Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-06
D. c. EXCISE LAW
ISSUE ACROSS LINE
Promises to Play a Part in
Prince Georges County
Campaign.
OBJECTION TO SALOONS
LOCATED ALONG BORDER
Candidates for Senate and House of
Delegates Asked to Declare
Themselves.

The strict new excise law of the District
is about to play an important part in the
Prince Georges county. Nd, primaries, In
the opinion of number of residents of
Hyattsville, Bladensburg. College Park
and other towns in that section to which
Washingtonians commute.
These primaries, which are to be held
September 3, will be for the purpose of
selecting candidates for the senate and
house of delegates of Maryland. Coinc-
IDENTIFY, Washingtonian. Oliver s. Met
zerott, president of the Columbia Theater
Company. who resides about four miles
from Hyattsvile, today announced his
candidacy for the republican nomination
for state senator from Prince Georges
county.
All the Prince Georges county candidates
for the legislature of Maryland, which is to
be elected this fall, today received a let
ter from Charles B. Calvert. Washing
which he says:
Text Of Calvert Letter.
THE enforcement of the new excise
law in the District of Columbia has in
creased the incentive to establish
saloons on the border of the District
of Columbia, in Prince Georges county,
Md, and has extended. and will extend,
the illegal sale of intoxicating liquor
in said places.
Most of the people in the upper sec
tion of the county are determined to
have enacted by the next legislature
| of Maryland a law to prohibit the sale
of Intoxicating liquor in Hyattsville,
Bladensburg and Chillum districts.
Il am inclosing a draft of a bill that
has been prepared for this purpose,
which will be submitted to every cam
didate for the Legislature, and on be-
half of those back of the movement 1
respectfully request an answer from
you by the 18th of August next whether
you will support this measure in the
event that you are elected to the Mary
land legislature. This legislation is in
line with many laws that have been
enacted in Prince Georges county. not
ably that applicable to Chesapeake
Junction"
1t is said i'm Washington today that In
all probability the liquor question will
bring about a bitter fight in the coming
primaries in Prince George. There is said
to be there strong sentiment in favor Of
making the county dry as Montgom-
cry county has been made
Violations of the liquor law In Bladens-
burg and in that vicinity. especially since
the new excise law of the District went
into effect, are said to be notorious. Even
those who are not temperance men de-
clare that SO far as Bladensburg and that
section of the county is concerned, sa-
looms are proving to be disturbing ele-
ments because of the visitors from out
side the community who are attracted by
them.
The statewide local-option fight had
the whole Maryland legislature tied up
| for a long while last year, and the prin-
ciple of statewide local option, and the
| bill, which would have made 1t law in
Maryland. was defeated then because the
bring the bill to a vote in time to assure
| its passage.
Favored Local Option.
"The bill is certain to come up again
at the meeting of the next legislature in
January" Mr.. Metzerott said today. in
confirming the news Of his proposed can
didacy 1t is understood that Mr.. Met
zerott would favor the passage of a state
| wide local option bill, if nominated at the
primaries and elected. inasmuch as he
supported such a measure during his two
| terms in the Maryland assembly. In
1908 and 1912 he was members Of the
house of delegates.
Mr.. Metzerott is a candidate. to sue
ceed the present state senator. DR..
Charles A. Wells of Hyattsville. The
latter is not a candidate for e-election.
DR.. Wells is a democrat. Mr. Metzerott
was a candidate against him four years
ago, in 1909, when DR.. Wells defeated
him by $50 votes
| Prince Georges county now has popu-
lation of about $1,000. OF these about
$500 or 1900 are registered voters. The
/ county has been represented In the state
senate for a good many years by demo-
| crat. The term Is four years. There is
| said to be some change of sentiment tins
year. and several other republicans are
said to have hopes of capturing the nomi-
nation from Mr.. Metzerott. John M.
Bowie. at present county commissioned
| is spoken Of as Is Francis .. Carmody
president of the Farmers and Mechanics
4 Bank at Seat Pleasant. Both tneSe re-
publicans have said they are not goins
| to run, but their names are stiil oelne
used by their friends.
| Three Democrats in Race.
| On the democratic side there are thre.
declared candidates. OF these william
NJ. Holmead. president OF the board o.
county commissioners of Kent district
is one He is the candidate OF the SO
| called democratic organization. or Ray
faction. and is said to be friendly to tn
liquor men. Carter Lee Bowie. SON o
the late Gov Oden Bowie OF Maryland
and of Queen Anne district. Is anothe
candidate, and is said to be put FORWARD
by the anti-organization. or Senate
Wells faction. A Mr.. Sasser. an indie
pendent democrat. is the third aspirant
The republicans in Prince Georges nav
been disorganized. to some extent, be
cause of the progressive party sentimen