Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-29
RESULT OF AGITATION
WARFARE ON THE "GRoWLER"
TRADE IN WASHINGTON.

As decision Of the mooted question OF
the bucket trade In beer is expected to be
rendered by the excise board tomorrow. or
Tuesday at the latest, 1t is understood
some hustling will be done in that short
interval by those who are fighting the
GROWER traffic and those who are in
favor of Its continuance
Many heterogeneous have been made as
to how the cheap beer and GROWER agi-
tation was started in this city. In order
to learn the cause of that movement a
Star reporter put the question to Mr.. AL
bert E. Shoemaker, attorney for the Anti
Saloon League. He said the attention of
the excise board was first called to the
abuses connected with the bucket traffic
by a number of prominent citizens in the
northwest section, who complained of
certain wholesale liquor house, the princi
pal business Of which was selling beer to
the denizens of the nearby alleys and tene-
ment houses in quantities not less than
pint 1t was said there was a constant
stream of men and women, and sometimes
even children, going to and from this
wholesale house carrying tin GROWERS"
The result was much drunkenness, brawls
and other disorder in that locality. 1t was
also said that the drunken men and women
overlooked from the alleys into the quiet
and orderly sections of the neighborhood
and made night "a hideous nightmare"
Complaints against this disorder became so
frequent and urgent that the excise
board compelled to give the matter
grave consideration, and the tin beer
bucket proposition became a live issue
What the Rechabites Claim.
The Rechabftes claim that the preaching
Of sixty sermons in Washington churches
at the request of that order several days
ago resulted in the high license and prohi-
bition agitation.
The resolutions recently adopted by the
order of Rechabites, placing itself squarey
on record in the fight now in progress here
against the pronliscuous sale of liquor in
Washington, have attracted attention and
comment In church. saloon and temperance
circles. In part the resolutions follow:
The order of Rechabites has held out
the helping hand to the fallen, and by
kindness and love has accomplished great
good, and 1t does not propose, as an
organization, to be swerved from this line
of work by any spasmodic temperance
timent that may be created in any place
by the results of this work, nor be drawn
into a fight against the saloonkeeper as an
individual, nor to the support of any polit-
ical party, the sole object in perpetual
Ing our existence is to establish a moral
force for the amelioration of evils now eX-
listing and by educating the minds of the
rising generation to the Importance Of total
abstinence.
Aggressive Warfare.
But Notwithstanding our tenet Of faith
and doctrine. conditions at the national
capital are such that we feel justified In
making aggressive warfare to lift the
burdens off the many homes afflicted by
this curse. The proposition to increase the
license fee of saloons to 100000 or to enact
prohibition in Washington therefore meets
with our approval.
It was resolved that I'VE believe that
such action would tend to restore self
respect to thousands of men, it would
close up the many low places that now
exist and which breed nearly all the crime
and vice with which are afflicted. 1t
would arouse the public mind to the danger
of the gambling den, the bawdy house, the
club rooms and the dives that foster
thieves"
The resolutions refer to the request made
recently by the Rechabites to the ministers
of the gospel In Washington to preach
temperance sermons, which was responded
to favorably by about sixty pastors and
continue:
I'VE realized there would be an awaken
ing here such as had not taken place since
the Washingtorian movement. Our predic-
ton has been fulfilled. Prohibition and
$40 900 license talk is the result. We will
make. this Christian capital Of Chris
4fav, ton