant at tho corner Of Pennsylvania
avenue and Four-and-a.ha half street.
i would not object" he replied, ito double
the amount Of the present license, II the COM
missioners would only do away with tho rule
which compels us to scout about and get
signatures on our applications. That il the
most Objectionable feature of tho present
license system. If we get the names once
LuhJ suOulu hlbcT tuhJ tuo iuhLltT
should be loft to the police as to whether fur
Their licenses should be granted"
Mr.. Holden, of the firm Of Harvey & Hol-
den, was next seen. 81 think" he said,
that high license would result in much diff
fculty to the police"
"WhyH asked the -eporter.
Because the low dives that could not afford
to pay tho increased sum would continually
violate tho law by selling without licenses.
object to an increase, also, because L think
men in ordinary circumstances should be
allowed TO earn their living as well as any
body else. 1t would be a benefit to the first
class places, and, in my opinion, would raise
the price of drinks"
Mr.. j. II. Middleton, the Ninth street res
taurateur, said: 81 don't approve of.anything
that will drive any man to the wall High
license would do this. Restaurant keepers
should be shown the same treatment in the
matter of licenses as any other business men,
They are in legitimate business. If house
is kept in disorderly manner it is purely
police matter, and the license should be re.
voked. The misfortune of this city is the
grocery stores where cheap liquor is dispensed
without license. Cheap whisky is disorderly
whisky. Respectable houses have to bear the
brunt of these illegtimate ranches"
Mr. Ed Abner said: 81 can stand an in
crease, but l would oppose it on account of
the poorer men in the business. The present
license fee is high enough"
Mr.. Sebastian Aman said "The first-class
houses can afford to pay higher license, but
l object to it because it will crowd out de-
serving poor men,"
Mr.. Harry Bowers of the st. Marc restau-
rant, said 1.-The object of the commissioners
in imposing o high license is to force the
low and dsorderly establishments out of ex-
istence The plan, however, is not a good
one, because that class will sell without a
license if the figure is too high for them.
The result would be much annoyance to the
police.n