The Washington herald., 1908-01-24
WET And DRY TALKS
WOman's Rights Injected in
Prohibition Hearing.
ALL OPINIONS REPRESENTED
Representative HehIn Talks Against
Sale of Liquor in Union station.
Produced ny Mercantile AssOcia-
tiOn-SuRrage Arguments barred.

\ public meeting to determine the seuti-
mcnt of the residents and taxpayers Of
the District ia regard to the question Of
prohibition and the amending of the ex-
else laws. as provided for in three bills
introduced in Congress this session, was
held yesterday morning at 10 O'Clock In
the board room Of the District building.
The hearing before the Commissioners
gave both sides, those for and those
against prohibition. chance to give
vent to their views The bills before
Congress are Representative Sims abso-
lutte prohibition bill. Representative
lambs local option bill. and Representa-
tive Hehn's bill prohibiting the sale Of
liquor at the New Union Station
All Opinions Represented.
All opinions We're well represented. Long
before the hearing was called to order by
Commissioner Macfarland the room was
crowded.
Among the organizations represented
were the Anu-Saloon League and other
temperance societies and religious
bodies. Liquor dealers. brewers. law
yers. bOttlcrs, and merchants were for
the most part unorganized The Wash
ington Mercantile Associations execu-
tive board, composed of William
Muehleisen, president; Hugh Harvey.
Charles Jacobsen. Joseph Busch. Town
ley a. Mckee, Albert Carey and Frank
Madigau, undertook To represent all
opponents of the proposed legislation
Commissioner Aiacfarland ordered
that no speech occupy a longer period
than FIVE minutes iu delivery.
The first speaker was Rev. s. r Muir
ray, representing the prohibition cru
saders Of Washington This society.
ne said. was responsible for the intro
duction OF the Sims bill Mr. Murray
rccited Objectionable conditions attend
Ing the sale Of liquor iu the District.
particularly in regard 10 the infringe
ment Of laws prohibiting the sale of
liquor TO minors and tHe abuse of the
"grOwIer" traffic
Woman's Suffrage Advocates Talk.
The hearing progressed until the
trend OF the argument went orr on a
tangent due 90 the infusion OF woman's
suffrage rights speeches. and the ques-
tion of equal suffrage by some of the
women present. Commissioner Mac
farland set the question in hand I'm IT'S
proper orbit once more and the hear
ing moved forward
The author of one Din. Representative
Hedin Of Alabama. delivered a. speech I'm
favor Of his bII which provides for the
prohibition OF the sale of liquor in the
New Union station.
Former Senator TIUrstou. of Nebraska.
appeared as attorney for the Federated
Liquor Dealers Association Of Washing
ton, and advanced the views of the liquor
men. He declared it 20 Doe "a mistaken
idea Of the prohibition advocates lhat the
carrying out of their plans would reduce
crime iu the District.
Wholesale smuggling Predicted.
He predicted wholesale smuggling and
Illicit trade in liquor as the outcome Of
prohibition. He agreed with Mr. Harvey.
who spoke as representative of the Wash
ugtou Mercantile Association. and who
declared that experience had taught that
prohibition cannot bs carried OUT success
fully iU large cities.
Mr. Harvey read a paper setting forth
the views of the Washington Mercantile
Association, opposing prohibition. the
eist OF which Is. That there IS no
need Of additional liquor legislation. that
the abuses resulting from the sale and
consumption Of liquor I'm the District are
at "a minimum under She present laws.
thar no city in the Unified States has So
81. l.. .s .-r...
speCt. and that no city IN any prohibition
State has @ record 10 compare TO that of
this city.
lie cited Bishop SateTlee's and Cardinal
Gibbons view as authorities.
Rabbi Simon BIameS Police.
Eabbi Simon did not appear as the rep
resentativc of the Jewish residents of
tine District. but merely as an individual
He opposed Matthew OBreu's statement
that all liquor dealers are anarchists.
Rabbi Simon terssIy remarked that an
archy Of speech is as dangerous as an
archy OF action. He blamed the viola
tions of the excise laws on the police
force
James l.. FceHey. chairman OF the leg
isIative committee of the Central Labor
4 mum uititbANtl q tftltif-idIr man MN
self. earnestly advocated the defeat of
the proposed laws. as e. menace - the
labor of the District since many would
be thrown out OF work by the proposed
measures, if made "a law.
A touch of humor was infused into
the hearing, by the uncOmpleted remarks
of Charles W Darr, who. in rebuttal to
the remarks of the womau's suffrage ad-
e l.
Of the meeting, stated that the placing OF
the ballot in the hands of the women
would tend to increase race suicide
Among the speakers We're John H. Ma
grudeT and NJ. T. Weller, who adyo-
Gated the defeat Of the proposed bills.
Many others had something 70 say for
and against the measures.
VIII IndOrse lodge Bill,
A great educational mass meeting IS
planned for the Belasco Theatcr. Sunday,