Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-12
OPPOSE SMOKE LAW
Business Men Desire It's
Modification.
TOMAKESTRONGEFFORT
MEETING TO BE HELD AT RIGGS
HOUSE SATURDAY.
Want Time Limit at Least Instead of
Present Reguiation-Im-
possible to Obey.

Representative business men of Washlng-
ton have announced their intention of MAX
ing "a long pull, strong pull and a pull
together" to secure through Congress a
modification Of what they term the present
oppressive smoke law. With that end in
view, Mr.. o. G. Staples has called meet
ing of those interested to be held In the
.parlors of the Riggs House at o'clock
Saturday afternoon.
1.-The best way to bring about the repeal
Of bad law" said General U. 8. Grant
on one occasion, 'is to enforce it strictly.
This saying was quoted by business
man today with the comment that the
present smoke law is bad In some particu-
lars; 1t has been enforced strictly until 1t
has become a persecution instead of pros
ecution. and now it is proposed to ask Con-
gress in all earnestness to eliminate It's
unjust features.
''The purpose of the meeting on Saturday
afternoon" said Mr.. Staples to Star re-
porer today, lis to have the smoke law SO
modified as to give us time limit, instead
of taking snap judgment, as is the case
under existing conditions. There is time
limit to the smoke laws in Buffalo, Chi
cago, Pittsburg and other cities, and we
believe there should be one here. Let the
law read that should dense masses of dark
smoke issue from chimney or stack for a
continuous period of three minutes it should
constitute a violation of that law. We could
live up to such proviso as that. Under
the present law if such smoke issues for a
few seconds we can be taken to the Po-
lice Court and fined''
Mr.. Staples called attention to the loco
motives of the several railroads which pass
over certain streets Of Washington, puffins :,
great masses of dark smoke into the sur
rounding atmosphere, and said they were
immune from punishment under the smoke
law, which he characterized injustice.
Hearing Before Congress.
Senator Gallinger, chairman of the Sen:
ate committee on the District of Column
bia,'' added Mr.. Staples, has kindly con-
sented to give US another hearing, and we
will appear before his committee at 10
o'clock Monday forenoon. He gave us a
hearing several days ago but at the forth
coming hearing we will submit additional
facts and figures favorable to a modifica-
ton of the law and the elimination of some
Of its most objectionable features. Repre-
sentative Babcock. chairman Of the House
District committee, has also consented to
give us a hearing
Mr.. Staples showed the reporter Police
Court record where fine had been imposed
on prominent business man for a one
minute emission of smoke from his estab-
Hshment. He said it had been shown by the
bility to obey this law, and it will be shown
by statements to be made before the two
District of Columbia committees of Con-
gress that the law is unjust and oppressive.
Very Much in Earnest.
Statements made by other business men
indicate that they are very much in earnest
in this effort to bring about modification
of the smoke law. The fact that Judge
Scott of the Police Court has only imposed
the maximum fine of 500 in one case of
smoke law violations, notwithstanding the
many cases that have been before him.
and the frequent repetition of the offense
is taken by some of those interested in
the modification movement to mean that he
believes the law is oppressive in some par
ticulars, but being law, he has no alter
native but to enforce it.
In the recent trial of nineteen cases of
smoke law viola tions against the Potomac
Electric Power Company Judge Scott spoke
of the frequent violation of the law by the
same defendants, but added it appeared
that they had been apparently using their
best efforts to cOnform with it's provis ons:
otherwise the maximum penalty might have
been imposed in several instances
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