Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-24
INTEREST IN BILLS
WATCHING MEASURES AFFECT
ING LIQUOR BUSINESS.
Recent Hearing at the District Build
ing-Awaiting a Report by the
Commissioners.

Members Of the police department tenn
perance advocates and people who are in
ierested in the liquor business are paying
close attention to several bills pending In
Congress. The introduction of so many
bills intended to affect the liquor traffic
has caused some of the saloon proprietors
10 exhibit feeling OF unrest, None OF
them apparently. thinks that the Weber
bill will be enacted and that the people of
the city will have an opportunity to ex-
perience what prohibition means. Some Of
them DO fear. however that the Hans
brough bill VIII become law, and that they
Will then experience trouble in securing IL
censes and renewals from year to year. 1t
Is the latter bill that J. c. Leonard, a men,
Der of the Retail Liquor Dealers Associa-
ton, denounced as being tricky" when he
appeared at hearing before the District
Commissioners a few days ago. His argu-
ment, some Of the dealers say, expressed
their views upon the question and show
how many of them feel about the pending
measures Mr.. Leonard stated that the
Hansbrough measure was a substitute for
the Weber bill knowing that there was
no chance to secure the passage of the
Weber bill, he said the Hansbrough bill
was substituted.
Under the provisions of this BILL" Mr.
Leonard declared 1T will be almost i'm
possible for saloon people to obtain Il
Censes or renewals on account of the school
and church provisions contained therein"
Mr.. Leonard told of the provisions of the
bill and said that IL next to impossible
10 find places that are not within three
thousand feet of school or place of wor
ship The effect of the bill, he argued,
would make the national capital a prohibit
ton city. Il was shown at the hearing
that the saloon men are considerably agi-
tated over the provisions of the bin, real
izng that its passage would force many
Of them out of business.
Severe Blow to Clubs.
1T would also prove a severe blow to
clubs a saloon keeper remarked. Il
doubt If there is a club in the city that
could overcome the objections in the bill.
and if they did they could not sell liquor
on Sundays as the bill makes provisions
for business to be conducted on the Sab
bath"
Section 16 of the proposed law sets forth
that license for any of the purposes speci-
fed in any section OF the act, including
hotels and clubs, shall not be granted to
any person to conduct such business within
four hundred feet of public school house
owned or occupied by the District of Co.
lumbia, any private school, any place
Of religious worship owned occupied by
religious society for public worship,
measured between the nearest entrance to
each by the shortest course of travel be-
tween such place of business and any pub
lie school house, private school or place of
religious worship.
While the limit is placed at 400 feet
there is provision in section 5. which. the
liquor advocates claim. practically nullifies
such limit and places 1t at 5000 feet.
Persons Living in Flats.
This latter section reads:
That whenever a majority of the owners
of real estate and a majority of the resi-
dents keeping house including tenants in
fats or apartment houses. within any city
square, or within any number OF city
squares located CONTINUOUSLY, or within the
radius OF three thousand feet of any house
Of religious worship. private school. or pub
lie schOClhouse located in that part of the
District outside of the city OF Washington,
shall file petition with the excise board
praying that no license for the sale of in
toxicating liquors be granted within the
square, district territory described
therein, said petition shall operate as and
for prohibition OF the granting OF any II
Cense for the sale of Intoxicating liquors
within the said square. district, territory
for a period OF three years, and thereafter
until petition signed by majority OF the
owners Of real estate and a majority OF res
tdents keeping house within the aforesaid
square. district. or territory, heretofore
described, shall be fled with the excise
board asking for the granting OF licenses
within said square. district. or territory,
during which period the sale OF Intoxicating
liquors shall be unlawful within such
square. district or territory"
Il take II that by constant importuning,"
a liquor man remarked, the temperance
advocates could muster sufficient sisners In
the 5000 foot radius to defeat the object Of
almost any person applying for a license.
Even should some licenses be granted for
year two the temperance people could
get rid of them within five years. This
would apply TO clubs and hotels the same
as 70 ordinary saloons"
Renew Signatures Each Year.
Another provision OF the bill that is OBJ
jechonable TO liquor dealers. wholesale as
we'll as retail dealers is that which re-
quires occupants OF flats to sign applica-
tons and TO renew their signature each
year. Mr.. John H. Magruder. the grocer
entered a vigorous protest against the in
corporation of this provision in the bill He
told OF the trouble that would be encoun-
tered in securing the signatures of the oc-
cupants OF some OF the fats. In some OF the
larger buildings, he explained, there are
many persons who spend only two or three
months of each year in their apartments,
and II would be next TO impossible for mer-
chants to locate them Then, too, he said.
such persons do not want TO be annoyed
several times each year by applicants and
by the police.
Interest In the liquor question is now CEN
tered in the forthcoming report of the Dis
trict Commissioners upon the several pend
ing bills. They have heard both sides of the
question discussed and they viii soon send
their recommendations to Congress.