Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-26

IL regulation" REGULATED there
would be none of these illegal rum
holes in Pittsburg.
AS one proof that laws regulating
the liquor traffic are obeyed no better
in licensed saloons than are prohibi-
tory laws in prohibition territory, we
offer the following from the Washing
ton Times of Wednesday evening. July
"a, 1912:
AN EVIL WHICH THE PRESENT
LIQUOR LAW PERPETUATES.
In the District branch OF the Police
Court yesterday Edwin j. Gardiner,
proprietor of the Grand Hotel. was
convicted of serving liquor to Lillian
Sears, a girl IS years of age. In the
testimony presented by the prosecution
1t was stated that liquor was regularly
sold to boys and girls under age.
The defense offered by the proprietor
was that the Sears girl, although in
appearance much under q, had said,
on being questioned, that she was more
than that age, and that this informa-
ton was deemed sufficient To warrant
the sale of liquor to her.
The girl on the other hand. testified
that she had at no time been asked
regarding her age, although she had
been a frequent visitor at the hotel
and had never been refused liquor when
she asked for it. The jury took small
account of the defense offered and re-
turned a verdict of guilty.
The facts offered in this case sub
stantiate the statements made in The
Times regarding the inefficiency of the
District excise law as it now stands. It
proves the contention of The Times
that there is little or no difficulty in
the purchase by minors of liquors in
sufficient quantities to satisfy or intox.
icate. 1t proves beyond doubt the in
adequacy of the protection of the pres
ent excise law for the weak or willful
boys and girls of the District. For, de-
spite yesterdays conviction, the excise
board of the district is completely
powerless to take away at this time
the license owned by the Grand Hotel
or to refuse to grant new license
when the present one has expired. In
other words, there is no way, under
the present law, to put out of business
quor dealers conducting similar
places who for the sake of the profit
involved are willing to sell minors as
much liquor as they have the money
and the disposition to buy.
But even with such conditions plain
ly described, as they have been re-
peatediy in The Times, it has been, up
to the present, impossible to get any
action whatever out of the lower
branch of Congress.
1t would not seem possible that there
is another committee so subservient to
the desire of the liquor interests as the
District Committee of the House, a
quorum of which has for months
avoided any consideration of the Jones'
Works excise bill. and yet the Rules
ommittee has not up until today made
any pretense of considering or report
ing upon the resolution regarding this
legisltion introduced ON July II.
1t is quite true that a combination
of effort between the district commit
tee and the rules committee can con-
tinue present conditions by keeping the
excise bill PerpetuaiIy and eternslIy
out of sight. Chairman Johnson, of the
District Committee. has conclusivelv
proved that such a program is not fav-
ored or festered by him. Up to the
present Chairman Henry. of the Rules
Committee, has taken no action that is
Inactivity, however, has its
indications.