Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-06
EXCISE BOARD BILL
PUBLIC HEARING TO BE GIVEN
ON ITS PROVISIONS.
Public Interest in the Measure
Those for and Against Change
to Be Heard.

So much interest has been manifested re-
Gently for and against the proposal to
change the form of the excise board of the
District of Columbia, as provided by Sem
ate bill 4342. which is now before the Com
missioners for report, that Commissioner
Macfarland, president of the board, an
nounced this morning that public hear
Ing would be given by the Commissioners
before report is made upon the measure
AT that time, which will be on date to be
fixed by the secretary of the board, those
in favor of continuance of the present
excise board, as well as those who favor
a board made up as proposed by the Hans
brough bill, will be given an opportunity
to state their Views.
Since the bill was introduced in the SEN
ate and referred by the District committee
of that body to the Commissioners for anal
ysis, the fight has been at closer quar-
tiers and the Commissioners have received
numerous petitions in championship of each
side. Last week. as was at that time
stated in The Star. the Anti-Saloon League
took up cudgels in favor of the Hansbrough
BILL and to their published letter Chairman
Darneille of the excise board took strenuous
exception, stating that ii was much in the
nature of reflection upon the integrity of
members of the board. Chairman Blake
more of the legislative committee of the
Anti-Saloon League replied to this. claim
ing that the league meant no reflection
upon the personnel of the excise board,
but added that If the excise board wished
to prove innocence of the allegations made
against it the members of the Anti-Saloon
League would be glad to afford the board
that opportunity.
Exceptions Taken.
The controversy was practically carried
back to first causes yesterday afternoon in
a communication received by the Commits
n q
took exception to the statement made by
the excise boord that the present method
of dealing with applications for liquor IL
censes is in the nature of local option in
that it places the power in the majority OF
property holders in any nefghborhood TO
defeat the issue of q license. As case IN
point, Davidson & Davidson cited the recent
renewal of a license to John B. Buckley
for his saloon at the corner of 18th and L
streets northwest and in connection with
this case they declared:
This saloon has been recently granted
a license in spite of the vigorous protest
of practically all of the property owners
and residents on 10Th street between and
7 streets and the majority of the owners
of property on both sides of I street be-
tween 18th and 10th streets including In
the latter persons who have within the past
three years expended nearly half a million
dollars in taxable improvements"
Another Instance Cited.
Only few days ago another protest was
made. 1t is alleged. against the transfer OF
a wholesale liquor license for the establish
ment at the corner OF 9th and r streets,
but the license was granted by the board
to Herbert Guggenheim, who succeeded
William l.. Hayes in the business When
Hayes applied for a renewal of his license
at the beginning of the license year there
was a great protest, but the excise board
considered that the stand had been so long
established that 1t was entitled to the re-
issue of license. 1t was authoritatively
stated for the excise board this morning
that, under the law. saloons, both whole
sale and retail, which were established be-
fore the passage of the act or were
tablished before the construction of a
school building in their immediate vicinity,
were permitted to continue business with
out regard to their proximity to such an
institution. The board, however, would
not consent to the establishment of a new
liquor store within less than 400 feet of a
school building.
In speaking of the controversy over the
renewal of the Hayes wholesale license for
the year beginning November 1, 1905, Rev.
Carl 6. Doney, pastor of the Hamlne NJ.
E. Church, who was one of the most ener-
getc protestants, said:
when one considers the action of the
excise board in srelicensing the wholesale
liquor place at the corner of 9th and r
streets northwest he surely may be par
doned If certain inquiries suggest them
selves.
This store is in a residence district and
is diagonaIly across the street from one OF
the three entrances to the new Business
High School. At the hearing of the case
before the board of excise demonstrating
petitions We're presented from the official
boards of Hamline and Grace NJ. e.
Churches, from practically all of the house
keeping residents of the section and from
a majority of the property owners who
could be found. This is the first liquor
store on 9Th street, reckoning from the
north end, the Soldiers Home mile limit
tributary the whole district lying to the
north and northwest. 1t was shown by
residents who live within sight of the store
that enormous quantities of liquor are car
ried away in buckets; that children of ten,
twelve and fifteen years come to the store
carrying buckets; that liquor was drunk
on the pavement and on the street in front
of the place; that teamsters would stop,
get a bucket of liquor and drink ii from
their standing wagons, and that boxes ana
barrels were left for hours piled upon the
sidewalk.
Interests Represented.
'Ten leading men and three representa-
tive women appeared at the hearing to
protest against the license. The interests
of church, school, property and residents
were presented Mr.. G. w. F. Swartzell APP
pealed on behalf of the churches and o.
IIamline's parsonage, located within nifty
yards of the place; President Gordon of the
board of education besought the removal
of the store because of its close proximity
to the Business High School, where thou
sands of our boys and girls are educated.
others spoke for their property and resi-
Dental protection, for good morals and the
safety of the community.
"If in the face of protests and petitions
such as these, licenses are granted or re-
newed one Is constrained to believe either
that the liquor laws of the District Of Co
lunibia are shamefully inadequate TO pro-
tect or that the wishes of the people are
without weight. In either case 1t Is high
time that remedial change be procured"