Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-21
Members Believe Changes Should Be
Made as Amendments.
GAS HEARING NEXT SATURDAY
Prohibition Relating to Ownership
of Securities of Public Service
Companies Tabled

The Sims bill for absolute prohibition in
the District of Columbia was killed by
the House committee on the District at
its regular weekly meeting today. Eleven
members voted to table the bill Two
voted to keep it alive.
Before the vote was taken the commit
tee discussed the matter of prohibition
in the District of Columbia at considera BILE
length. Most of the members of the
committee expressed the opinion that the
excise laws of the District are excellent
in themselves and we'll enforced and
that If anything is TO be done in the near
future it should deal with some possible
amendments to these laws and not with
the general subject of complete prohibi-
ton.
Representative Smith of Michigan.
chairman of the committee offered an
amendment to the Sims bill. He moved to
amend it so as to permit residents of
Washington. under proper qualifications.
to decide by their vote whether the city
and District should hereafter be wet or
dry. This amendment and the original
bill We're voted upon simultaneously and
both were tabled by II to >. Inns and
Campbell of Kansas voted in the mega
tive.
The matter of having more hearings on
the subject was also touched on. but no
sentiment at all developed for the affirma
tive side of this proposition.
Much Testimony Printed.
Last year. it will be remembered, the
hearings were quite extensive and an
effort was made by Chairman Smith of
the committee to give both sides, the
vets and the drys, the fairest kind of
show These hearings also have been
taI md hn of no
tee were all familiar with the subject
matter contained therein.
There are several other prohibition bills
remaining before the committee, but ac-
ton was taken on the Sims measure. as
that was the bill on which hearings were
held at the last session. Later the com
mittee may take up these measures and
put them on the table to keep the Sims
bill company: but this is doubtful. To-
days action is held to sufficiently demon
strate even to the most enthusiastic pro-
the impossibiity of getting
anything in the shape Of prOhibitory legiS-
lation through the committee and the fu
tiity of further efforts
Ownership of Public Service Stock.
The committee also tabled the bill in
troduced by Mr.. Sims forbidding members
of Congress and officials of the District
of Columbia government TO own or held
stocks or bonds of local public service
On the proposition to table the bill the
vote stood to D. Representatives Camp
bell of Kansas. Taylor of Ohio. Olcott of
New York, McGavin of Illinois, Kahn of
California, Moore of Pennsylvania. Nc
MILAN of New York and Kellher of Mas
Sachusetts voted to kill the bill. while
Representatives Smith of Michigan Muir
phy of Wisconsin, Sims of Tennessee,
Cary of Wisconsin, and Foster of Indiana
voted in its favor.
The committee decided to favorably re
port to the House the resolution intro
duced ~ Representative McGavin of H.
linois. member of the committee, call
ing upon the District Commissioners for
infornla ton to the alleged non-en-
forcement of the local fre-escape law.
Another Gas Hearing Saturday.
1t was decided by the committee to hold
another hearing on the monoxde gas bill
at 10 o'clock in the morning At
that time. it is understood. the Washing
ton Gas Light Company will be permitted
TO produce witnesses to show that the in
of water gas into the iIlni-
mating product ii furnishes is not particu-
larly harmful, and the the presence of "A
small amount of carbon monoxide il not
more than ordinarily dangerous to life.