Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-01

continued presence before II Is an ad
mission on his part that the members
grating such money, Notwithstanding
his apparent readiness to set forth to
your committee Impressions as to col
lections' being taken up for at least
one member OF the board
Some of MIR. Shoemaker's testimonv
might lead one to believe that the
board intended to maintain greai
secrecy in all Of its proceedings. The
contrary is true Hearings were held
on all applications. no restriction was
placed upon witnesses, full opportunitv
was given to the attorney for the Anti
saloon League to present his case, au.I
.ne board was most patient in listening
10 testimony. sometimes not wholly
Rermane to the subject under consider
alton: this was for the purpose OF ar
irving at fair conclusion
Petitions for DRY" Territory.
mfr. Shoemaker refers TO certain ne.
titions presented by citizens of Ana
costa and others OF the NTH and ninth
police precincts. calling upon the ex
else board to declare these respectly.
sections dry territory. The board be-
lieves that its Jurisdiction did not com
prehend such an action on Its part
Congress could easily have provided
that such sections should lie dry. and
In the absence of such provision the
board felt called upon to deny the re
quest Of the petitioners. and limited II.
action in conformity to the excise Law
to individual places.
IN answer to a question by Senator
Jones. Mr.. Shoemaker stated that "a,
looms were apparently placed near
Jackson alley for the purpose OF ref-
ting the alley trade The hoard worid
ask the committee to refer to the tes,i
mony OF the chairman of the board
concerning the character of the trad.
in the barrooms referred to. Inves,i-
cation disclosed that not one of tn.
harrooms now located in that vicinity
caters to the inha hitants Of jackson
street While the police reports ser
forth that Jackson street is inhabited
by low class OF colored people the
also indicate that IL cannot be consid-
cred a slum.
MIR. Shoemaker, replying to a cues
ton of Senator Thompson. stated that
the board took the provision Of the
law relating to the number of bar
after November I. 1914, to mean that
there must be 200 licenses The board
has never held that there must be 800
licenses in the District.
Testimony of Police Lieutenant.
TN regard to the testimony of Lieut.
John E. Cats with reference to the
Grand Hotel. attention IL invited to the
transcripts of the hearings. and in that
of the fremont the board directs spe-
cial attention to the fact that Clarence
Wilson, then United States district at
torney. appeared in person before the
excise board and testified to the VERY
excellent character" of the proprietress
and to his own experiences as district
attorney with the cases referred to by
Lieut.. Cats. The same references mav
be made as to the testimony of De-
tective Howes The testimony OF the
boards chairman may likewise be read
In connection with the statements OF
the two officers before the committee
The baTroom objected to by DR. John
T. Cole and of which Timothy Hanion
Is The proprietor. was licensed at It's
present location by the excise board,
which in SO doing violated no provision
of the law which it administers
with reference to the remarks OF
the Rev. DR.. Randall the board can
only say that all the evidence adduced
at the hearing on Mr.. ODonoghue's
and the board views its grant Of the
license as just.
Charge of Exaggeration.
Exaggerated statements are very
common at such hearings as the pres
ent one. and DR.. Randall is among
those who delight in uttering them.
The committee in its examination of
the record of the hearing on applica-
tion made by the Grand Hotel Com
pany will no doubt observe the differ
ence In the attitude assumed by Lieut.
Sprinkle at that hearing. where he was
before 1t at the present hearing
There is nothing in the testimony
of Louis Bush that calls for contradic-
ton by the board. Like other wit
nesses who would willingly condemn
1t, he offers only what he has been told
and tells only what he thinks He
proves nothing nor does he reveal any
thing.
"Other witnesses. particularly the Rev.
Dr. MacMurray. are most liberal with
their opinions. The excise board has
studied with diligence and care the pro-
visions of the excise law. and does not
believe that Congress intended the opin-
ion of protestant to take precedence
over that of the board. To say that
their contrary opinions prove the board
culpable would be the height of injus-
tice.
Absence of Direct Charges Noted.
Owing to the brief time allowed the
board in making it's reply. it has had to
omit many points of Importance to it
self There have been no direct charges
lodged against the board. and it is very
difficult to be placed in the position of
having to make reply to differences and
individual opinions alone There has
been no case proved against the board.
and 1t cannot very well undertake 10
disprove what has not been proved.
with regard to measurements made
by the board. 1t stands by its position
as set forth in the statement appear
ing in the record A plat. drawn by the
surveyor and filed with the excise
board. accompanies this statement and
establishes the distance between the
nearest entrance to the barroom OF
John F. Schriner and that OF the New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church as
being over 400 feet. Under the former
for several years. though the law on
the question was the very same as at
present.
Witnesses Classified.
There have been two mar classes OF
witnesses presented by the committee,
members of an organization opposed to
all saloons. and the other disappointed
privilege seekers. One class seeks to
condemn the board for granting GER
tain licenses-in fact. all applications
were opposed by this body-and the
other class wishes to convict IL be-
cause it has refused certain licenses.
The first class has succeeded in
showing nothing that was not already
known. Its opinion was not always
accepted as valid by an official body
which has a perfect right TO disagree
ing: ,