The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-09-13
LIQUOR MEN PLAN
TO FIGHT MEASURE
Claim Passage of Proposed
Bill Means Practical
Prohibition.
SAY RESTRICTIONS
ARE TOO STRINGENT
Chairman Harvey Points Out How
Well Excise Laws Are Car
ried Out.

That the bill advocated by the Com
missioners to restrict the liquor trade
In the District of Columbia will result
In practical prohibition. is the opinion
Of Hugh F. Harvey, chairman of the
Congressional Committee Of the Nation
al Liquor League of the United States
and former president OF the Retail
Liquor Dealers Association Of the Dis
trict of Columbia Liquor men are pre-
pairing to fight the measure and indica-
lions point to an extended struggle be-
fore the bin is finally reported to the
floor OF the House or Senate.
IAN earnest fight Will be made against
the proposed measure" said Mr.. Harvey
last night. IF adopted, it viii mean the
end of the liquor trade in washington
Casting aside the question of an in
crease in license from $500 to $1,000 a
year. the reputable saloon men cannot
comply with other provisions of the
low. notably that section which provides
that no barroom license be issued, re-
newed, or transferred without the con-
sent of the majority of all property own
ers and Of all tenants in the square in
which Il IS 10 be used, and the four
squares confronting THAI square. TO
obtain the necessary number of sigma
lures under this law would be prs-cu-
cally impossible
Wrong Impression.
"The opinion prevails in some quar-
ters that the law would have the eff
feet of closing up the cheap saloons.
This impression is altogether errone-
Gus. as the man who sells scent whis-
ky Is the man who prospers, Moreover,
the proprietor of a GROCERY would.
under the proposed law. have less
difficulty in obtaining signatures TO
his application for a renewal OF license
than the man who runs a respectable
saloon in a respectable neighbOrhood.
In no city in the United States Is
there a closer observance Of the excise
laws than in Washington. NO man N
the city is better acquainted than with
the trade. and yet I do not know Of
a single liquor establishment in the Dis
trict. outside of a hotel or club. in
which could get a drink on Sunday.
THE Liquor Dealers Association IS
composed Of 80 members who are
pledged to obey the laws of the Dis
trict and especially the liquor laws. If
a member offends. he does not receive
IS a technical offense.
IF the question were put to a vote
I do not believe that ten members of
the association would vote 10 keep open
longer hours or on Sunday. Assuredly
there Is no city in the country in which
the liquor question is better handled.
One Mans Sentiment.
The bill now under consideration by
the sentiments of one man rather than
OF three. It is necessary that the Com
missioners present a unanimous report
on the liquor question to Washington
but in my opinion two of the Com
missioners are not in thorough sym
pathy with the drastic provisions of tbs
bin in question.
THAT section OF the bill which pro
vides that no license Shall be issued
trar sferred or renewed within 400 feet
OF a building used as public or private
school. will in Itself drive a number OF
men out of business It means simply
that II any person hires one room with
ing the neighborhoOd OF a saloon and
starts therein a school Of any kind, the
saloon man will have to retire The
money he may have invested in his bust
ness is lost and the fact that he has
probably no other means Of support
ing his family goes for nausht.
Means Prohibition.
1.-The National Liquor League Of the
United States and the Retail Liquor
Dealers Association are prepared e
make an earnest fight Co prevent the
passage of the bill It means, in effect
absolute prohibition. ana if favorably
acted upon, Washington viii within
three months be a dry Town
THE measure in question is in cours'
OF preparation by the corporation and
with the approval OF the Commissioner
will be forwarded to Congress upon re
quest of Senator Gallinger, chairman o.
Shs Senate Committee on tho District o.
Columbia"