Evening star., 1915-02-03
Retail Liquor Dealers Want
Damages Where Business
Is Voted Out.
NATIONAL PROHIBITION
ROUNDlY DENOUNCED
Association Indorses Labor Organi-
zations-Members to Attend
Banquet Tonight.

Adequate compensation for those
merchants whose business may be
brought to an end by the voting for
prohibition by the people OF any COM
munty is urged in a resolution adopted
at the morning session today OF tho TWEEN
ty-second annual conference of the Ma.
tional Retail Liquor Dealers Associa-
ton Of America at the National Hotel.
This resolution. drawn and brought
before the delegates by the COMMITTEES
on resolutions, refers in it's preamble
to the compensation Of every slave
holder under the British flag when tho
institution was abolished by that en-
pire In 1888 and to the similar present
compensation of British liquor dealers.
It also declares:
TN Justice to those who have Invest
ed their hard earned money in a busi-
ness sanctioned by the laws OF tho
land and recognized by tho Supreme
Court as legitimate business. wher-
ever the people of any community de-
eide that it would be to the best inter
ests OF the community that the sale OF
liquor be forever prohibited ways and
means should accompany such action
property must be destroyed by a just
and amicable arbitration as to tho
values of such loss"
Contentious of Dealers.
. That the products handled by the
association are naturally intended for
the use. benefit and. enjoyment OF man
KIND. that their use is recognized as
proper and even necessary. AMI AR
their abuse only is conds -nncd lr.-
cisely the excessive $50 Of
demned, are declaration l4l,'a .: Ip,
report of the commit w'Icr
panfes the several rero'1tIrUE su..uE
other sentiments emborird N t.a re-
port OF the committee ar .ho 20 low
ing:
That national prohibition p,olif d."
curtailment of the sovereign .-''e -
the individual state to p-o"ide TO- r"
health. morals. public o-'rr an ''ol-
veniences OF it's communities.
That national prohibit'on worln ort-
law a recognized and lawful bTairess.
declared to be such by the Supreme
Court. and would constitute ,estruc-
tion OF lawful property
response to the dcmands OF the Ameri-
can people for it's products and that
the people should he asked to -6cog-
nize the question of national prohtbi-
than it does any faction or trade. be-
cause 1t involves the preservation OF
the principle of local self-government.
That Congress should at once with
draw the large appropriation OF $4,000
made for the entertainment or the
Congress to be held in
this country during the present year
and having for its purpose the extef-
mination of the liquor trade, especially
inasmuch as Congress has been forced
through financial stress to resort TO an
increased tax On beer.
Endorses Labor Organizations.
Still another resolution adopted in
dorses the labor organizations and
urges the members Of the association
to make use of union label goods
whenever possible.
REPORTS from other committees ana
from the heads OF the various state or
of the national association
occupied the remainder of the morning
The election of officers for the
ensuing year was postponed from the
session until late this after-
tional Hotel, arranged by the District
branch of the association for the visit
ors and their wives. will conclude the
sessions of the convention.
Liquor as War Revenue Producer.
The liquor trade has always been a
favorite victim for war revenue col
lectors." said ive-elect NJ
F. Farley. president of the association.
in that portion of his report, submit
ted at the meeting last night. which
upon the annual war tax OF
81 O5, 900 900 to offset n similar amount
European disturbances. The liquor
dealer is a financial patriot. His dol
lar is the first to rally round the
Star Spangled Banner and the last to
Of he n
The luxuries of life have always
been the great burden-bearer in gov
ernment, and the burden of this peace
full war tax has fallen directly upon
the retailer. Had the revenue bill, as
first drafted with it's proposed amend
ments. become law. il would have
been much worse.
That it behooves every retailer 10
strive to conduct his business on as
high a plane as possible. was u warn
ing sounded to the delegates by Presi-
dent Farley. Every tainted cent, he
declared, taken over the bar ADDS
just SO much TO the pre- )uulce against
the business.
Every sale to a man under the inf'u-
ance of liquor is an ally for the op-
,onents. II people can get their drinHs
from licensed dealers. whose places
are properly conducted. they viii do
80. Otherwise the very patrons Of the
saloons will vote for prohibition.
Warns Against False Friends.
THE retailer must beware OF false
friends, and the most dangerous @
hese is the politician who promises 10
De lax in the enforcement of the regu-
atory laws. In the end. every favor
granted in violation of the law must
De paid for at exorbitant rates"
Hugh +. Harvey of this city, chair
nan of the congressional committee. in
Acfp Ia
legislation in Congress,
the rider to the District
,iII as poor legislation" II the pro-
,ibition rider be adopted, he said, i.
viii only be because it is attached To
ome measure which cannot be held up
Without serious results. The chairman
urther declared that he was In favor
II a law giving The President the
,ower to veto any section of a bill
without blocking the entire appropri-
.tion law.