Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-27
CONTROL OF LIQUOR
Substitute Excise Law Sug-
gested by Commissioners.
LIMITS BARROOMS TO 513'
License Fee for Retailers Fixed at
$1,000; Wholesalers, $500.
OBJECTIONS TO WORKS BILL
Clause Reducing the Number of Sa-
looms to 100 Disapproved.
Other Features.
OBJECTIONS TO WORKS BILL

Limiting the number of licensed bar
rooms that may be established in the
District to the number now in operation.
513. bill providing drastic changes in
the local excise laws was today recon-
mended to Congress by the Commission
ers of the District. Other features OF
the proposed legislation are that the re-
tail license fee shall be increased from
$500 to 81 600 and the wholesale fee from
$500 to 500 per annum.
| Accompanying the measure proposed
| by the Commissioners, which was ad-
dressed to Senator Gallinger, chairman
of the Senate District committee, was a
report on the bill of Senator Works to
regulate the granting of licenses for bar
rooms in the District. The Commission
ers partially indorse tie Works bill.
| Although a substitute measure for the
| Works bill has been prepared by direc-
ton of the Senate District committee,
the Commissioners report on the bill.
which has been ready for several days,
discusses the legislation proposed by the
Senate member at length.
Provisions of New Measure.
| The new legislation recommended by
| the Commissioners consists of nine Sec
| tons, the first two of which relate to the
| limiting of the number of licensed bar
| rooms and the fees for retail and whole
| sale establishments.
| Section three stipulates that where a
| barroom is located on corner it shall
be considered as having an entrance on
| each abutting street, and the signatures
required for the establishment of such
barrooms shall be obtained on both
streets.
Sections four and five relate to the Sc
curing of signatures before barrOoms can
be established and the licensing of hotels.
while sections six and seven prohibit the
sale of intOXicantS to minors and the dis
pensing of intoxicating liquors of any
kind on boats within the District of CO.
lumbia. Section eight gives to the excise
board authority to summon witnesses and
require their testimony under oath. Sec
ton nine is the repeating clause.
Report on Works Bill.
In their report on the Works bill the
Commissioners discuss at length section
=, which would limit the number of sa-
looms in the District to 100 by November
/, 1915. They say that they cannot ap-
prove of this clause, for the reason that
they are not aware of what the senti-
ment of the community is in regard to
whether definite number of saloons
shall be fixed by law and, If so, what
that number shall be.
"as the establishment of saloon
is made possible only by the con-
sent of those living in close proximity
to where It is proposed to conduct 1t,
who. as we'll as the public at large. there
after, upon application for renewal OF Il
cense, have the privilege of protesting
against said renewal. it seems but peas-
enable to assume that this community as
hos, mt n
favor of the number of saloons now IL
censed and therefore the Commissioners
would not oppose measure restricting
the number of saloons to the number now
in business until the demand Tor addl-
tional ones becomes apparent
1.-THE Commissioners are OF the opinion
that if election were had In the Dis
trict the majority would vote against any
restriction of the number of barrooms to
a maximum less than the number now
i'm existence. Statistics show that al
though the population of the District OF
Columbia has Increased more than 10000
in the past thirteen years there has been
practically no increase in the number OF
saloons. Statistics further show that the
number of saloons in proportion to the
population is much lower in this District
than in other cities where the traffic is
licensed"
One Section Approved.
The Commissioners indorse section l
of the Works bill. which relates to the
issuance of license to hotels but rec
ommend that section be stricken
out. This section would prohibit the
establishment of places for the sale of
liquor in residential districts.
In their report the Commissioners
say that they requested the excise
board to give it's opinion Of the Works
bill. Extracts from the response of
| the board are made part of the Com
missioners report.
The bill drafted by the Commissioners
differs materially from that framed by
| the subcommittee on excise and liquor
| legislation of the Senate District commit
| tee an outline of which was published
| in The Star yesterday.
Differences Enumerated.
The Commissioners bill would limit the
number of saloons in the District to
about 80. the present number; the Sem
ate subcommittee bill would reduce the
number to 800 by November !. 1914
The Commissioners bill would increase
| the retail license fee to $1,000 per annum
and the wholesale fee to $500; the sub
committees bill would increase the retail
fee to $500 and the wholesale fee to
$500.
The Commissioners bill and the sub
committees bill agree in the requirement
that a hotel, to receive a hotel liquor
| license, must have fifty rooms.
Both bills make more positive the pro-
| hibition against the sale of liquor to
| minors eliminating the word knowing
W. from the description of the offense.
The temperance forces of the National
CAPITAL have contended that that word
practically made the present prohibition
ineffective.
The Commissioners bill would not re-
peal any part of the present excise law
except as it is inconsistent with the pro-
posed law; the subcommittee bill pro-
vides an entirely new excise law as q
substitute for tho present one. The sub
committee bill imposes many stringent
regulations which are not included in the
present law or the Commissioners pro-
| posed amendment.
TWO SENATORS ELECTED.