The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-11
Trade Body Goes on Record
Against Prohibition.
RACE TRACK BETTING TABLED
Interesting Statistics Presented on
Liquor Tramc-SeverHi Speeches
Made-Ban on Benning Races Goes
by Default and VIII Be Revived
Amendment To Bylaws Passed.


this chamber the enactment OF a pro-
hibition law is inadvisable. and we here
by petition the Commissioners OF the
District OF Columbia 10 make an adverse
report on ali bills providing for pro-
hibition in this District. or for any
changes in the existing liquor laws of
the District
This resolution was adopted last night
at the March meeting of the Chamber OF
Commerce by practically a unanimous
vote. Action was taken on the subject
after full and free discussion OF the
subject. though little was said against
the proposition
The subject was brought before the
chamber in report froSl the committee
on municipal legislation. Chaplin Brown.
chairman, submitting the report Mr..
Brown reported that at the last meeting
Of the chamber Hugh Harvey had offered
resolution protesting against the pas
sage OF any prohibition law by Congress.
or any change in the existing laws gov
erning the liquor traffic Mr.. Brown said
this resolution was referred to the board
of directors for consideration, and that
the directors had referred it TO his COM
mittee for investigation and report
Committee Reports to Chamber.
Owing TO the fact that the bills pend
ing i'm Congress were to come up for hear
ing in day or two at the Capitol, Mr.
Brown said il had seemed best TO submit
the report 10 the chamber instead Of 10
the directors, as the committees instruc-
tons contemplated. Mr.. Brown offered
resolution simply setting forth that IN
the opinion Of the committee the pass
ing of prohibition law was at the pres
ent time inadvisable
This did not meet with the views of Mr..
Harvey and others representing liquor
dealers OF the chamber. and the resolu-
ton was changed TO the form in which
it was passed by a substitute offered by
Mr. Harvey.
In presenting his resolution. Mr.. Har-
vey made brief address in which he
presented some interesting statistics. He
stated that the liquor interests pay one
sixth Of the revenue of the District in
the form OF licenses. realty, and personal
taxes, or approximately Sl.OO0,oOO of the
s6,0000o raised annually for the public
expenses. He said the bank deposits OF
the liquor establishments of the District
amounted TO about 5000 to $4,000 daily
He said there are issued each year AS
saloon licenses. ifty-three hotel licenses.
eighteen club licenses and 1Ss wholesale
licenses.
ASitatOrs Not Citizens of District.
Mr.. Harvey further asserted that the
advocates Of prohibition in the District
were not citizens, but paid representa-
tives who were making a living out of
the agitation of the question. in the hope
that Congress would pass a prohibition
law which would be a sample Of such
legislation for other large cities Of the
country
Mr.. Harvey stated that a prominent
manufacturing concern in Chicago had
been obliged 70 dismiss from its en-
ploy several hundred men, because the
prob bition movement in various parts
OF the country had stopped the demand
for billiard and pool tables. and other
appurtenances OF the saloon furnished by
this company. He stated that the Ma
tional Cash Register Company had been
Obliged 10 dismiss from its employ 1000
persons for the same cause
The subject was discussed by Chaplin
Brown, p J. Bremen, Simon Wolf. and
others.
In the early part Of the meeting com
munications were read from the Pro-
hibiuon Crusaders and from the Allied
Temperance Workers Of the Anti-Sa-
loon League, protesting against any ac-
ton by the chamber favorable TO the
Harvey resolution.
Race Track Resolution Tabled
J. II. Ralston, chairman of the COM
mittee on law and legislation reported
from his committee on the subject Of
betting at the Benning Race Track. Mr..
Ralston said that at the last meeting
OF the chamber a resolution offered bv
William Hoge, calling attention 10 the
betting at the Beuning Race Track and
seeking 10 place the chamber on record
against the practice. had been referred
TO his committee.
Since that time It had transpired that
the District Commissioners had drafted 2
bill on the subject which had been intro
duced in Congress. This bill covered the
same ground as the Hoge resolution, and
Mr. Ralston suggested that ~ the cham
Der would approve the Commissioners
bin, it would be tantsmount TO approving
the Hoge resolution, Mr.. Ralston read
the Commissioners bin from a copv OF
The Washington Herald Of yesterday
morning. and moved that the chamber
approve the measure.
Snap Judgment Is Taken.
In the opinion Of several of the mem
bers, the subject was one which it was
thought the chamber should not pass
upon, and on motion OF Samuel Ross 4
vote was put to lay the resolution on the
table. This action was in the nature of
a surprise to many of the members. the
motion having been put to the chamber
before many of them realized what was
going on.
1t is understood 10 be the majority SEN
timent of the chamber that It should go
on record against betting at the Benning
race track, and it is probable that the
resolution will be called up at the next
meeting of the chamber and approved by
a decided majority.
The treasurer reported receipts to date
Of 1856. disbursements Of 1894. leaving
a balance in the treasury of $l.6s2
Several OF the standing committees had
no reports ready. The chairman of the
wholesale trade committee stated that
owing 10 a misunderstanding the recent
meeting of his committee failed to pro-
duce a quorum to act upon the trade get
ting train 10 be sent into West Virginia.
but that a meeting would be called in the
near future 10 take up the subject again.
\ meeting Of the retail trade commit
tees has been called for Thursday night.
The proposed amendment TO the by
laws providing that five members of a
citizens association or other body in the
District can form a committee under the
constitution of the Chamber of Commerce
was adopted.
Arthur Moses made a statement from