The evening times., 1897-11-20

The Att Saloon Leas que is preparing fol-
a bitter and stubborn fight against the
granting of licenses this year and it has
IA strong hope of largely reducing the num-
the excise board, and in few days will be
heard by the Commissioners. II will
present 10 the Commissioners its general
plans and arrangements, and also some
particulars in what 1t considers more
fragrant cases.
Following these hearings it will prepare
its fights against individual saloons The
league has been told by the Commissioners
that they. too, wish to reduce the numb sr
of saloons 1t will furnish, therefore, all
the data il can gather against particular
saloons and localities. Mr.. Shoemaker.
tile attorney for the league. says he has a
mass OF this information. and that many OF
the cases can be made up easily
Tie campaign viii be against the places
mt the alley corners which are considered
saloons OIL Pennsy ylvania avenue, from
the Capitol to Seventh street; the places In
the SOU: bern part Of eorgetown, especially
in residence Localities where their re
piov.u would make large sections entirely
free from liquor traffic.
The general plan uf attack against all
these places will he the publication of their
last years record-where 1t is bad-thc
reports of the inspector and the police
lieutenant, and the filing Of protests.
The protests are flied first, as these
make it necessary for the proprietCrs of
the plrces in question: to ''shuw cause why
license should not be denied.
a hearing is given in each case where
there has been protest. At this hearing
the Anti-Saoon League viii produce It's
side OF the case, too. In many inst anccs Mr..
Shoemaker says there Will be ample PROOF
of violatioHs of law. Citizens viii protest in
person, ahd there are good many in
flucntial people who are willing TO do this.
The police ,ieutcnants and Inspectors re
ports will in many cases b. very bad. On
these lines the league expects to cut down
the number Of places largely.
Mr.. shoemaker said to a Times reporter
this moining:
Wa sniIgUon has more saloons to the
number of inhabitants than any large city
in America, with one OF two exceptions.
The proportion of 40 liquor places 10
275,oOo inhabitants, or. perhaps. $4,000
houses. is frightful. There is one saloon
to every 125 families in the District.
We don't wish 30 set any limit to the mum.
Der we hope to cut off, but / feel YER,
sure OF 10 per cent. or fifty or more out Of
the 440 how in the city.
The statistics or the crimes that come
to the police courts show a great pe-
centage Of them all to have been coianittei
under the influence of liquor. l believe
that seven eigllths OF ali the cases in The
police courts are directly travea,,le to
whisky and beer.
the worst ui the lot in their influence
Many Of these alley places have cume di
rectly under my observation. l know of
colored woman with children, for instance,
who went six times for beer to n saloon in
her alley coiner i'll one day and was then
Obliged to call on the police for bread
Such cases could be multiplied indefinitely
The charitable or sanizations will
Soon begin 10 hold their meetings, preparing
for the destitnte poor this winter Large
sums of money will be spent TO buy food
and fuel and clothing for the unfortunate.
After D while these organiza tious will
strike al the root of the larger part of
the destitution by spending their money
and using their influence against the
liquor traffic. They don't seem to see it
yet