Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-20
DECIDED OPPOSITION
Sentiment Against License
for Master Builders
HEARD THIS MORNING
COMMISSIONERS TAKE UP BILL
WITH BUSINESS COMMITTEE.
Board Room Packed With Opponents of
Proposed Measure-Determined and
Vigorous Language Used.
HEARD THIS MORNING

Decided and vigorous opposition
to the bill providing for the exami-
nation and licensing of master build
ers in the District was voiced at the
hearing on the proposed measure
held in the board room today be-
fore the District Commissioners.
One of the developments of the
hearing was the presentation by
Mr.. B. H. Warner of a substitute
bill, providing for the licensing of
| builders, but without examination
and reducing the amount of bond
and license fee.
| When the hearing before the Commits
sioners relative to the master builders
license bill was called to order by Com
| missioner Macfarland at IL O'Clock this
| morning there were about $50 men packed
IN the board room. A brief canvass of
those present prior to the opening of the
! hearing revealed but few advocates of the
| measure now pending before Congress, and
practically all the opponents of the mca sure
| voiced their sentiments in language both
| determined and vigorous. The rights of
| citizens of the United States as vouchsafed
| under the Constitution an expression
| that seemed very popular the lips Of
| the various orators.
In opening the hearing Commissioner
| Macfarland mentioned that the proposed
master builders examination and license
bill did not originate in the office of the
| Commissioners. but that it sent to
| them for report by Congress- Mr. Mac
| farland mentioned that public hearing
| was granted the legislation November
| % last. and as no objections were then
| heard to the bill the Commissioners rec
| commended favorable action on it by Con-
greSS.
Various Spokesman Announced.
Thc spuk esmen for the various interests
| represented We're then announced as fol-
| lows: Thos. Hughes, Milford Spohn and
| James T. Murtaugh. representing the brick
| layers union; James L. TAFT, David Moore,
| E. Daniels and others, representing real es-
| tate men and independent builders; b. II.
| Warner, representing the Master Builders
Association and business men; John j.
Langley, president of the Original Master
Builders Association, and Samuel j. Pres
colt, president of the Master Builders As
sociation, incorporated; Attorney w. Nick.
Clayton representing independent builders
and the Brghtwood Citizens Association
E. A. NJ. Lawson. president Northeast
Washington Suburban Citizens Associa-
ton; j. w. Brashears, a builder. Michael
!. Weller and DIR. a. p. Pardon spoke as
individual builders of dwellings, and Jo-
seph Williams told the Commissioners he
desired to be heard, not as the representa-
tive of any special body, but as in favor
of "the open door for every shop and for
every man who ever learned a trade
A number of other gentlemen present also
expressed their views on the bill during
the hearing.
A Substitute Bill
Just prior to the speechmaking Mr.. War
ner asked permission to present to the
Commissioners the substitute bill which
had been prepared at a conference of tie
interests which he represented. Cries of
NO" mo" arose from the audience,
which brought forth the following remark
from Commissioner Macfarland:
Pardon me, gentlemen. This hearing is
in the hands of the Commissioners, and II
seems to be within the Commissioners as
cretion cs to whether or not the SUBSTITUTE
bill should be accepted by them. The
Commissioners decided to accept the sub
stitute measure, which was read. The sub
stitute bill provided that every person en-.
gaging in construction or reconstruction of
buildings should be licensed and bonded
by the Commissioners in not less than 500
nor more than 5000 and that the annual
license fee should be $40, instead of so, as
provded by the measure now before Con-
gress. No examination whatever was .e-
quired in the substitute bill
Totally Opposed to Bill.
Following the reading of the substitute
bill Mr. Hughes was called upon to speak.
Mr. Hughes said that the master brichlay-
ers are "teetotally' opposed to the bill
few years ago, he said, the Commissioners
appointed competent committee of archi-
tec.s and builders to prepare building regu-
lations for the District. He saw no neces-
sfty for the appointment OF AN examining
board. as the building inspector and his m
spectors are charged with enforcing she
regulations
Mr. Hughes declared that the proposed
legislation would handicap the small build
ers, who construct small structures with
out securing the services of an architect to
draw the plans or supervise the work. in
the District of Columbia, he said there has
been but one serious accident due to the
collapse of building, and that was in the
case of the collapse of the old Ford's The
ater building. "One Of the most successful
builders in Washington said The speaker.
has never worked at any trade and knew
nothing at all about technical building
when he started. and probably knows but
little now, and yet he Is one of the most
successful builders in Washington. His
buildings never fall down."
Mr. Warmers Views.
Mr. Warner was then called upon. He
said that agitation for bill of the nature
of that now under conside: alton has been
in evidence during the past few years. III
ihe building regulations should be carried
out, said Mr. Warner, there would be
need for such law but they cannot be alb
solutely carried out. TO supply the defects
in the present system the substitute bill l
have presented has been prepared. There
is very little in the question of examina-
tion excepting imagination. / am in favor
of the open door, but we have to provide
safeguards in the erection of buildings in
the national capital, and in advocating the
measure | speak for the home buyers of the
District
Mr.. Warner urged the following reasons
| yvh " fhe cod ell hn ed