Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-13
LICENSE AND JNTEMPERANCE.
A Policeman's Opinions on the Liquor
Laws and Their Effects.

| Laws and Their Enects.
"Now that the prohibitionists have been de-
feased in several states" said an old policeman
to . STAR reporter, sit clearly demonstrates
that public sentiment il against prohibition. /
don't think, however, that the result Of the
elections shows that the people are in favor Of
| either free or cheap rum. High license, /
think, is the first stepping-stone toprohibition,
and 1t is the best solution of the liquor ques-
ton, even if the other step is never reached
what Washington wants now is high license
and more stringent laws regulating the liquor
traffic. Under the present license laws a man
can run q saloon for a whole year by paying a
license tax Of about $50. That includes whisky
| and cigars. The profits on both liquors aud
cigars are large. that the license tax of $50
| is very small. With the license at such low
| figure any one can start a corner groggery and
sell drinks at three and five cents and make
| money.
Its these conner groggeries" he continued,
that cause much of the trouble and agitation
| OF the liquor question. At those places the
| poor and ignorant usually assemble and spend
| their weeks earnings. Such places are also
used and frequented by crap players, who
hang about to rob every person who can show
! a nickel. Then in many of the places they run
sweat cloths on the quiet and in fact any
games whereby they can gather in the pennies,
| cling in clay banks. Occasionally these sharp
| ers are caught and punished, but the proprietor
| Is really responsible for a good deal of rascal
| lty. and the evils mentioned are traceable to a
| low license. If the license was as high as it
} ought to be many of these dens would be
! wiped out OF existence, and thus many per-
sons who spend their time there would be COM
! PEELED to seek loafing place in some better
quarters. 1t is also possible that the adoption
OF hlgh-license system would make
MANY UNLICENSED BARS,
| but there would be other laws enacted in con-
nection whit he new license system which would
give the police every opportunity to capture
the violators OF them, and then the punish
ment would be made to fit the crime. If it
should be severe enough unlicensed places
would soon cease to exist.
! UNDER THE PRESENT LAWS
in the District regulating the liquor traffic"
the officer continued, sit is very difficult to
convict those persons who keep unlicensed
| places. In the first place it is, difficult to
/ OBTAIN evidence against the cheap saloons,
where scarcely anybody but the loves class of
! white and colored persons frequent. Drinks
are sold for three cents and upward. Some of
| them sell beer two glasses for five cents and
charge FIVE cents for drink of soft or hard
stuff, but If the patron only has three cents, of
course that will do. The proprietor will never
let penny escape him. A favorite drink
| among the colored people is blackberry and
| gin. That has been their favorite beverage for
! years, butnow other mixed drinks are becoming
| popular. At some of the places 'stove-pipes'
of gin and whisky are sold at fifteen cents each
| orfwo for a quarter, and some say that they
take couple OF such drinks at night to make
them sleep well, while they take one in the
morning as an eye-opener.
MAKING CASES.
speaking Of making cases against persons
who violate the law, repeat it is difficult task
In the first place each OF that class of saloons
generally has a number Of regulars who hang
about the place, and who. after a glass or Two
| OF the poisonous liquors, will swear that white
Is black, 80 that to prove sale an officer has 10
SEND some one to make purchase. He Is fur
nlshed money and bottles and sent to purchase
liquor. The bottles are usually marked, so
that there can be no mistake when the case
comes TO trial in the courts. If the person or
spotter' selected proves truthful and case
| Is made out by the prosecution, the defense
often disproves his testimony. He does not seem
| to have much trouble in proving that the LIQUOR
was not purchased in these places and the
| spotter' will often be SO badly mixed up that
the case fails. Then the question is asked,
why don't you get better Witnesses
THE WITNESSES.
II answer that in this way" he said. "In Che
first place an officer can't get reputable
citizens to go in such places, and in the second
place, if gentlemanly-looking person should
enter one ne would not be able to make pur-
| chase. He would be suspected of being a new
cop and he would naturally be refused drink.
| And suppose after all the trouble a conyic-
ton is had" he continued, land then what?"
After trial OF the case in the Police Court an
| appeal is taken and the case goes to the Crmi-
nal Court. The first point raised is against the
| 'spotter and that often Influences the Jury
| against the prosecution, so that such trial is
uphill work. Then in case a conviction is
had in the Criminal Court nothing is done with
the defendant The court imposes a fine of
| sos or $50 and costs, but if the fine ia not
paid that ends the matter. No one ever heard
OF rumseller being sent to prison for the nom
| payment OF such a fine It is probably because
the law is defective, but then that's what /
have been talking about. We need law. So
that after all the trouble and expense to the
District the prosecution really amounts to moth
ing. 1t Is true, however, that many persons
| fined pay their fines, but, as am told, not be-
cause they fear being sent to prison.
| OTHER UNSATISFACTORY LAWS
"There is another class Of liquor laws that
prove source Of much annoyance to the au-
| thorities," continued the officer. at is those
| cases in which the applications are pending be-
| fore the Commissioners and where the question
ofrejection of the application or the revocation
| of the license is concerned. In my experience
| settled by the courts. When q case is made il
| takes so many months to get il on the assign
| ment OF the Criminal Court that the license
year passes by and many violators 70 un-
punished because of the slowness of the wheels
of justice. During the past few years there
have been so many moves and decisions made
| in this class of cases that dare say not q
| single policeman on the force is able to tell
when he can make case and when he cannot.
There is still another class Of cases that requires
the attention Of the officers, and that ID the
question Of
KEEPING OPEN on SUNDAY
Gas long as they propose to prosecute viola
tions Of the Sunday law the law should be
such that the officers would have no trouble in
enforcing it. For instance, an officer knows
that place is kept open, but he has not
| sufficient proof to convict. He sees person
after person enter the side door of a saloon.
Some go in sober and come out drunk He
| does not know the name of the persons and
consequently he cannot summon them to ap-
! pear as witnesses. If he should subpoena them
! he might get hold of some prominent citizen,
and then there would be kick against the
officer, so that the odds are usually against
him. Now. If the law required the saloon
keeper to keep his curtains or shutters open on
| Sunday, such as some Of the respectable sa-
looms do, there would be less Sunday business
| carried on"
| THE AMOUNT OF LICENSE TAX
Speaking Of the question of high license, -
said the reporter, "what is your opinion of the
amount Of the hcense?"
"Thatis q question" replied the officer, ssthat