Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-05
MIR. DOUGLASS LICENSE BILL.
He Proposes Some Stringent Regulations
for the Liquor Traffic.

| and which had the approval of Mr.. Douglass
| colleagues. Mr. Douglass in the letter trans
| hitting his bill says: While the Commissioners
have unanimously agreed upon most Of the
| features of the proposed new license law pre-
| scented to Congress for the District, have been
| unable to persuade myself that these additional
| features should not have been included. In
| the bill inclose individually the most of the
| provisions to be found in the bill presented by
| the majority are retained, and will in as few
I words as possible refer to the additional fea-
| lures and some OF the reasons therefor:
In section of the bill Iuclose Won will find
| the words including club houses and other as
| sociations' These words see IN To be absolutely
essential to prevent artful eyasions of the law.
| Several years ago licenses were denied to GER
| tain parties for good reasons. The parties,
/ with some sympathetic friends, thereupon
| sought and obtained incorporation, as, for i'll
| stance. the Young Mems Benevolent Associa-
| ton for Mutual Benefit and Not Profit Under
| these delusive cOlors they were enabled to
| sembie and drink and In some instances gam
| ble) without let or hindrance from the law
| Its officers. This Is cheat and should be
| strangled at the earliest opportunity. In dis
| cussing this point It has been said that such
provision in the law would require all the
higher clubs of the city as well as the less fas-
tIdIOuS associations to have n license bar
rooms. Why shouldn't all persons engaged i'll
| the same business pay the amount of
revenue! Wherever liquor IL sold III this Dis
! trICt, whether for profit or simple reimburse
ment. "a license should be required without re-
gard to any other thought than consistency
and equal treatment of citizens. / don't see
any amellOratIOn IN the fact that drunkard is
made or encouraged III his course 1T II place
costing @lOO.C0 instead OF at one costing Sl00
Equality is equity.
ALrERSATIvE PUSISHMESTs.
Sections t. D. + and in this proposed law are
to take the place OF section OF that proposed by
the majority of the board Section of the
| board bill proposes imprisonment only upon
falure to pay the minimum or maxi
mum. This alternative and only possible I'M
prIsonment for a second offellse fear will not
afford that terror to evIl-dOcrs that civilized
society has right to threaten and impose in
self defense. There Is IL large financial back
ing III this, as Ill other cities, to the retail
dealer in liquors. Cases of the purchase of
properties up i'll the thousands have occurred
here simply to get an additional signature to
| enable the retailer to comply with the provi-
sion OF the law requiring IL majority of the
owners and residents on the street to sign the
application. The court will always be piled
with considerations OF sympathy for the wife
and children &c, until the smallest fine is in
tilcted and then the associated wealth back of
the offender will step III to add enough
TO free him. There Is a well-known
case III the city where man has persist
emily and detiantly sold liquor withouta license
for some six years, the Commissioners and police
powerless to stop him. He has been fined.
with great difficulty to proof always
some $500 or $500. he and his friends
bOastIng, | understand, that for every : Of
tine paid he has made &c i'll the business He
Is selling, the police say, today still in defiance
OF law. Had this man been sent to Jail FOX Que
year for the second offense instead of being
allowed to pay the second 300 he would have
dropped the business at the end of his term as
unhealthy. 1t is shameful scandal that such
things are possible and actual i'll the capital OF
the nation. With provisions making imprison-
ment imperative for the second Otiense and the
others IN these bills as TO inspection. great
reform II Is hoped and believed can be effected.
ABETTING VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW
Section of the individual bill proposes to
punish lightly any person who aids or abets
violations of the law. This is also necessary, l
think. A number of cases have come under nv
attention during the last year where parties
having bar rooms and DESTROYS OF selling on
Sunday have kept watchmen, either on the
pavement or inside of halls or alleys to notify
the proprietor OF the approach Of an officer
These tools should be ground when caught
This provision Is not Ill the board bill, but it's
propriety Is obvious to me. Section is also
deemed OF decided Importance. 1t proposes to
deal with the delinquent or dishonest official
| While the police force of this District has al
ways had an enviable reputation for efficiency
and good department, still. like other branches
of the civil or military authority there will be
an occasional black sheep aud make bother.
While severe penalties should be threatened
the man who stands inside of the bar it is of
Importance to promise some of the same
Treatment to the man who stands on
the other side in case of failure to do his dutv
1t requires good deal of help to resist the in
| tluences of kin, friendship or free lunches in
| the prompt and impartial discharge Of police
or other duties The Commissioners have 10
| rely very largely on the reports OF the police
| for their guidance In determining the propriety
| OF granting licenses and they should have the
| beueht OF just such Il provision as section
| proposes to help them i'll the matter A help
! ful persuasive power would result from this
provision. In the third paragraph of section
5 OF the individual bill the following words
will be found. and pool selling. &c" Under
/ a decision of the supreme court OF MARYLAND
| pool selling In horse races, &c, has not been
! judlcitlly considered gambling i'll this Dis
| trlct L have always doubted the wisdom of
this decision and find upon examination that
| the contrary doctrine has been held by thir-
teen OF the supreme courts OF the several
| states as follows: 81 Michigan. 2O3; l2O. Nassa-
| chusetts. 21l; queens bench. l.. Il. g. England:
| ;. Lea (IeuueSseeD, All; 80, Kentucky. GlS; %
| Illinois. 1913; 81. Illinois, 1si; Is Name 337:
! u. Minnesota, 2YJ; 3d. Arkansas, AS, and Jl
Michigan
| POOL SELLING.
1t seems absurd to have to prove that pool
|
| this instance. While am writing these lines
/ poor fellow driven TO despair and drink by
! the loss Of a fortune in pool rooms | am toid)
J lies at death door by his own hand And an
/ other drunken wretch Is wanted Tor the prob
| able killing OF one of his own race who gal
! lantly sought to woman from death
| under his drunken fury. These things hap
| penlng So often in the District call for early
| and severe remedies.
| In section 10 Of the individual bill will be
| found the following provision. aud it seems to
| he very desirable Nor shall any license" &c
| SELLING LIQUOR ~ THEArERs
| L have yet to hear an argument that shows
the necessity of liquor at theater or other
! place OF amusement or in its inme diate vicinity
And the fact that all such places are largely at
! tended by young people would argue irresist-
| IDLY that liquor should be kept away instead Of
| being made conveniently tempting The
| practice OF carrying liquors about through an
| audience Is a premium on drunk enuess and vio-
| lent crimes. No license should desynedlv in
| crease the already numerous opportunities and
| temptations To drink. This provision AS all
Others in the individual bill has been drawn
from approved sources of state legislation 1t
| may be proper to say that our discussions and
1 differences. Whatever they have been or are,
/ were and are the result of earnest and anxious
/ desire 10 improve the system of liquor selling
/ IL the District, now impotent for the safety
/ OF life and the well being of families II has
| been my duty to have primary charge of the