The Washington herald., 1914-05-13
LIQUOR DEALERS
Open Meeting
Speakers at Initial Session
Call for Far Play from
frohibitionists.
WELCOMED By SDD0NS
Henry F. Kaltenbaeh Says Hobsonl
Bill Is Aimed at Manu-
facturers Only.
WELCOMED By SDD0NS

81
The prohibition fight in the United
states is not 4 fight between the moral
forces on the side of Temperance and the
: siuuor dealers themselves. but Tight
between the temperance interests and the
consumers of alcohol. according to J..
Walter Fre:berg. chairman Of the execu-
tive committee Of the protective bureau
or the National Wholesale Liquor Deal
ers. who opened their annual convention
at the Willard yesterday morning.
These temperance agitators and self
appointed leaders assert. when advocat-
ing LEGISLATION. that they have no desire
to interfere with the individual and his
rights" said Mr.. Freiberg, but the fact
remains that the temperance movement
IS directed against the Individual pur-
chaser, but for whose desire to purchase.
the business would be impossible.
The prohibition agitation of the past
years has accomplished nothing in the
interest of temperance. Its net result Is
loss and confiscation of property on the
one hand. and the lowering Of the moral
tone of communities, and disrespect for
law on the other. We stand for tenn
perance and obedience to the law. We
meet here as manufacturers and mer-
chants The commodity that we manu-
facture and distribute is a legitimate ar
ticle of commerce, and the business In
a
the highest court in the land has stated
repeatedly:
Entitled to Consideration.
I'VE believe that our investments and
our property are entitled to the same
consideration and the same protection at
the hands of the people as are accorded
the property and investments OF any
other merchants and manufacturers. We
have no apologies to make to others, or
to ourselves. for being engaged in this
business We have as high a sense of
honor, of morals, of patriotism, and of
civic duty as have other men. and IL we
thought the business inherently wrong
we would not be in il.
IF there have been evils in the final
vending of our-product, We have not
been responsible for them. The respon-
si5ility is upon the communities in which
such evils may have existed. We have
been assailed, maligned, and misrepre-
scented.
There is no evidence that the peo-
pie of this country no longer desire our
product. II the time should come when
they no longer desire it, they will cease
purchasing, and We must cease making
it"
Address OF Welcome.
The convention was called to order at
10 o'clock yesterday morning by Presi-
dent Henry F. Kaltenbach. Commission
er Siddons made the address of welcome,
in which he referred to the policy Of
moderation needed to bring about a COM
plete solution of the liquor problem.
President Kaltenbach, In his response, |
spoke Of the futility of the temperance |
interests fighting against the dealers and |
the consumers as long as the desire to |
drink remains with the latter. "The |
only solution of the problem lies in de-
the tendency of the people to use |
alcoholic liquors" said he. land when |
this is eliminated, the liquor interests |
of the country will die of their own ac-t
cord.
THE Hobson resolution now in Con-
srcss- which aims to amend the Consti- |
tuition against the manufacture and sale |
of intoxicating beverages, is a measure |
aimed solely at the dealers 1t in
Guides no prohibition of the manufacture |
of alcoholic drink for individual consump-
ton; il hits solely ct the dealers and the |
manufacturers"
George F. Dieterle of Cincinnati, in an
address, expressed the opinion that If the
opponents of the traffic were as fair in
their treatment of the subject as the
dealers, there would be little cause for
complaint from any quarter. He said he
did not believe the people of the United
states would ever stand for confisca-
ton of the liquor interests of the coun-
try, as is desired in the Hobson bill, be-
cause so much money was invested in the
business that an economic revolution
might result.
Makes Humorous Speech.
Col. Lightfoot Visscher, of the Chicago
Press club, made humorous speech on
. Inc water Wage and Hugh r.. Har-
Vey, OF Washingto Ndged the support
Of the local liquor rests in any fight
to be made by the national organisation.
The delegates from Cincinnati came to
Washington in special train of six
cars. Cincinnati expects to make a great
Tight for the next convention of the
liquor dealers and delegates from Balti-
more. New Orleans and Chicago are also
trying for the next meeting. After the
close of the session for the day at 2:3ol
0 clock. many of the delegates went to
the ball game.
The session today viii open at I0l
o'clock.