Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-28
FIGHT |SSTARTED
AGAINST COLPOYS
Anti-Saioon League Protests
Selection as Excise
Commissioner.
OPPOSED THE PASSAGE
OF JONES-WORKS BILL
Several Democratic Senators De-
clared to Be Against the
Labor Man

An active fight against the confirmation
OF John B. Colpoys, named yesterday by
President Wilson one Of the three ex-
else board members, is to be made by the
District Anti-Saloon League and by SEN
/ ator Jones, according to indications to-
day. The fight is TO be made on the
basis of Mr.. Colpoys' attitude when the
Jones-Works excise law was pending in
Congress. No decision regarding the at
titude to be adopted regarding the nomi-
nations of Frank B. Lord and Robert G.
Smith has been reached by the league
Senato- Jones of Washington. co-author
with Senator Works of California of the
new excise law for the District effective
July 1, let it be known today that he Will
oppose with all his power the confirma-
ton of the nomination of Mr.. Colpoys.
1t is expected that Senator Works will
make fight against the confirmation Oh
Mr. Colpoys also. though the California
senator is out of the city today. and not
expected 10 return until next week.
Opposed the Measure.
The opposition TO Mr.. Colpoys on the
part of Senator Jones is due TO the fact
that Mr. Colpoys appeared before the
subcommittee of the Senate District COM
mittee when the Jones Works excise bill
was under consideration, and spoke in
opposition TO the measure. Senator Jones
does not believe that man who is known
to have opposed the enactment of the
new law should be appointed to enforce
that law
Il do not believe that President Will
son would have made the appointment
had he understood the situation" said
Senator Jones. II have nothing against
Mr.. COlpoys personally. but / do not
believe it wise to appoint man TO en-
force a law in which he does not be-
1ieve.''
Andrew Wilson president of the Anti
Saloon League of the District of CO.
lumbia. called upon Senator Jones to-
day to state his protest and that of
the league against the appointment of
Mr. Colpoys-
Others Against Colpoys.
IL is known that number of the
democratic senators are strongly opposed
also TO the confirmation of Mr. Colpoys
as d member of the excise board. They
were strongly in favor of the measure
when it was before the Senate Several
of them have called upon their republic
An colleagues and have stated that they
were utterly opposed to having Mr.. Col
poys made a member of the excise board.
II was intiInated today that there
might be fight made also against the
confirmation of Mr.. Smith as a member
of the excise board.
Senator Jones said today that he re-
called vividly the testimony given by
Mr.. Colpoys before the subcommittee
when the excise measure was up for
consideration. and that to refresh his
memory he had read the Colpoys tes-
tim0ny over yesterday afternoon.
Arguments Against Bill.
In his testimony Mr.. Co1poys, who
appeared secretary of the Central
Labor Union. said. in part:
There are some features of this bill
which If enacted into law will react
against the people we are representing
the laboring people. One of those fea-
lures would be the concentration of
licenses in any particular district
1T would mean this; that the class of
people that We represent whom L can
safely say are the most temperate peo-
pie, or the most temperate class in WASH
ington, temperate in so far as drinking is
concerned, and temperate in almost all
habits They work steadily. When they
go to their homes in the evening they
feel that perhaps a glass of beer. or any
Will do them good. They know how To
take it. They feel that it Will do them
good after hard dav's labor II voiI are
going to concentrate the saloons ttat
quite distance to get that b, a. If, 81
going TO stay in the saloon and not gn
home, because when he is there he saws.
Well. If ! go back home again il means
taking long journey, and / might as
well stay here, You are going to on
courage the men to leave their homes
rather than TO keep them at home
Discusses Growler.
You hear great deal about the
fIar
this, that instead of people drinking in
saloons that are so Objectionable 10
many people that have appeared before
this committee they go to the saloon
and they get their growler or their
pitcher, or whatever IL NAV he and
they take il 10 their homes and drink
IL there. There are very few peopIe
no matter nov low they are who want
10 desecrate their hGmos. They do nor
do ii. and the drinking OF a glass Of
beer before their children does not
do IL, neither does IL encourage their
children TO grow up to he drunlSards
But on the other hand. the drinking of
glass of beer in a temperate manner
before his children sets them an ex-
ample of temperance that Will be more
lasting on their memories than any les
son they might learn from imprac-
ticable theorists
Senator Jones asks ~ if We have. taken
any specific action on this specific reso-
luton. We do not have To- any more
than We Wo'iid have TO take SPECIFIC ac-
fion a Till in regard To the eight
hour law Ne know il SO thoroughly
that we do not have 10 send to our
various locals to find out their views
Defends Old Statute.
We feel now that after nineteen years
OF law on the statute books that regu-
Iates the liquor traffic as well as this
law apparently does-and there are very
few cases of violation of the liquor law
We feel that we ought fo LET we'll enough