Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-01
THE SALOON LICENSE LIMIT.
Commissioner Ross Ii Opposed to the
Arbitrary Four Hundred Rule.

The Commissioner rule limiting the num-
Der OF retail licenses to be issued this year to
ADO received black eye this morning at the
hands OF Commissioner Ross, who, in an inter-
view with \ STAR reporter, said:
II have very carefully considered the ques-
ton with regard to an arbitrary limitation
upon the number of saloon licenses to be
Issued for the coming license year. As l un-
derstand the order agreed to by Commissioners
Douglass and Hine it is intended to limit the
number of licenses to be issued to
400, reducing the humber from 693,
issued last year. l am heartily in ia
vor of avoiding in every possible way the evils
which grow out OF the liquor traffic, but the
great doubt in my mind is with regard to the
proper mode of accomplishing that much to be
desired result. In the first place l can see no
equitable mode by which this arbitrary
rule can be enforced. 1t will require
discrimination between men who have long
been dealers in the city without any Sasls
upon which one shall be selected and the other
rejected; 1t will tend to give q preference to
those who can bring to bear the strongest in
duence and it may lead to unjust criticism OF
the actions Of the Commissioners in designat-
ing the favored few. 1t seems to me that the
better way would be to let each individual case
stand upon its merits, rejecting all who
arc not citizens of the United States,
all unworthy applicants, all who have
maintained disreputable places and all who
have violated the law in the hope that thereby
| the number of saloons may be materially de-
creased. When place Is designated as a
saloon and is licensed. il is under the surveii-
lance of the police and it is within the power
| OF the authorities to have IL carefully watched
| If the number of saloons be suddenly de-
creased the result may be that the number o. I'M
licensed places where liquor is sold would be
vastly increased and that there would be'a
greater temptation to proprietors of drug
| stores to sell without license. Another and
very great objection to the proposed plan
would be this: The select four hundred would.
without paying any additional license, have q
monopoly of the eutire traffic in the Dis
trict Of Columbia; four hundred saloons would
| enjoy the patronage to a very large extern
which has heretofore been given to nearly 700,
and this fact would of itself increase their
profits enormously. In view OF all these facts
| 1t seems to me that for the time being and
until Congress shall act the better way would
be to reduce, the number for cause and
! to urge upon Congress to enact a
high-license System at the earliest
| practicable moment whereby the District
would obtain increased revenues and at the
same time the number of saloons would be
| lessened. Under that high-license system all
| who obtain licenses would have the strongest
| incentives to aid the authorities in discovering
and Furnishing unlicensed vendor"
WHAT COMMISSIONER DOUGLASS SAYS.
Commissioner Douglass was found at his
| desk busly engaged in signing checks. He
stopped long enough, however, to say:
"Horace Gree,ey used to say that the way to
resume, is to resume, and John Sherman found
| that the great editor was right. j believe that
| the way to reduce the sale OF intoXicants is to
limit the number OF places where they
are sold. And that can only be
done by an absolute iron rule The moment
you leave the gate open you are piled with all
sorts OF influences TO allow Just this one The
real estate man comes then the wholesale
dealer and the brewer, then the friends of the
applicant, until the final array Of good citizens,
! men OF wealth and influence. almost over
! wheims YOU. know that cutting off between
| three or four hundred retail dealers means
great deal of trouble for them to secure
other employment But / also know that the
sales of liquor at many of these places will
mean a great deal of trouble for the men and
| families of those who drink too much. If
the balance of misfortune could be ex-
| actly struck think my list would show more
murder, more poverty, more graves and
more public expense than the other. But
| shall go ahead and examine in the first instance,
rs did last year, all licenses on their indi-
| viduai records ana report TO my brother Com
missioners as heretofore. When the 400 limit
Is reached then l may halt and look over the
field before another advance"
NO NEW PLACES TO BE LICENSED.
| 1t seems that the Commissioners, however
will do all in their power TO reduce the number
of saloons in the city. In the liquor reGu-
lations last year there was clause prohibiting
the issuance of license to a a new place
! Nevertheless there were several new places
| licensed. The Commissioners have put q
stricter construction on the law this year and
| today directed the Gsscssor not to receive any
new applications. Several have already been
admitted and steps will be taken at once to
have the money in each case returned.