Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-04
THE LICENSE QUESTION.
The Attorney for the District Favors Patel
ing Up the Present Law.

VARIOUS VIEWS OF THE sITUAIIoS-MR. JAMES
l. BARBOUR rALEs-HE THINKS THE Az
NUAL RENEWAL OF PETITIONS SHOULD NOT
BE REouIREp-wHAr SOME wELL-KSowN
TEMPERANCE FOLKS SAY.
When STAR reporter today asked Mr.. Hazel
ton, the attorney for the District, for his opin-
ion respecting the liquor license question and
the pending Legislation, Mr.. Hazelton referred
the reporter to his annual report, lately sub
mitted to the District Commissioners. which he
assured the reporter fully set forth his opinion
in the matter. Mr.. Hazelton also referred the
reporter TO that paragraph in President Har-
rison's last ANNUAL message which comments
upon the District liquor question expressing
the views of the attorney for the District
1.-The Hunton bill. - said Mr.. Hazel.on. has
passed the Senate and is now pending in the
House committee on District affairs. COM
mended this bill to the Commissioners in my
late report. 1t restores the power of the Com
missioners heretofore existing in regulating the
sale OF liquor in the District of Columbia by
license. I think this the most available legisla-
ton now.
The Hunton bill referred to by Mr.. Hazelton
is the one reported by Mr.. Hunton July IA last
and which was drawn up, il is stated. by Mr..
Hazelton to repair the breach made in the Dis
case.
This bill provided q penalty of a fine for per-
sons engaged in business required under the
legislative act Of August %, 1871. to be
licensed without first having obtained license
therefor, and further declared that whenever
the approval of the Commissioners il required to
any application for license under existing law
under regulation adopted by said Commission
ers according to law, no person shall be deemed
to have such license until he or she shall have
obtained such approval" The purpose of the
bill to continue the present law and render
it effective.
REPRESENTATIVE MEREDITH SPEAKS OF HIS
BILL
Representative Meredith of Virginia, the
author Of one Of the prominent bills now pend
ing in the House District committee to regu-
late the liquor traffic, said today that he will
ask the District committee to give hearing on
his bill next Monday. Mr. Meredith thinks
that his bill combines features that will COM
mend IL to all parties at interest and that 1t will
provide n fair and reasonable law.
Il believe in fair play and justice to every
body said Mr.. Meredith to STAR reporter to-
day, land there is one feature Of my bill which
Is III the interest of fair play; | refer to the
clause which provides that dealer having once
obtained & license need not furnish every year
the signatures of the residents Of the block for
renewal unless complaint has been made
against them.
MANY liquor dealers have been systematic
ally backmailed by the residents OF the squares
where they do business, who refuse to sign the
dealers application for a renewal OF license I'M
less they favored, and in some instances
dealers have been compelled to furnish whisky
free all the year round to such people in order
to obtain their signatures.
The dealer. having obtained the permission
of the residents of the square to open a saloon.
should be permitted to continue it unless ma
jority of the residents desire his removal"
REPRESENTATIVE RICHARDSON BELIEVES IN