Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-12
HALTS EXCISE BILL
Lack of Committee Quorum
Prevents Action Today.
EIGHT SENATORS ABSENT
Modification of Jones-Works Bill
Expected at Next Meeting.
Substitute Probable.
NO quorum"

NO quorum
That was the sum total result of the
meeting of the Senate District COM
nittee held today. Senator Jones of
Washington. chairman of the subcom-
mittee on excise legislation. had hoped
TO push through the committee the bill
for the more stringent regulation of
saloons in the District. drafted by his
subcommittee, but the lack of quorum
interfered.
Political affairs in "home states" is
interfering with the transaction of the
District business in the Senate COM
mittee. Senators Dillingham;, Lorimer
and Kenyon were absent today, look
ing after political fences back home.
Senator Martin of Virginia is away
because of serious illness in his family,
and Senator Pomerene preferred to at
tend a meeting of the Senate commit
tee on interstate commerce, which is
framing antitrust legislation.
Senator Paynter was also absent.
Neither of the two new members of the
committee-Senators Fall of New Mexico
and Smith of ArizOna-attended.
Those who attended were Senators Gal
linger, Curtis, Jones. Works. Johnston and
Smith of Maryland, the usual regulars
when meetings are called.
Excise Measure Provisions.
Action on the excise bill, now called the
Jones-Works measure. will probably be
taken up at the meeting Of the COM
mittee next Friday. 1t was agreed today
to make special efforts to get a quorum
a majority-of the committee on hand
next week. and two more besides those
who were at the meeting today are neces-
sary.
Senator Jones is hopeful that the full
committee will give it's approval to the
measure, even though II Is SO stringent
that the liquor men are opposing 1t
strenuousIy.
r Is likely, however, that some of the
provisions will be modified before the bill
is accepted by a majority of the full COM
mittee Objection has been made to that
proviso THAT no license shall be granted
for any saloon or barroom on any square,
block or tract of land where less than 80
per cent of the houses and buildings, not
ing barroom licenses under this act, there
on are used for business purposes
This. it IS held, would be prohibitive in
many squares. Since the provision was
framed some of the members of the SUBJ
connhttee have been examining the prac-
teal effect of this provision and believe
it goes farther than intended
Effect on Seventh Street.
1t would wipe all the saloons OF 7th
street above the Public Library, and
Intimate others not intended to be put
out of existence by the subcommittee
There is move on foot among members
of the subcommittee that framed the
bill to draft a substitute for that proyi-
sion.
There has been some talk that some
If the provisions wiping out saloons will
ne attacked on the ground that they are
taking property without due compensa-
{ on. But the supporters of the Jones'
Works bill argued that the selling Of
liquor is not a vested right, but only
license. and that when a state or q
county or town go dry and wipe out all
he saloons no compensation is paid to
the owners of the saloons
y huge petition. signed by thousands
If people in the District. asking for
more stringent excise legislation has been
presented to the Senate by Senator Works
and has, in turn, been referred to the
Thompson spent the morning searching
for file pocket large enough to hold the
petition.
Petition Calls for Legislation.
The petition declares that the Excise
situation in Washington is a disgrace to
he capital Of the United States" and
Irged such legislation as will lead to
he amelioration of this evil
We therefore petition Congress-" It
lids, ito pass either the Works measure
,r some similar act which will embody
he principle OF diminishing the number
II saloons in the District and providing
or more stringent regulation OF those