Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-14

The House Of Representatives has passed q
bill which will, IL it becomes law. control the
sale Of liquors within the District in . manner
that will be measursbly satisfactory to the
diverse interests which have for some time past
been cIamoring for relief from the present IN
comfortable and uncivilized conditions. As ii
was finally disposed Of by the House the
msas-re is more nearly high-hcense bill than
any Of the legislative propositions which have
been considered in that branch Of Congress
during the present session and by amendments
which were offered yesterday the regulations were
considerably but not unressonably stiffened.
These amendments we're offered by the repre-
sentatives who ever watchful in behalf Of
the principle Of total abstinence-Pre.ident
Dingley of the Congressional Temperance
Society. Morse OF Massachusetts, Picker
Of South Dakota and J. d. Taylor Of Ohio
but 20 reasonable were they that they met with
only slight opposition from those who are
active in their advocacy OF the legal and other
rights Of liquor dealers. II was the Judgment
OF the House that applications for license
should not be considered when it is shown that
after the passage Of the present bill the appli-
cant has violated either liquor or anti-gambling
laws, and after lengthy debate il was agreed
that the license fees should be exalted con-
siderably. The bill, which practically that
introduced and supported by Representative
Timothy J. Campbell, had fixed the value OF a
wholesale license at $50 and bar room license
ut s250, but when the House got through with
that section the fees were respectively $3.50 and
s4OO. Then the penalties for selling liquor
without license were raised The District COM
mittee thought that fine which ranged from $3.50
10 $500 would be all right, but in view Of the
fact that the value Of licenses had moved up
ward the maximum penalty was placed at $500.
ProprietOrs Of licenses who violate any provis-
ions of license law can be punished by fines Of
not less than ESQ nor more than s201 and
should the fine be unpaid there may be i'm
prisonment for one month. A second conyic-
ton in any case would forfeit the license in
volved. 1t was also decided to continue the
oue-Ilile no-saloon limit around the Soldiers
Home-a conclusion which, with all due respect
to Gen Kelton. was eminently wise, and one in
which the community will surely concur.
OF course, nothing came Of Representative
Pickler's effort to prevent the sale Of liquor in
the District on the Fourth of March, in spite of
the fact that his endeavOr was vigorous and to
some extent logical There has never been any
great disorder here on such an occasion and the
number Of drunken people has always been in
significant 1t looked for little while rs
though the South D2kotan had score a point
when he called attention TO the fact that Con-
gress had but a few days before appropriated
money to be used in the preservation Of order.
snd yet 1t would not aid in the work by closing
the saloons. The extra officers, however, are
not needed to prevent intoxication; their ener-
eies will be devoted TO keeping the avenue and
other highways clear Of distractions while the
great parade is on and to the detection of those
pickpockets who are always TO be found in
multitude. Washington knows how to behave
itself and viii undoubtedly do so.
There need be no friction between the sup
porters Of this measure and those who secured
the insertion of the Eunton license amend
ment in the District appropriation bill, and
there ought not to be any objection to the
enactment Of both The appropriation bill
vill surely go through. and if the license sec
ton is undisturbed then the local treasury and
local morality will have reasonable safeguard,
but should that section be stricken out, and
then in the confusion and rush which always
marks the decease Of Congress. this House bill
fails to pass the Senate, the National Capital
would be in serious danger of losing much Of its
good name. III the measure which is now on its
way to the northern end Of the Capitol does
become law. ii has within it provision that
would repeal the Hunton amendment to the
appropriation bill. Let Us hold on to the
plank until the steamboat comes along. And
now let the Senate attend to its share of the
work which must vet be done, and done
speedily. and for the result the District OF
Columbia will be truly thankful