Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-09

1t was liquor day in the House District COM
mittee room today. portion of the commit
tee and number of citizens talked over the
bills before the committee in regard
to new liquor license law for the
District Among those present were
Commissioners Douglass and Ross and Messrs
Albert Shandy, Dumont, Dodge and Judge
Miller. The bill taken up today and the one
which is evidently, as far as choice can be
made, rather the favorite, was the second OF
the two bills drafted by the Commissioners
and the one which peculiarly carries out Mr..
Douglass views on the subject of liquor
licenses. Mr.. Douglass was prepared, there
of the other gentlemen were on
hand to attack and others merely
had suggestions to make. Commissioner
Ross said he was present M scholar, TO get as
much information as possible on the liquor
question. With this object in view Mr. Ross
was no doubt thoroughly satisfied. as the liquor
Information was Of a wide and varied charac-
ter.
THE BARTENDER BILL CONSIDERED.
The bill considered is known as HR lOO46.
The bill was taken up by the conference in
detail, section by section, and remarks. some
OF them rather pointed, too were made on
many of the sections.
The bill provides for a wholesale license of
$500 and a retail of 5000, and provides that
every place, including club houses and other
assoclatlons. where distilled. malt or fermcnted
liquors, wines or cordials are sold to be drunk
on the premises or in Quantities less than one
pint shall be regarded as bar room"
Tins latter section created some talk and no
doubt the clubs of the city will be heard from
IN this connection. Two-thirds of the owners
OF real estate and of the residents on the side
OF the square and on the side of the square OPP
posite must sign the application. Liquor
is not to be sold to any minor,
intoxicated person, habitual drunkard,
or inmate of Soldiers Home or on Sunday or
between IL midnight and o'clock a. IN. En-
gaging in business without license entails a
nne of $500 and on a second oifense like fine
and imprisonment from six months to one year.
Violating the act after having obtained license
brings fine Of from 800 to $500 and for a
second offense the same fine and imprisonment
from SIX months to one year and the revoking
Of tine license.
AS TO ITS ENFORCEMENT.
Section of the bill provides that if any po-
liceman or other peace officer Of the District of
Columbia shall wilifully neglect or refuse to
perform any duty required by laws regulat-
ing the sale of liquors, or license therefor.
in the District. he shall be deemed
guilty Of malfeasance in Office, and shall be
thereafter disqualified from holding the same
government of said District for the next ens,i-
ing five years after his conviction.
In regard to this section Judge Miller sug-
Sested that it might cause officers TO neglect
other important matters in order to look after
violations of the license law.
BY the bill licenses are not to be issued
within 400 feet of any public school, nor to any
person convicted of having violated the act,
nor to any premises where the gambling laws
have been yiolated-and in this respect pool
selling OH horse races or base ball are to be con-
sidercd gambling-nor to any bawdy house.
No employe of the District is to receive a
license and girls are not to be employed in dis
tributing drinks, nor is any license to be
granted to any applicant who is the proprietor,
lessee, keeper. or manager OF any theater,
circus, museum, or other place of amusement.
or where there is a passage or communication
with the house and theater, &c.
THE DISTRICT FOUR HUNDRED.
Section l6 Of the bill provides that after No
vembcr 1, 1890, no more than 400 licenses shall
be issued.
Mr.. Albert objected strenuously to the Sec
ton in regard to theatcrs. He represented the
Globe Theater and said that license had been
refused that place on the testimony of one pO-
liceman. Mr.. Douglass denied this and said a
long investigation of the case had been made.
The committee. OF course did not reach any
conclusion today ON the liquor question. II
seems certain, however. that some license bill
will be reported this session. How near it will
be to the bill discussed today il a matter
foa guessing. 1t will undoubtedly contain
many of the above provisions. The committee
itself is somewhat divided on the question.
Mr.. Grout believes in prohibition for the Dis
trict, but if this cannot be obtained he is will
ing to get what he can.
Other members are Of the opinion that the
bill considered is altogether too stringent in
its provisions. The only thing certain in the
-, hot licaD .lo ~
will be reported.