Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-26
HEARING At THE CAPITOL
Senator Works Declares Conditions
Here a Disgrace.
OFFERS A SUBSTITUTE BILL
E. c. Dinwiddie, A. E. Shoemaker
and E. w. Oyster Address Senate
District subcommittee.

the number Of saloons and the way they
are spread throughout both business and
residential sections of the city were de-
nounced today. when the ''drys' had their
innings at the hearing before the sub
committee of the Senate District commit.
tee on excise and liquor legislation. Dis.
graceful" disgrace to the whole ma.
tion.' "intolerable,'' "such as no decent
city would permit were some of the
words and expressions used during the
hearing.
And the "drys'' were certainly given en-
couragement by the members of the sub
committee who were present-Senatoi
Jones and Senator Works.
Il would be glad to see all the saloons
! banished from Washington: the condi.
tions here now are a disgrace to the
whole nation,' remarked Senator Works
at the very outset of the hearing.
81 feel personally like Senator Works
and would like to see all the saloons
wiped out of the city; but IL we can't do
that we want the best conditions and the
best law we can get" said Senator Jones
somewhat later.
Three Speakers Heard.
Only three speakers completed their
| remarks this mOrning-E. c. Dinwiddie,
representing the National Anti-Saloon
League; A. E. Shoemaker, representing
| the District Anti-Saloon League. and f.
w. Oyster. speaking for himself.
The dry" forces of the District were
well represented at the hearing. Heading
| delegation from the w. c. L. L. were
Mrs. Emma r. Shelton, Mrs. Don r
Blaine, Mrs. l.. HI. Earl and Mrs. H. j.
Hull From the Presbyterian PREACHERS
Association, there were present Rev. DIR
Donald Macleod and Rev. DIR. A. W.
SpOoner, and from the Methodists.. Rev
Dr. A. H. Thompson and Dr. W.. w.
Barnes were on hand. Among the others
were II. G. Gordon and Mrs H. +. Mon
roe Of the Gospel Mission and f. J.
Lukens Of the Central Union Mission.
MI. Works Offers Substitute.
Senator works. member Of the sub
committee and author or the bill to
limit the number Of saloons in the Dis
trict to 100, urged his biIf ss.a proper
measure, and his statement was re-
| ply to the report Of the Commission
ers adverse to the bill.
One of the reasons. they oppose my
bill is that 1t will decrease District
| revenues" Senator Works said. Il took
the matter up with one of the Com
missioners.. and asked him to put his
ideas in the form of bill"
After reading that BILL which has the
same. object as the Works. bill. but will
postpone the time. Of effectiveness. Sem
ator. Works offered the bill. as a sub
stitute for his.
But il consulted my own opinion
would be- glad to see all saloons
banished from Washington he said.
Amen" shouted a clerical-dressed
! man in the small audience.
The substitute bill which Senator
Works offered provides that there shall
/ trict after November 1, 1915; would
increase the retail license fee. at tns
rate of $500 a year, until 1t reached
$4,000; would increase the wholesale
liquor license fee to 500 year; pro-
hibits saloons in residential districts.
Calls Conditions Disgraceful.
Senator Works then turned to a map
showing the location and number OF sa.
tionale Capital.
whole nation" Senator Works began. "Or
the stretch of Pennsylvania avenue be.
tween the Capitol and the White House
these black dots indicate the saloons. and
there are fifty of them. That Is out
rageous on such q prominent thorough.
fare. In one square the whole front
age is covered with saloons.
What square Is that?" shouted Hugh
T. Harvey, representing the Retail Liquor
Dealers Association, from his seat in the
audience.
81 don't know" replied Mr.. Works,
"but here Is a square, at least. where
the saloons are so thick that there Is one
Of the square. There are eight saloons In
/ that square.
.'On Tth street the conditions are in
| tolerable. No decent city and no nation
should allow II"
Senator Works declared that the map
Showed the need for some legislation Tor
the Limitation OF saloons in the District
Of Columbia.
E. G. Dinwiddie for Restriction.
Following Senator Works. Senator Jones
asked the proponents Of the liquor legis-
lation to speak first, and E. c. Dinwiddie
opened the arguments Of the ''drys."
I'VE say amen to all that Senator
Works has said,' he began, against a
situation that allows such an aggregation
Of saloons in any one block as Senator
Works has pointed out. The SITUATIONS
on Pennsylvania avenue. 7th street ana
on two or three other streets in the Dis
trict are out of all reason with reference
to the facilities for obtaining liquor.
Mr. Dinwiddie- declared the temperance
forces heartily approve the Works bill, as
far as it goes, but he argued especially
for the Jones bill. which provides gen
eral codification of the liquor laws. with
limitations to reduce the number OF sa-
looms in the District and restrict them
from residential districts.
I'm their annual messages to Congress, "
he continued, Presidents OF the United
States have urged that Washington should
be made a model city in the nation, but
1 can say that Washington is far. behind
most states Of the union as to liquor
legislation
Attacks Excise Board Ruling.
Mr.. Dinwiddie attacked the ruling Of
the excise board which declared that
residents of apartment houses, keeping
house. are not to be considered among
those whose consent to the establishment
of a saloon in the locality are required
by law.
THAT ruling should not be allowed to
stand longer than 1t takes Congress to
change it." shouted Mr.. Dinwiddie. 1T
disfranchises many who are. keeping