The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-10
NINTH BIRTHDAY
OF REFORM BUREAU
Has Permanent Quarters
Near Library.
WORK FOR THE PAST YEAR
Seeking "Big Four" Objects-RepressiOn
OF Intemperance, ImPurity, Gamb
ling, and Sabbath Breaking.

The International Reform Bureau cell
ebrated its ninth anniversary on FRIDAY.
The anniversary is placed on April S
because It was on that day in 1888. be-
fore the bureau was organized. that its
subsequent founder and superintendent
made mis- first speech to a committee OF
Congress.
The most important event of the past
year has been the purchase Of a sub
stantiaI building near the Library Of
Congress. The anniversary report on
the building project is encouraging.
When the building was purchased on
August / of last year, 81 CSC. % had been
contributed for that purpose TO which
has since been added 10. making
S5,S2635. given by IA contributors re-
siding In all parts OF the land The tc-
tai debt on the bureaus lot mot includ-
ing the related hut independent hotel
project IS SO, 421.65 Of which $1,147.40 Is
floating debt due the treasurer for
money advanced by him.
The building. which is of substantia,
colonial style. has been renovated, and
the bureau. after saving its own rent,
which has previously cost 500. has been
able to subrent rooms not at present
nseded for its work TO its own officers
r
and this fund pays the interest on
mortgage and floating debt, about 500,
and leaves just enough profit to pay for
the extensive repairs and furnishing in
two years.
The Current Expenses.
The years receipts for current cx-
penses have not yet been added. but VII
probably fail short Of the $4,000 re
ceived in the previous year. because OF
the rich mans picnic" especially the
steel trust slump. which was felt most
OK all IN PiIJsburs. which has hitherto
paid about halS the current expenses OF
the bureau. is il was IF Pittsburg
origin.
The most important reform work Of
the bureau for the year past has been
the defeat OF q race gambling bill al
HARRISBURG, after II had passed second
reading the exclusion or two obscene
periodicals. from the mails on the bu-
reau' S complaint, the exclusion Of one
OF these and others from railways and
depOts, the passage IN the Senate OF the
bureaus Sunday closing amendment fer
the Portland Fair, the favorable reports
ia both houses on u bureau bill to pro-
nblt the expectation and importation Of
obscene matter, a Senate subcommittee
report IN favor or prohibiting the licens-
ing or saloons IN Alaska in any Mace
two miles are Indians and native races,
and the resembling OF an order for Sun
day registry or mail liz Washington
branch pOstOfhces.
Was Against Smoot.
The bureau has done its Fun share in
the agitation for the expulsion Of Smoot
and for the passage Of the Hepburn bill,
and has other bills in a state OF progress
on all the big four" reforms for re-
preston Of intemperance, impurity.
gambling, and Sabbath breaking. Its
lecturers have been speaking ten times
week, and its literature has gone TO
every city, village, and borough OF the
United States. reaching more than one
hundred thousand persons with more
than nVe millions Of pages.
II has not been swerved by the at
tack Of the brewers agent from its right
use OF franks - send out public docu-
ments on public questions to promote
public sentiment on legislative and
other reforms That eight bills drawn
BY the bureau have been passed by
Congress, an average of two for each
completed Congress since its organiza-
ton, IS sufficient proof Of the efficiency
or Its methods Of work.