Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-24

W ASH lNTTON. February ID, 1@lS-
The Washington Mercantile Assoc
citation is bearing the burden of the
fight to prevent the enactment of a
prohibition law i'm the District Of
Columbia. Such law would injure
every business interest in this city.
We ask Your aid in making this fight
your cordial sympathy and support.
In order that YOU may see exactly
what our position is. We call YOUR
attention to this memorial. filed by
US with the Beard nf Commissioners
of thu District of Columbia at the
recent hearing:
January ~. 1GOS.
To the Board of Commissioners.
District of Columbia:
GertIemen-The Washington Mer-
camille Association. composed of tax
rayerS and business mnn represent
ing II" opposition tn the enactment
cf anv n"Tv law on the luuor uuaS-
tinn in rha District o Columbia.
respectfully bacs lave to submit A
f"w reasons whv. In our Judgment.
the Commissioners should recon-
mend that the bills referred tn them
nv Congress should not he enacted
into law
!. There is no need Of new or
additional Iinuor legislation. The
people of the District do not de-
w"nd anv now laws. They are sat
iStiod with the laws that now exist.
Tho District % Columbia is a law
abiding. orderly community and
abuses in the sale and CONSERVATION
~ liquor have been reduced to a
r1inimur, under laws that have been
thoroughly tested. No other city in
tn" United states o. elsewhere has
n batter record in this respect. and
no city in any prohibition state can
show AS good record
Southern cities which contain larga
negro population complain of the
prevalence ~ crime on account of
the ignorant and vicious clement
among mo n"CrOes. while Washing
ton. which has tho largest negro
population 90 any CITY in the world.
= remarkably FREQ from crime. II
r-irGo among tn" negroes may be
raced 10 strong drink. as ie Doubt
!. sc true in nanv cases. the COM
raT3tivc ahSnTc" If c-ir1o among
ne negro sc in this District is con-
cl1Isiva proof that the HONOR laws
here are RICHLY enforced. 1t is COM
mon knowl"dCc among ruhlic r1"n
mat the linucr laws of this Dis
trict ar strictly enforced. ard that
drunkenness is less in evidence than
i'm any Oth"- city in the Union. Why.
then. should there he a change from
tested laws - those. which at best,
would ~ experimental? Your hon
nrabIc body. in our opinion. would
he justified in calling attention to
tie admirable liquor laws O. this
District. and the manner in which
they are enforced by the. excise
laws 10 other cities and communities
which have tried prohibition and
found that abuses of the liquor traf-
fir flourish under that system.
. II is unjust and tvrannical to
impose upon tho people of this or any
other cor1munity. without their con-
sant. any law affecting their daily
lives and habits. 1t is unnecessary
TO consume time here to emDhasiZe
the intimate character of legislation
which tries 10 deal with the individ->
nal habits of men. If men are en-
titled 10 liberty i'm anv shape. they
are entitled to the liberty of in
dividual choice regarding their in
dividuaI tastes and habits. provided
they do not infringe upon the rights
of others Governments wisely MAKE
no ATTEMPT to deal with matters OF
personal habit. except in tho way
Of restraining one person from in
fringing upon the rights of another
Laws have been enact ed covering all
cases in which the sale or consume
ton of liquor becomes an injury to
individuals or the public. Thus the
law has rightly placed liquor in the
place where it belongs. beside other
articles commonly used by mankind,
which by misuse may become in
furious or dangerous. No one Oh
iects to the laws which safeguard
the use of liquor and prohibit the
abuse of it.
But it is now proposed to go further
and single ont LIQUOR alone. of all the
-, In
legal restrictions about its use that
ii will he practically driven out of
existence. Thus. in the attempt to
prevent the abuse OF LIQUOR it is pro-
DoS"d that the use shall be pro-
hihited If this could he accom-
pljshed by law the result would be TO
deDriya MANY persons of the reason
able use of liquor. in order that the
few who misuse it might be reached.
This is nothing less than the pun
ishmAnt of all persons in order that
a few guilty. ones may be punished.
1t is an Illegal and arbitrary en-
croachment upon individual rights.
vet it is proposed that this shall he
done in the District of Columbia
without even referring the question
to the people affected.
We believe that an attempt by law
~ prevent the use of liquor by per-
sons who do not abuse the right
would be a failure. We point to tho
breakdown Of prohibition laws in all
large cities as proof of our cOnten-
ton. "" share the views of such
distinguished prclates as his emf
nence Cardinal Gibbons and the Ri
Rev Henry Y. Satterlee Bishop of
Washington. Cardinal Gibbons gave
out a statement on January Is. read
ing. in part. as follows:
Il believe that the right of the
people TO determine hy the operation
OF local option law whether saloons
shall or shall not be closed within
their respective communities is in
harmony with tn" american principle
OF Snlf-governme Mt.
Will. | do rot wish TO ~ un-
derstcod as having in any degree
changed my opinion that it is neither
feasible nor wis". under present
conditions % attempt prohibition
throughout the whole extent of a
large city like Baltimore. Yet if the
people Of ward of the city. cs-
r.ecially i'm y residential section. or of
a rural county desire To vote out
saloons. they should have the oppor-
Iunity Of so doing
Cardinal Gibbons sees clearly that
il is neither feasible nor wise 10
attempt prohibition in Il large city
like Baltimore. and what he says ap-
rlisS with equal or greater force to
Washington. which has a more cos
mopolitan population than Balti-
more.
bishop Satterl"e. in an interview
printed on Sunday. January ~.
SDoakS as follows