The Washington herald., 1907-11-11

Coming al time when the people OF
the District Of Columbia are much con-
cerned as TO Congressional legislation.
effecting the sale Of Intoxicating liquors
in the District. and especially the city Of
Washington. the views Of Commissioner
Macfarland are Of unusual interest.
Commissioner Macfariand has been re-
peatedly asked for an expression Of his
views on this all-absorbing subject. and
last night ne furnished The Washington
Herald with fun explanation as 10 his
position relative to additional legislation
in regulation Of the liquor traflc In III.
District Of Columbia. His statement fol.
lows:
Question OF Abolition.
The question Of the abolition or the
restriction OF the sale of intoxicating
liquors IN the District Of Columbia and
particularly the treatment that shan Be-
given the saloons. IS OF course one Of tina
most important before US. and demand.
careful study IN view OF the appare7t
desire 10 have some additional legislation
on the subject \ brief review Of ta-
present laws on the subject. the effect OF
all Of which is not generally known. *
Necessary 10 a proper consideration. Of The
matter
We have now two zones IN the Dis
trict Of Columbia wherein the sale of IN
toxicaJing liquors is absolutely prohibited
The first zone is within one mile OF
the Soldiers Home property. under act
OF Congress OF February .. 1881. and this
zone covers large portion Of the built-sD
area Of the city Of Washington. its most
southern limit being Third and O streets
northwest its most western limit Florida
avenue. between Fourteenth and Fif-
teenth streets northwest, and its most
eastern limit Florida avenue lust east
Of First street northwest
The other prohibition zone. establishes
hF Congress by .he act OF FEBRUARY ].
lsos- is even more extensive. for il covers
any point between the Government Hos
pital for the Insane and the Home for the
AGED and Innrm. or within a radius or
one-hdh mile or The boundaries OF either
OF The said properties This covers p-ac-
ideally an that portion east OF the Poto-
mac River south of the town Of Ana->
costa It's longest distance IS four miles.
No Effort for Repeal.
SO far as I know. there have been N
suggestion that this legislation should
repealed
There is also. under the act Of Nav
H. 1921. a prohibition Of the issuance ~
any license for the sale OF iBtoxioa.ynr
liquors al any place within 800 feet or :
public schOolhouse. private school o~
/ house Of religious worship. measured be-
tween the nearest entrance TO each bv
the shortest cOUre Of travel between such
place OF business and any schooIhouse.
private school OF house Of religious wor-
ship, except in such places OF business as
were located and licensed az the date ~
the said act or previous 20 the erection
or occupation OF such schooIhouse. pri-
vate school, or place of religious wor-
ship.
We also have. 70 certain extent.
local option as % the issuance of bar
room licenses under the act OF March 3.
1893 which requires in the case Of a
new application for q license. the writ
ten permission of the majority Of the real
estate owners and Of the residents keen
ing house on the side OF the square where
It Is desired % locate such business. ard
on the confronting side OF the SQUARE
F.. fronting opposite the same. with other
provisions as tc special cases
In the ease of an application for the
renewal of a license the applicant Is not
required 20 obtain anew the consent or
the neighborS, unless the majority Of the
At
keepers aforesaid shan petition the ex-
else board. stating that the barroom IS
not necessary and is Objectionable in
either event the excise board claims that
10 has absolutely discretionary power 20
refuse "a license. Under the act In case a
person obtaining license under IL shall
be twice convicted III one year OF viola
tion Of the act, besides other penalties.
shall have his license revoked and shall
be ineligible 10 have license afterward.
Provision for Minors
The act also provides that no minor
under sixteen years Of age shall be al
lowed 10 enter any place where liquors
are sold other than a hotel. without the
consent Of the parent or guardian Of such
minor
The license tax for barrooms is now
F,'N- NAAAlA jury Ast- II NdS Ntll- Al
that time the number Of barrOOms was
5l4. The increase in the tax has not pre-
vented an Increase in the number Of bar
rooms, for on November l. 1907. there
were 517 There was a reduction in the
license year 1SO2-08 10 SO The next year
the number was 5l3. the next year SIS. the
next year sd. and the nest year 52l.
Absolute prohibition Of the sale and
manufacture Of liquors in the District OF
Columbia does not seem 10 have a large
number Of advocates. and certainly the
strong public sentiment necessary to en-
force such a law does not seem at pres
ent 10 exist The prohibition Of the sale
OF Intoxicating liquors within certain
zones seems 20 have worked well Those
zones might be probably Increased in
number or in radius. where conditions are
similar 70 those in the present zones. The
measure or local option which we now
have might proftably be increased. so as
20 permit the majority Of the people d.
rectly affected 20 determine whether
there should be a renewal Of a barroom
license. as well as whether there should
be the issuance OF a new license
1t might also be well TO provide for
the extension OF the area in which the