The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-18
ENTERS A NEW FIELD.
Statesman Considine Stirs Up
the Spokane Council.
FIGHTING FOR THsATeR LICENSE
He Claims He Inspired Ordinances In
Seattle Against Variety Theatres
His Record Here.

Democratic. sorces n tie FIRST ward IS
stsli fresh n TIE mines OF al RESIDENTS
of the variety dzss-sc-. Is n0w posing IN
Spokane as an injured 5xSnpcenx- He de-
sires to secure q license for a variety
theaesr .s1e-e. 20 be run. presumably, On
the same plan as the old Peoples -1saeer.
AMI "a Urging his claims before the city
couzscil sakes the bail by the horHss
speaks In his usual diplomatic manner
and. in the face OF strong opposition.
scores q point. although ne has not Sc
cured his license.
Il does not require a vivid Imagination.
% picture the Democrats war horse who
used TO manipulate t.1e FIRST ward prsra-
aries sanding n the Spokane couucA
chamber, cad IN fine fitting clothes a
massive diamond IN his immaculate shirt
front. high collar that fits closely
around his pug21stic neck and a ''czfs OF
gum between MS determined Jaws IL
there IS one thing that gives the states
man character !. IS his ,gn.er jaw. When
he sets that jaw ne Is as hard 10 move as
an iron pest. He has evidently got his
mind set ON running q show in Spokane.
and may teach the council some Of the
tricks ne learned IN Chicago politics.
The Spokane Spokesman Review. in
telling OF the meeting al whsrfl Cozlsa-
dine made his little speech, says that
CoursciiGran Cooper stated that a COM
nsz ttee had reported unfayorably on Con-
ssasne's license because It had been In
formed BY numerous letters from Seattle
that Considane had always run a very dis
orderly house. and that Commissioner
Kizer. after interviewing Mayor Phelps
and Chief OF Police Rogers. had report
al that IS was undesirable thar ne ssUald
conduct q variety theater in Spokane.
1t appears that Conssdine has already
opened his place and is a tenant OF Dutch
Jake ard Harry Bser. two wen-known
characters in Spokane. Each OF these
men cllampioned CorIsiaine's cause be-
fore the council and sad that il was 10
be- expested that Cnnsidlne wosiid mako
enemies IN Seattle. where he took an ae-
tive part in politics.
Just then the sport began, for one OF
the counciimen toiis Considine that he aad
been Violating city ordinances ever since
he opened his place.
Maybe We have" responded Consi-
dine, but so have the other varieties"
The police have put minors out OF
your house every night since you opened"
We'll, / suppose they have. My em-
ployes have put them out every night
too. can't keep a man at every door
10 see they don't go In. Every man in
my employ has orders to put them out
as soon as they see them. My place
amt the only place minors so into though
the police don't seem to bottle, them in
the osher shows"
well. am In favor OF running these
theaters much closer. The police have
been letting things go too easy.
John Consiaine. Harry Baer and Dutch
Jake all answered together, You can't
run them too close for US
John Conssdina maie a long statement
OF his difficulties with the city authori-
ties in Seattle. ending by saying that
the ordinance closing UP all variety thea
tiers had been drawn up by himself and
passed by the city council at his request,
as the executive officers Of the city. who
were Republicans, were compelling him
70 pay a license of sl.OOo a year while
Ills Republican competitors paid nothing
and were not molested.
Consifine did not tell the whole story
nor credit himself with the legislation
that he actually had a hand In putting
through.
Every one in the variety district kiasws
something OF the bitter feeling Cousidine
had for the people who were running
dance halls. He often said that IL was
unjust for him to pay $1,000 year IL
cense when the dance houses Were run
ming on the same general plan and pay
ing only n small revenue TO the city. lie
was anxious 10 get affairs arranged to
suit him and in that connection did set
az ordinance through the council which
was aimed at the dance halls and there
by in favor of his variety theater. The
ordinance did not work well, and, when
the present administration came into
power, it was decided 10 exterm.nate
dance halls and variety theaters. Consi-
dine had about as much to do with the
acts OF the present mayor as he had to
do with his election. Under the previous
administration IL was a notorious fact
that be had a crap game running IN a
side room of his theater many weeks.
The police made spasmo{ifc attempts TO
close him down but the game went on
just the same
On the evening AZ May - Mayor Phelps
city council calling attention 10 the fact
that the city was licensing saloons, thea
rers an9 places OF public resort which
were frequented BY minors and iewd wo-
men ana where women solicited on com-
mission the sale 81 Intoxicating liquors.
TIE uhep referred 20 she practice OF per-
sons licensed 10 sell liquor conducting
gambling games. In closing be recon-
men&ed that an ordinance be passed re-
voklng tie licenses OF theaterS or other
Places OF amusement connected with a
saloon and prohibiting the granting OF H.
censes 20 xs,ch PLACES in the future. An
act aas Immediately passed covering the
Recommendations and before Ioag Chief
OF Police Rogers Was after the Peoples
taeater. According 20 Statesman Conss-
saiae's pFea before the city council AZ Sfo-
kane. he was responsible for all this leg
ss!atsou. Perhaps ne was 20 the extent
that he tria 70 ciose up the dance halls
80 turn revenue into hts theater and In
80 doing ove~shot the mark and preeipi-
sateH legislation thAt c!a@sst every theafes
OF Tow degree ami dance bail IN the city.
bur fe sid rot Iegsziase himself ont 81
business. Instead OF 50 doing he Tough;
tie cs,y tooth ard nail when IL tried 70
close h@s place, took ss1e matter Into che
superior court. bnt OF course vas beaten
81 the end
rs.t Consi8ine waS no worse thaa other
men engaged Ia fFss variety tscafsr S7si-
re1s with Saioon attachments MARI rob
berries xss-e reported as havia- taken lecs
IN hsz fhsater. Some % ihese reports
we're undoubtedly untrue, bss no enc 40
GRANTED al al with the women who