The morning times., 1896-12-11
House Prohibits Liquor Sa 'es
at the Capitol.
Bill to Regulate the Liquor Traffic
in the District of Columbia
Defeated by an
Error.

/
yesterday, and Mr.. Morse had things his
own way. Members were not disposed TO
take the risk of antagonizing the bills he
| brought forward.
In short order he secured the passage
of the measure introduced last March by
| Mr.. Little OF Arkansas, forbidding the
| sale of intoxicants in the Capitol or on its
| grounds He later called up the amend
| Inent to the act regulating the sale of
| liquor i'll the District and apparently, but
| for an accident, would have got that
| through, also.
The other measures passed were to amend
| the copyright law so as to make 1t
| criminal offenSe tn present play without
the consent of the author
| After the passage at arms between Mr.,
Flynn and Mr Bell over the doctrines and
character Of the Populist party, several
| routine matters were given attention.
Then Mr Draper reported fayorahly the
| copyright amendment He pointed out
| the necessity of such law and read q
| long list OF names OF actors, actresses and
theatrical manager who had joined i'll the
petition for the passage or the act.
| PROVISIONS OF THE ACT.
The bill makes it punishable with one
| years imprisonment to give for profit an
unlawful performance of a copyright play.
Any performance is unlawful which has
not the consent OF the author
Suit for damages is also allowed and
a writ OF injunction issued in one Federal
district is made effective III any other.
| Opposition was made on the score that
| such copyrighted articles often pre-
sented at Il charitable or church concert
and persons who were really giving their
time and talent to some benevolent pur-
| p'se iu's'ic i.dJic - l.'r.,e,,4urun
under 1t.
Mr. Hulick offered an amendment eX
cepting church and benevolent concerts
| but it was opposed by Messrs Quigg, Cum
! mings, Cooper, and others, and was de-
| feated An amendment making the sale
| of the pla Y In book stores and music stores
"a sufficient grant of consent by the author
was also defeated after short debate
! Mr. Lacey made a point OF no quorum
| against the bill but when its adyoC ates
! indicated an intention to fight ii out III ii
took all night lie withdrew his objection.
Mr. Morse then called up the amendment
| to the District liquor license law. He
said ii was in no sense prohibitory. The
existing law had many defects and the
changes proposed were such, in the main,
as are approved by the Commissioners as
( necessary TO remedy the faults of the pres
emt law.
The committee on alcoholic liquor traf-
fic was made up, he said, of all shades OF
opinion in regard to the liquor traffic
ana uney nau passed. on 1t anu authorized
a favorable report.
DEFECTS IN THE LAW
he pointed out as one Of the defects of
The existing la " the fac, that 1t allows I,
, brewer To keep bar at his brewery with
out license or control of any kind On this
pom, he sent To the clerk and mad read the
statement from the Commissioners recent
4 | ~ published in The Times.
Mr. Pow ers, as thcmotion for the previou:
10 question was about to be put, suggested
/ an amendment.
II hope il is not prohbitory,' said Mr.
y | Morse. There is nothing i'll this bin any
! one ought to object to, and | want il
TO pass
II think it is not prohibitory,' was th'
reply.
The amendment was read by the clerk
\ II provided that no person nor his agen
| should sell or give TO any other persoI
i'll the District any intoxicating drink, eS
cept at his own dwelling. The penalt,
was fixed at 500 FOR the first offense
$50 and sixty days in Jail for the second
- and S10o anG one year in jail for the third
Ii was to take effect from it passage.
rs it your object" asked Mr.. Hopkins
to allow Il man To make a saloon out o
/ his private residenCe?'
To DRINK At HOME.
Not at ap. It is only the purpose t
! give any citizen chance to have liquo
|
the gentleman from Illinois when l drey
! the amendment. felt sure his needs woul
: require some such provision
: II have not" replied Mr.. Hopkin.
= followed the example Of the gentlcma
!, from Vermont, either in giving liquor {
- my friends at my home or i'll selling i
" 1t looks To me that this amendment wouI
allow the establishment OF saloons at vi
:, wherever a citizen owned his home
- Il think the amendment cannot be NEAR
j.. seriously interpused Mr.. Morse, Il hoI
= it Will he Withdrawn and the act allUwe
u TO pass
q The gentleman has several times r
=, marked that his bill is not prohibitory
~ ~ rejoined Mr.. Powers. That is exactly I'll
fault | have tO find with it. Where
live, as where the gentleman himse
- lives, as we'll as elsewhere in one scctu
- there is n controlling sentiment in fave
" of prohibition.
= with this traffic, is to crush ii cut el
J. tirely."
n IF | can't get a whole loaf" was I'll
~; te answer, Il VIII take half. If We canno
VI VI prohibit the sale OF liquor l am in fave
u of preventing its sale by mirrors ana w
men. and the free use of hrcweries as b;
u. rooms
n DEFEATED BY AN ERROR.
III Mr.. Powers amendment was defeated /
20 to 15, and it was al out to he decla r,
he passed when the Speaker observed tn;
ke there had been Inadvertently an error
le procedure which would leave out sever
be amendments.
IN When this had Eeen corrected and Il
ed bill was again put upon its passage, NJ
ff Mahoney made d point no quorum. Whe
no only lof members { ould be counted NJ
he Morse, VI on the suggestion of MIR. Dingle
moved an adj ournment until today. and Il
n House adjourned. The amendment W
lc- probably be taken up again today.
The bill amends the first section of I'll
or law so that brewers and distiilers cam.
of sell at their places liquors Tot to he drul
'n- on the premises 1t allows appeal of cue
mt tions Of law to the District supreme coul
The transfer Of 3 license by sa.oo
A. keeper who has been twice convicted und
he the law are forbidden. Witnesses are q
as prived of the right to refuse to anSw
questions because it might tend TO incriI
er mate them, but this is accompanied by
guarantee of immunity from prosecution