The morning times., 1896-06-06
FOR 1 CHARTER
Ant;-SaIOon League Disagrees
With Attorney Thomas.
WANTS NO UNUSUAL POWER
Officers of the Organization Argue
Before the Com missiOners for Their
Desired IncorpOratiOn-They Claim
1t Conflicts With No Law and lis
IA Moral Advance.

In their argument before the Commits
sicners yesterday in support OF the hill
To Incorporate the Anti-SalooD League, as
mentioned in the Evening Times, the rep
resentatives of that organization took is
sue with Attorney Thomas i'll the views he
expressed OF the measure i'll recent
opinion. The speakers were James L.
Ewln, president of the league; and At
torneys A. l.. Shoemaker and Andrew
Wilson.
Mr. Ewn Contended that the act Of
Incorporation is maDifestly free from any
bearing whatever on the provisions of the
existing excise law. The objection to
the suggestion of Attorney Thomas thai
the league can organize under the general
law is that no such Incorporation would
authorize the organization TO prosecute
licensed places for selling liquor oD Sunday
or selling to minors, and that, Mr.. Ewin
said, is the kind of power we want.
A comparison was made which showed
that the proposed enactment is III many
respects almost identical with a law now
Ill 1urce in Connecticut, and The statement
was added that New Jersey and other
States have similar statutes.
IL was also claimed that one of the pro-
visions of the act of Incorporation is based
on section 10 of the present District law.
NO UNUSUAL POWERS ASKED.
Mr. Ewin insisted that DO extraordinary
powers were asked for nor desired, and
Mr. Thomas declaration that certain pro-
visions i'll the proposed law are as unusual
as unnecessary was met by the sarcastic
statement that although unusual here,
they are not without precedent, and we
are advised that the provisions have
counterparls in the laws of the States"
Mr.. Thomas was referred 10 as "oniy
one" Individual, and it is not supposed, Mr..
! wi Cai hnf hn Atx-ill In in
forever -
Attorney 4. +. Shoemaker. who followed
Mr. Ewin, said there is nothing eXtraordin-
airy in the legislation proposed. The only
object sought by the league is TO assist IN
| the execution of the law.
LAS II is now, - he said, tile information
furnished TO Mr.. Thomas in support OF au
| application for warrant must he salts
| factory to him, otherwise the application IS
! refused.
VAGUE LEGAL POINTS.
There are POINTS OF the law - Mr.. Shoe
! maker continued, upon which many good
| lawyers differ with Mr.. Thomas. His con.
! StfUcuou of the four hu ndred foot limit
! is not in accordance with he views of many
/ others, and he cannot he expected TO issue
! a warrant when his convictions are that
! there IS no violation
Mr.. Shoemaker then declared that man
]
J be prosecuted, and then stated as the be.
| lief If the league that IA nan who estab-
! fishes bar within four hundred feet Of
/ church. even under the protection of a
! hotel privilege, is going contrary TO the
| law.
There are points, he said, upon which
| lawyers differ. and we want the privilege
! Of testing the provision in tie courts. We
want Ia see whois right.
| The assertion that arrests are made
! without formal warrant only in cases Of
! emergency We deny said hir. Shoema ker.
! PROBABLY three-fourths Of the arrests made
! by tao police are without warrant.
| Instances showing the contrary were
| cited. among others the arrests Cf boys
| for riding bicycles without light and
Mr. Shoemaker, after referring 10 other
phases Of the question. said the Anti-Salron
| League is Of the opinion that the attorney
! for the District is given too large a disCrc-
ton Under the present law.
Is A MORAL ADVANCE.
Attorney Wilson closed the discussion.
The incorporation, he argued, Will mark
| an advance in the moral welfare of the
| District. That the saloon is an evil is
| almost universally conceded. even by the
! strongest advocates Of tie traffic. he said,
! aud il il is an evil i ought TO be overcome.
| 1T is matter of comm. knowledge. -
| he said. that the law Is violated" and
then referring to Attorney Thomas opin-
| Ion, Mr. Wilson took issue with him upon
the proposition that if the hill should hc
enacted it would be repeal OF the exist
ing l!quor law.
Mr.. wilson said there is nothing in the
I'M which coutraGiCts the present law
Il respectfully suhrrst.' he added, that
| am una ble to see how an act looking 10
the better enforcement OF The law can tie
construed to reIeal the law ii assists in
| enforcing"
! Mr. Wilson'S line of argument was that
DO unfair or improper methods are asked
| Tor; that the appointment Of special Coun-
| SCI, as provided for in the bill, may he I'M
| usual, as claimed by Mr.. Thomas, but II is
| sensible, and would Goui,tless result IN
| lever violations, and that sections and g
| confer powers similar tu those now enjoyed
| by the Humane Society, and will have 10
| terrors for these WHO obey the law.
Those WHO composed ne delegation were
| James L Ewin, Andrew Wilson. Col. ]. +.
| Vinai. Jesse c. Sntcr, A. L. Shoemaker,
Mrs Il A. Clearwater and Mrs. Clinton
! Smith.