The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-14
SCORES WEBER BILL
Simon Wolf Presents His
Views in Letter.
PROHIBITION NOT WANTED
Protests Against the Enactment Of
the Proposed La. ms an Infringe
ment on the Rights of Citizens of
the District-BeIicves Vote on the
Question should Be Permitted.

The following letter has been sent to
Chairman Babcock. Of the House Com
mittee on District Affairs:
February u. 1907
Hon. J. W Babeock, N. C.. Washington d. c:
rs Dear Nlr. Bsbcock / have been made aware
Of the fact that Thursday next, 10 the room OF
the District Committee at the Capitol there is 70 be
hearing OF the Weber bill As It il barely posi-
bic that ] shall be prevented from being present. I
take the liberty q bringing to your and the com
mttee's attention the following ideas which | have
ou the subject % be discussed before YOU
Flrst-As an American citizen ] protest against
the infringement Of my personal rights and those Of
nv fellow-ctizens Of the District.
Second-ThcTc is no reason IN the world Eby this
law should he enacted against tire well known wishes
# a majority q the citizens q the District: and
the proponents Of the legislation doubt this state
meut ask son 10 report the bin and nlsh II
through Congress 10 the effect that the citizens If
the District q Columbia shall have chance Of vot
ing for OF against prohibition. and in that measure
inbibit the clerks Of the departments from voting
they citizens. 70 large extent. Of the re-
,pective States Of the Union snd vote on STATE and
national occasions in those States and therefore II
would be Objectionable 20 permit them 10 have q
voice in the government Of the District
Third-The experience had N the sta.es d Maine
Iowa and Kansas is 50 Overwhelmingly against pro
hibiti0n that he vno may read In the one
State the population has decreased The number Of
children attending public school has also decreased
In another crime has been on the increase and the
purchase Il liquor Is easier than It vas when ree,
lated by law. In other words prohibition does not
prohibit.
Fourth-One Of the nest Illustrations as to the
] 9
dencad BY the abolition q the army eanteen II is
well known and TFsfnable fact that that legisla.
tion brought about mainly BIZ the liquo- dealers
themselves. adjacent to the army posts they being
vel aware that the abolition Of the cantesn would
bring about the very condition that has since dis
gaced our army records. Riots and disorder have
followed close upon this abolition. and the nov no
toFious Brownsville trouble is tracesle 30 the abo
ton q the army canteen. proving conclusEely that
when legislator attempt 10 egslate virtue into the
average human being. instead - accomplishing
The desired object they produce 5ice AMI crine and
the passage q any restricting measure in tie Ds-
tricJ q Columbia would have the same result
Fifth-What better legislation could 5e had for
an intelligent community than that whieh We al
ready enjoy and have lived under FOR mary ysars ?
Local option obtains IN the District Of Columbia
No enc can be licensed 10 sell liquor unless they
nave tuc ln4uI-tinente ana approval OF a majority
O: the property owners and residents the given
square and II any u these licensed dealers should
Jar forget themselves a. o. violate the Law that
same majority undo its set. II certainly seems
most reasonable and Judiclogs % any sane American
that this is ample protection Ia all directions
sixth-The experience ~ every community has
proven that shat is needed TO prevent excuses Is
education Not alone the education Of the mind.
1 but the education q those physical wants which
constitute the ordinary means Of living In other
IL
drinking. but IN Judgment and not 70 he inteu-
perate IN ans one direction. Il does net neees-
sariiy follow that because people Do not drink that
they b. virtue ~ that omission yirtu0us o.
Intelligent The worst crimes known to history have
been committed b. nations that bv force q religion
and rearing drink. and the greatest acts Of
hcToism and moral accomplishment have been Ter
formed by those Who have in a moderate manner
enjoyed those things which God and nature pro
vided Tor them
seyenth-Wby is 70 that the Jews. who have been
/ for centuries prosecuted and hoInded from pillar
% post. which ordinarily Is made an excuse for
drinking, have been the greatest apostles a TEN
peTanCe. not q total abstinence Of prohibition.
but n eujoying IN moderate degree all those
things which provided for the slxtenance Of our
ezistenoes II would he 4 most lsmentahie admis-
sion 90 the whole world o. prohibit IN the District
~ Columbia. az the natCns capital. that winch Is
regarded o. the essentials q social life. Have
tsese good friends vino sctuated no doubt by sin
ceTe purposes. though hampered by imperfect judg
ment. forgotten the lesson that American citi-
zcns have brought back with them from Eurore %
the extent - having been made aware that there
Is scarcely drunkard In ans 81 the European c0un-
I Tries. that men and women and children cummIng'6
together IN the places q enjoyment where they hear
music and song and drink their light wines and
beer discussing national and local issues and dis
auation Is ns foreign 20 their purposes a. the
moon. II legislation could prohibit the treating
system and the standing up IN fIont 81 bar and
pouring down half dozen drinks az a time. there
might be some sense and purpose il such pFohhi
ton Tor that class Of imbihing is purely American.
I remember the late VICE President Henry Wilson
Of the United States told me. after returning from
n trip 10 Eur0te. that he had all his life been a
total abstainer and advocate Of prohibition but
that since he had made tour Of Europe he was