The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-03

| Mr.. Mcmillan yesterday introduced in
the Senate a bill to regulate the sale OF
| intoxicating liquors in the District
| similar bill was introduced in the House
during the Fifty-fifth Congress by ME-
| Babcock and will be re-introduced within
a few days. The bill was drafted with
much care by the Commissioners year
ago, and its passage is strongly recon-
mended by them.
1t provides that there shall be constr
tuted an Excise Board for the District OF
| Columbia. which shall consist of the Board
! of Assistant Assessors OF the District, and
the duty of which shall be to take up and
consider all applications for license to sell
| intoxicating liquors and 10 take action on
| such applications.
| Powers of Excise Hoard
The present law makes the acts of the
Excise Board final and conclusive. but this
| bill makes exceptions to power in the iol-
| lowing language: Except in respect 10
| questions OF law, when appealed 10 the
| Supreme Court of the District of Columbia,
as hereinafter provided. Questions OF law
may be appealed to the Supreme Court OF
! the District of Columbia either by the
applicant or by any contestant of record,
! provided justice OF said court Shall, after
| examination of the record, consider that
! the Excise Board erred on question OF
! law in granting or refusing license, ana
| allow an appeal; and the issue of said
! license shall thereupon be suspended IN
| I'll the matter is finally determined by
said court on hearing. and the decision
of said court shall be conclusive on said
board and the license shall issue or stand
rejected, as the action of said board shall
allow or reject said license: Provided, that
such appeal shall be perfected within
twenty days next after the day on which
the justice shall allow said appeal, and
that the applicant IL he or she had
license for the preceding year, may con-
tinue business pending the appeal; and
only on the issuance Of such license 10 an
applicant shall he or she sell Intoxicating
liquors"
1t requires that this board shall make an
annual report to the Commissioners, and
that the inspector OF the beard shall wear
a badge indicating that he is an inspector.
IL the location OF q barroom is on cor
ner the present law requires that ma
jority OF owners and residents on each
street shall sign his application for Ii
cense, but the bill introduced yesterday re-
quires that he shall also secure the sigma
lures of the owners or residents on the
but Il is provided that no person having
barroom license at the date of the passage
of this act shall be required to obtain the
g. gnatures herein provided for"
The law forbidding minors to remain in
a saloon is amended to carry such prohibit
ton except when such minor shall be in
company with his parent.
Amendments to the Present Law.
The following amendments of the p. esent
law are in the bill: That the interior OF
every barroom shall at all times be exposed
to full view from the street, except duly
licensed clubs under this act, and in case
of hotel having only an interior barroom.
which shall be exposed TO full view from
the corridors or passageway along the en-
trance into such barroom.
Sec. Z. That any minor, for the pur-
pose of evadng the provisions of the pre-
ceding section, who falsely represents his
age, shall be deemed guilty of a misde
meanor. and be fined for each offence not
more than $50, and in default in the pay
ment of such fine shall be imprisoned in
the worxhouse OF said District not exceed
ing thirty days
''All makers, brewers, and distillers of
intoxicating liquors in the District of Co.
lumhia, and all agents Of makers. brewers.
and distillers established outside of the
District of Columbia and selling their prod
uct N said District, shall be required TO
take out the wholesale license provided for
in this act; provided, that when business
is carried on at more than one place a
license shall be required for each place.
Prosecution of OFFENDERS.
"Sec. II. That If one or more persons,
who are competent witnesses, make cor.
plant under oath before the Attorney of
the District of Columbia, or any one of his
assistants, that they have reason to be-
lieve and do believe that any intoxicating
liquors are kept or deposited by a per-
son named therein in any place and are
intended for sale without a license, such
Attorney, or any one of his assistants, shall
file an information in the Police Court
charging such persons with engaging in
the sale of such liquors as specified in Sec
ton 10 Of this act, and in the service OF
the warrant for the apprehension of such
person search shall be made for such
liquors, and If found shall be seized. with
the vessels in which they are contained
and securely held, to be used as evidence
on the hearing of such person: and in case
such person shall be convicted of engaging
in such business without license such
liquors, with the vessels, shall be for
feited by the trial judge and delivered to
the Property Clerk of the District of Co.
lumbia, and by him sold for the benefit OF
the said District: Provided. That in all
prosecutions and proceedings under this act
prohibiting the keeping. selling or traf-
ticking in such liquors, the finding of such
liquors with the means and appliances for
engaging in the sale to be drunk where
sold shall be presumptive evidence that
such liquors were kept for Illegal sale;
and the nroof of actual sale shall he nre-
sumptive evidence OF Illegal sale"
Any place in which liquor is sold in guam
titles less than pint whether to be drunk
on the premises or not, is considered bar
room. The bill provides:
Inspection of Saloons.
THAT all applicants for license and per-
sons holding licenses under this act shall
allow the duly authorized inspector of the
Excise Board full opportunity and every
facility to examine, at any time during
business hours. the premises where in
license is asked or has been granted and
the same opportunity and facility Shall be
afforded by the licensee or some person
acting in his stead, any member of the
Metropolitan police force on duty who has
reasonable belief that the law is being yio-
lated TO enter and examine at all times
such licensed premises, and no person or
persons shall obstruct. hinder or in any
manner modest such inspector or officer.
provided such inspector officer exhibits
a badge showing that he is such inspector
or officer"
It is also provided that no witness shall
be excused from testifying in any case
brought under this act on the ground that