The times., 1898-08-16
OPPOSE THE EXCISE BOARD
The Anii-SaIoon League Alleges
Bad Business Methods.
N0N-ACTl0N MARS THE WORK
The Organization Maintains That in
Proportion to the Populations the
Nations Capital Has More Saloons
Than Any Other City in the Coun-
try, and Demands Reform.

The Anti-Saloon League has taken eX-
ception to certain actions of the present
excise board and has written to the Com
missioners criticising the workings of the
board in a very keen and sharp manner.
The League complains or inactivity on
the part of the excise members, alleging
looseness of methods, and charges that
from the point of view of many citizens OF
the District, who are opposed to saloons.
the record of the board is unsatisfacto-
ry.
The letter to the Commissioners, which
has caused something of a sensation in
official circles, maintains that the law OF
1898 was evidently intended 10 lessen the
evil of intemperance in the District. 1t
states that the board is clothed with the
broadest discretion and that, with it all,
it has already licensed this year 52I bar
rooms" Also that washington has more
saloons in proportion to population than
any other city in the country with few
possible exceptions"
The members of the excise board are
intelligent men," continues the eommuni-
cation. honorable and upright; they are
well informed as to the evils growing out
of saloons; they recognize that the law
gives them a broad discretion in consid-
ering applications for licenses; they know
that certain sections of the city are cursed
| by saloons and clubs Men and women
! have pleaded with them to abolish at
| least some of these numerous places. and
/ yet these intelligent, honorable business
men who compose the excise board have
turned a deaf ear to pleadings, have
thrown aside protests of property owners
/ and residents have ignored the reports
| and recommendations of the police de-
] partment and permitted these 500 or more
| saloons and clubs some of which are the
vilest dens of infamy, to go right on In
| their nefarious business. And these gen.
! tlemen have the assurance to expect the
| plaudits of the Christian people of the
! city for their work in reducing the num-
Der of licensed placed in the District II i.
| the opinion of some who have observed
the actions of the board that about all OF
| the licenses they dared to allow this year
| have been allowed.
But the members of the board, intel.
ligent and honorable as they are have
been and are handicapped in their good
work no doubt by the influence of few
a citizens who have occasion to interest
themselves, from time 10 time in vari
Gus applications for licenses. Through
certain influences these citizens are abl,
TO bring to bear seemingly such pressur,
that applications for license that haC
once been disapproved have been taker
up. reconsidered and allowed; applica
tfons for renewal of licenses have bee.
rejected and the applicants ordered L
close up their places TWO months hence
and when such time of grace had elapsed
additional time was given Additional
time. For what? For the purpose o
giving the dealer time to dispose of hi
stock or 10 sell out his place to another
against whom there are no charges. o
10 give him time 10 locate in a neigh
borhood where people viii not object t
him. even if he is a law breaker.
The document then quotes number o
instances to support these assertions an
in conclusion SAYS:
I'm view of the foregoing facts takei
from the record of the excise board dur
ing the present license year. it woul'
seem that there is great room for i'm
provement The law by virtue of whicl
the excise board was created was un
doubtedly designed not as revenue meas
| ure not for the purpose of increasing In
| number of dram shops in our midst, bu
rather for the purpose OF decreasing tn
number and leSsening the baleful infiu
ence of liquor drinking. 1t may be sal
that there is a decrease in the number o
barrooms, but the decrease is too insignih
cant to be worthy Of much notice, an
even though Insignificant very little cred
ii for il is due to the board. Out of NOR
than 500 applicants for renewal of bar
/ room licenses in November last only 81
| failed 10 get license. This is very poo
showing when we take into consideration
the number of reports of violations OF lay
by the police and inspector, and the op
portunities of the members of the boar
| of personally observing the location an
character of the barrooms as they trave
about the city in the performance of thei
| du les as assessors.
The gentlemen of the board may have
been. and no doubt were conscientious
in all they have done and are doing, but
certainly their record of laxity uncer-
tainty ani vacillation. their failure tC
abolish the dives that curse several sec
tions of the city. their refusal to weed
out some Of the saloons on streets wher,
they are disgracefu'iy numerous anC
their action in licensing so-called clubs
which are organized principally for dis
pensirg liquors Sunday. make 1t appeal
that they have not measured up fully L
their responsibility as excise officers
There is no doubt that their work as as
SCISSORS has been eminently satisfactory
to all. as evidenced by the commenda
. lions and endorsements OF many clllZeNS
In this work they have proved careful
energetic, and faithful. Because of thei
: good work as assessors they have beel
: indorsed by citizens and reappointed Z
. office by the Commissioners. Their rec
ord as an excise board very likely wa
not seriously taken into consideration b
, citizens or by the Commissioners An
yet a proper administration of excis
matters is of vital Importance. not onl
1 70, - moral fDfprPSts Of fha CITY I'M
to the material interests as well.
1--WE bring these matters TO your at
tention not for the purpose of criticism
the gentlemen of the excise board. or I
place them in any unpleasant light be
fore the public, but rather TO call TO tn
attention of the Commissioners, who al
interested in and responsible for tn
welfare CT the city. the foregoing fact
with the hope that the matter may com
IL .i-ai a.,-G nd