Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-09

Views of Citizens on the Bills Now Pend
ing.

"Mr. Perry IN his views expressed on the
liquor question in Thursdays EVENING STAR
said Mr.. VIM. Clifford, who keeps a restaurant
on the 7th stree. road. To STAR reporter. .'de-
nomiuates all saIoo'' tue It'll street road be-
tween the Boz " and rock Creek Church
road as 'lor rroggeries,' l,fails TO define low
groggerv. II is admi.le that there not to
be found many .vnman House bars or saloons
as luxuriousiy appointed in this section, but
there are many orderly and well-conducted
places there. whose proprietors exercise every
care. and with rs much or more success, TO
preserve good order, do the more wealthy
saloon keepers in the fashionable and business
sections OF the CITY.
'Ir calling all saloons on 7th street road low
groggeries. it seems to be the impression that
unless saloon is fitted up with fine mirrors,
with wallis adorned by artistic paintings of at
least questionable morality and these Injuries
surmounted by onyx-adorned bar over
which can be purchased not only the liquors of
this country production, but the body and mind
destroying beverages Of Europe it is a low
groggery. 1t is true that there are no saloons
such as these in this section, nor do they cater
there to the class Of trade usually patronizing
restaurants of this character. The patrons
OF these low groggeries are men in
humble stations of life, but because Of this
there is no logical reason WHY they
should not occasionally indulge themselves rs
do their more fortunate and richer fellow men.
They are unable to pay for these Inducements;
they do not expect them nor do they get them.
few persons animated by fsnatical fury
have endeavored to secure prohibition through
out the District. Congress, composed Of men
who have seen the effects of such legislation,
would not listen to them, but to appease them
in measure and thereby escape further impor-
tunities, and at the same time not ubject them
selves to its effects, passed a law to prevent the
lawful sale of liquor within a mile of Soldiers
Home on the plea that the old soldiers should
hava Tar otoftn R,x i thara x,vlx
or reason why poor old soldier in his latter
days may not occasionally enjoy his drink, SIM
ply because he WAS a private who has suffered
the real hardships of war; its wants and priva-
tions, and had expressed to all its dangers and
perils in the ranks. while the general or COM
mitsioned officers may indulge their appetites In
gilded saloons and with no one TO find fault.
The government should not class the men who
served it ~ inebriates simply because they were
privates.
Now q word as to high license and the pre-
vention of the lawful sale of liquor within what
is known az the mile limit. No one supposes
for moment that either viii prevent the sale
Of liquor. They will prevent its sale
lawfully and at places which the
authorities can exercise proper super
vision. In the place of licensed saloons. and
high license will result in preventing many
from obtaining license, many speak easys will
necessarily open. Give us a license law fair
to the keepers Of saloons who conduct their
places in an orderly manner Make as q criter
ion OF mans responsibility to keep .
saloon the manner in which he conducts it,
and not the profit he derives from it. law
such as this, rightly enforced, will soon raise
the character Of low groggeries,' though per-
haps not their attractiveness, and herein will be
found the only practical solution of a difficult
and over -agitated question"
Mr.. SIMON VOLTS OPINIONS
SIN answer to your question as to my opinion
in regard to the bills now pending in Congress
for the regulation of the liquor traffic." said
MIR. Simon Wolf to a STAR reporter, II beg
leave to say that have for the last TWENTY-FIVE
pressed my views SO thoroughly that l scarcely
see the necessity for repeating them;
yet a new generation springs up every few
years, will simply state that what this Dis
trict wants is a law that cannot only be en-
forced, but one that will be respected, law
that is uniform in its application and law that
is based upon the evolution of public sentiment
in regard to the liquor traffic and the conse-
quences resulting therefrom.
'There is medium ground upon which all
men of sober, conservative judgment can and
should stand The fanatic on the one hand and
the lawless on the other should be absolutely
tabooed, ard the citizens who are looking to the
welfare and prosperity of the nations capital,
their wishes only should be regarded as para
mount and OF importance. We must look
upon all things existing as having an aim
and purpose; vice. and immortality can
never be abolished by legislation. They can
only be regulated. and by judicious treatment
softened and ameliorated. From the earliest
period up to the present, men, and even women,
have used intoxicants in some form or other,
and they will continue to do SO until the end of
time, and every attempt wherever made that
looks to the total abolition thereof only
strengthens the vice in manner producing
more disaster than what existed before
In other words, prohbitivs legislation leads to
hypocrisy and to secret drunkenness, and rele-
gates the saloon into secret places and to the
home circle. Therefore let US have a rational,
sensible business law.
81. Let it be recognized as any other bust
ness which is legally conducted. Let the ap-
plicant, having secured the consent of a ma
jority of the residents and owners on the
square in which he Is to do the business, file his
application and thereafter annually receive as
renewal of said license, provided he has not
violated law within the period for which
his license has been issued. And to enforce
this measure moro strictly, let the fact
of violation be communicated to the assessor,
who shall be inhibited from receiving the
money for a renewal of the license until the
question, if the case is pending in court, shall
be determined as to the innocence Of the party
accused Then when majority of the persons
wish to relieve themselves of what they may con-
slider a nuisance or an annoyance. all they have to
do Is to file their protest at the Commission
ers office against the reissulng of license in
their square There is no reason in the world
why the citizens should not be made to bear
part Of the burden instead OF throwing the
whole onus on the individual who is to do the
business and who pays license fee into the
public treasury.
so. Confine the business as much as possible
in the localities where commerce and trade exists
and in such localities where the more degraded
portion of the community naturally drift. This
latter sentiment may seem harsh and wound
the feelings Of the hypercritical, but vice and
immortality can be better controlled in the
haunts frequented by its votares than if per-
mitted to overflow every portion of the COM
muuity. Every city in Europe today limits
the number Of licensed places; even in Berlin
there are strong regulations in regard to the
number Of places. and there is no reason why
the law should not limit to a certain extent the
number Of places in this city.
"Again. no license should be issued to any
except those who are citizens OF the United
States or such who have made application
therefor.
Again, as it has been claimed, and very
Justly no doubt, that the number OF whole
salers existing in this city is simply mask for
doing retail business, the license should be uni
form. The drug stores also have been accused
how justly l do not know, that they. having
the privilege of selling liquor by a doctors pre-
scription, are doing great deal of retail bust
ness Therefore where such permission is
given q drug store there is no reason why they
should not pay a license, for they can easily es-
cape their tax by not selling.