The Washington herald., 1907-11-12
OPPOSED TO PROHIBITION.
Hon. simon Wolf and Or. Chancellor
Give Their Views.

Give Their Views.
We have an Excise Board composed Of intelligent.
honorable gentlemeu who haze the absolute discre-
tion 70 refuse Eny license an any part Of the CITY
We have the further protection that Il a majority
OF property owncrs Or residents within a ccrtain
square do not desire the sale Of tquoC. a license
canrct be secured which is local option IN the very
best sense Of the term, for persons living in one
section of the city ought no; to judge what is best
for citizens in the other portion
Hon. Simon Wolf. former Minister 10
Turkey. and a well-known attorney, OF
this city. in the above manner yesterday
expressed his views on the statement
made by Commissioner mcfarland as re-
CARDS the regulation of the liquor traffic
in the District
have rad Commissioner Macfarland's statement
in regard 20 prohibition with a great deal Of in
terest, continued Mr.. Wolf
an absolutely opposed 10 prohibition, because it
doe not prohibit. IL creates that which is the
most rcpugnant Of all chSracteristics-perjury and
hypoGacy-and it stimulates and encourages the
creating OF clubs. for the purpose OF going outside
Of the law. cannot understand what better
system Of restraint we could wish for than that
which already exists.
DR.. Chancellor. superintendent Of the
public schools. gave his views on the
matter as toIOWs.
do not believe in 5umptuary laws. because they
defeat the very purpose for which they passed
Prohibition Is a sumptuary measure and ! do not
believe in It. Neither do / believe in the efficacy
Of the plan submitted BY Commissioner Maeisrand
as regards the establishment OF zones" This is a
sumptusry measure and Is not fair and equitable 20
the people.
What ] do believe IN, however. Is suffrage for the
citizens Of Washington the right to vote on quss-
tions pertaining TO the welfare Of their city This
liquor question Is for the people 20 decide be
cause it Affects them.
Virtue cannot be legislated into the people, OF
course, ! am in favor Of Temperance. High license
and a strict supervision Of the drinking places on
the part Of the authorities 20 NJ mind are better
and more effective safeguards against the evil q
drunkenness and other evils Springlns therefrom
than total prohibition.
Former Representative Babeoek. who
until recently was chairman Of the Dis
trict OF Columbia Committee in the
House, Is in favor Of high license, and
is Of the opinion that if high license
we're adopted. the liquor question would
take a big stride toward solution.
think the liquor license should be $1,000 instead
q 500 as II is at present This measure would
naturally drive the worst class of saloon out Of
the business When I FIRST came 90 Capgress the
license was 500. ] instrumental iNhaving IL
AhAolA lb -fef anu FifaA many u the NuTHL
saloons closed as 4 Consequence 0f the Increase
and the same happened when another increase IN
the license made fro'I 500 10 $500.
I would be in favor Of putting the question 20
the people. but there Is no election machinery
available. Under the present system. the people
o. Washington have practically local option their
disposal. for the consent Of a large ma jority q
the property owners Of section is required before
license is given 20 a new saloon.
Total prohibition, in my opinion. has rot proved
a success so far. We tded II in our State and
lis results were an increase IN drunkenness. Ny
home town, after giving prohibition a years trial
went back 20 high licrnsc