Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-16
THE DISTRICT LICENSE BILL.
Some Of the Debate in the Senate When
Was Acted Upon.


Was Acted Upon.
The Senate yesterday afternoon passed the
bill already printed in TEE STAR coming from
Mr.. Hunton in regard to licenses in the Dis
trict. In calling the bill up Mr.. Huuton said
''The necessity for the bill is very great, and
without it the revenues of the District which
ought to arise from the granting Of licenses to
sell liquor will be lost, because the courts have
decided that under the law to which this is an
amendment all a person desiring license to
sell whisky or other spirituous liquors has to do
is to pay or tender the amount assessed
A short discussion followed on the question
Of the power to remit penalties under the act.
REMISSION OF PENALTIES.
Mr.. Palmer, in this connection, said: I
think in system like this there ought to be
some provision which would entitle party,
after he had suffered imprisonment to some ex-
tent, and upon proof of his insolvency, to a dis
charge.
Take case where fine of s10 is imposed by
the court upon party for failing to take out
license for peddling and the man is absolutely
insolvent. The penalty may be a years i'm
prisonment Now, ought not such statute
provide that after the party had suffered for his
delinquency he should not DO punished for his
poverty, but should be entitled to discharge
AFTER suffering; or, as in some states, that he
should be imprisoned and entitled to a remis-
sion of a portion of the penalty for each day
OF imprisonment 81 a day, or IS a day. or some
other sum? A man ought not TO be kept in jail
simply because he is poor. He ought to be
kept in Jail only for crime, and poverty is not
crime to justify his detention.
In Illinois parties under certain circumstances
are allowed, where they are Imprisoned. to be
credited with Il specific sum for each day Of
imprisonment, SO that after a number of days
there is q prospect of deliverance Of such in
solvent party. / submit that such a provision
ought to be inserted in this bill.
Mr.. Perkins said: II the Senator from Illinois
will permit suggestion will cali bis attention
to the fact that during this session we have
passed bill giving to the Commissioners the
power Of which he speaks. 1t is a general bill
entirely applicable to the provisions Of this
act and applicable to the provisions generally
of the statutes here governing crime in the
District of Columbia. I think the Senator
from Illinois will, upon reflection, admit that
each criminal statute that may be found upon
the statute book Of Illinois does not carry a
proyiso Of the character he suggests, but there
is n general power granted to the governor to
grant pardons or that there is a power granted
to the commissioners or the local tribunals to
discharge from Jail. That, however, is a gen.
eral provision, and so we have here a general
law giving TO the Commissioners in this Dis
trict the power to grant pardons or to relieve
from confinement in such cases as have been
suggested by the Senator.
Mr.. Palmer replied have but to add that
offenses against police regulations are merely
statutory and do not always imply moral turpi-
tude. Such otfenses presuppose some degree
of guilt, and We have, ideally at least, some APP
propriate punishment which ought to be re-
garded an atonemcnt for the crime. After
that time the party becomes mere debtor and
any imprisonment which extends beyond that
point, the ideal point suggested, is a mere i'm
prisonment for debt, a Mere Imprisonment be-
cause the man can not pay. l should not be
willing to vote for any bill which did not in
itself or which did not become part of sys-
tenn Of laws. which would provide that party
after enduring certain punishment should be
entitled to discharge when there remains moth
ing against him but his poverty.
The Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Faulk-
ner) furnishes q satisfactory answer as to one of
the points that the board of Commissioners
have the power to remit That meets one diff
Guilty. 1 shall not press the other, but suggest
1t MS humane provision which ought to find
place in every system Of law.
The bill was then passed.