The Washington times., 1912-05-15
v-NIIt.
Excise Hearing Is Stormy Session

lessly prolong this report, but in con-
clusion 1 deem II not improper to call
the attention of this body to one fea-
ture which seems to have been over
looked. The merchants of this city are
Justly denouncing a condition which
subjects them to competition with deal
ers from other cities who come mere
and sell their wares without having to
pay as much taxes on their goods as
do the resident merchants. This Is a
great wrong. and should not be imposed
upon them.
The pending bill, so far as concerns
dealers in liquors, remedies this tn1us-
tice. II Is provided In section hve that
the agents of makers brewers, and dls-
tillers outside the Distr. ct of Columbia
who sell their product in said District
shall be required to take out the whole
sale license provided for In the act.
This may be considered as the entering
wedge for the relief Of the merchants
Of this city who deal in other lines OF
goods, and gives hope of relief from
Congress when this question Is properly
presented.
IT therefore present the accompanying
resolution, which l offer as substitute
for the resolution presented by the ma
Jority of said committee, and move Its
" CHARLES I. EVANS.
Member Of Committee on Municipal
Legislation"
The resolution referred to was to the
effect that the Chamber favor the Jones.
Works bill and ask the House to enact
At this juncture President Oyster
called attention to the fact that he had
been Informed that a number OF those
Der. He asked that, II so, they do not
vote.
Resents Methods.
william f. Shannon resented the
ta Nd o.
serted that the vote did not include
more than seventy per cent OF those
present. He alleged that both chairmen
had admitted that they had not had
time thoroughly to report on the bill
and favored following Mr.. Classics ad-
| vice.
| I'VE are not in a position to put this
great body on record" he said. He
reminded the members that the Chamber
had reversed itself on a previous occa-
sion as result Of a conflict of commit
tees. He moved to lay the whole mat
ter on the table. On a division the mo-
ton was declared lost without COM
rleting the count.
H. z. Sands said that It had been
proved that only eighteen places outside
| Of hotels would be permitted to sell
liuuor under the provisions of the bill.
John G.. Capers. new member OF
| tne Chamntr, quoted from the notice
| uf the meeting that the proposed excise
| bill was 10 be considered
1 Il certainly feel that there Is nc
one thing which hampers the high
class liquor dealer so much as the low
class dealers and bad cilizens," he said
| when | was commissioner l made il
q point 10 attend all the liquor mems
| conventions. to keep in touch with then
and TO show that they were not. a:
| liquor dealers, per Sc. crooks. They are
In legitimate business.
II know that the bill Is not a fail
bill to taxpayers OF the District or L
the dealers"
He favored filing n respectful protest
and believed that Congress would b,
willing to give the Chamber an oppor
tunity to propose another bill.
lie declared that Washington Is th'
most unfortunate city in the world, be
cause of legislation by Inen from al
parts Of the country.
The bill h" asserted. would be mani
festly unfair to every interest.
On the minority report not a sinGl
vote was voiced in favor OF 1t.
| On the ma ioritv report OF the sub
committee the Sch,iItGrs resolution wa
overwhelmingly adopted. the dehat
)asted until 10:30 o'clock.