Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-14

reappointment Of Gen. Smith. and 1 wa,
informed that the President had not
read the report and the hearings of oul
committee" continued Senator Shep.
pard. Perhaps he had not done sc
because Of lack of time"
Senator Sheppard said he sent a copy
of the report and hearings of the Sen.
ate committee dealing with the excise
board to the President some time be.
fore the reappointment of Gen. Smith
of Gen. Robert G. Smith, as excise
commissioner. or the failure of hi.
nomination to be confirmed, largely
hinges upon the result of the hearing
begun today Many members of tn.
already stated that they are opposed
to the confirmation of Gen. Smith or
the ground that the excise board failed
properly to enforce the law while Gen
Smith was at its head.
Committee Members Present.
When the committee was called te
order by Senator Phelan Of California
the chairman, there were present Sen.
ators Salisbury and Jones, in addition
to the chairman, and Senator Martin
had sent word he might be counted te
make up a quorum. Senator Works
the fifth member Of the committee. wa.
at meeting of the judiciary com.
mittee.
Among those in the committee room
were Gen. Robert G. Smith, the nomi.
nee, whose nomination is before the
committee for action; Andrew Wilson
president of the Antf-Saloon League
Galliher. a member of a committee ap.
pointed by the Board of Trade.
In reply to a question by the chair.
man as to witnesses wishing to b.
heard, Gen. Smith said he desired te
be heard; Mr. Wilson said that he ha6
appeared to protest against the con.
firmation of Gen. Smith, and that he
was ready to make a statement II the
committee desired him to do so.
Statements by Senators.
Senator Sheppard said that as chair
man of the Senate committee which
last session investigated the District
excise board, of which Gen. Smith was
a member, he desired to oppose the
confirmation of his nomination and to-
submit the report and hearings of his
committee.
Senator Jones raised the question az
to whether the hearings should be
II am in favor Of open hearings
said Senator Jones, land frankly con-
fess that am opposed to the conf1rma-
ton Of Gen. Smiths nomination l was
member of the committee which made
the investigation last session. do not
know of any charges against Gen
Smith other than those contained in
the report and hearings of that for
mer investigating committee
ri said that far
he knew the charges against Gen
Smith could be found in the report OF
his committee.
Senator Phelan asked if any one else
had further charges to make against
Gen. Smith.
Mr.. Wilson Cites Instances.
Mr.. Wilson said that he could not say
there were any further direct charges.
but that he desired to call attention to
the fact that in spite Of letter of pro-
test from the Postmaster General
against the issuance of a saloon license
at 1915 list street, near the mail bag
repair shop and in slum district, the
excise board had granted license for
saloon. He also called attention to
the fact that licenses had been granted
for saloons near the Central High
School over the protests of the teach
ers.
Were there any actual violations of
the law by the excise board" asked
Senator salisbury. who commented on
the fact that disregarding a letter of
protest from the Postmaster General
was not necessarily a violation of the
law.
Mr.. Wilson said that in his opinion
the law had been actually violated in
seventeen cases. all Of which were to
be found in the report of the investi-
I'M Or mi IF los nu
further testimony he might give, he
said. would be only supplemental and
to bring the situation down to the
present day.
Senator Sheppard presented to the
committee a protest against the con-
firmation of Gen. Smith adopted at a
mass meeting at Polls Theater yester-
day afternoon, held under the auspices
of the Anti-Saloon League and attend
ed by LOO persons, members of the
league, of the Pastors Federation, the
w. C. T. u, the Christian Endeavor
League and other organizations.
Discusses Committee Report.
Senator Sheppard then took up the
discussion Of the investigation made
by his committee last session.
1--WE conducted a careful and pains
taking investigation, summoning and
nearing ihdhy "AlACoSCS, ne S6lQ. ana
the result of our investigation is en-
bodied in the following paragraph from
our report. which I now read:
1.-The committee finds no evidence of
corruption or venality on the part of
any member of the board, and believes
that each member should be exonerat-
ed from any charge or imputation OF
this character. The committee believes.
howeyer, that a careful and dispas,
sion review of the evidence before us
an to the conduct Of the board in the
administration OF the excise law shows
that it has disregarded the underlying
purpose Of the law: that 1t has nulii-
fied its most beneficial features. and
that it has encouraged and approved
plain evasions and perversions Of the
law.
mittee that the board has resolved
nra ctically every doubt as to law or
TACT in the interest Of the saloons. II
has shown no proper comprehension Of
its duties in the execution Of a law
framed in the interest Of morality and
good government. The policy Of the
hoard In fostering the liquor traffic to
the fullest extent permitted by the
law. and in many instances ut the ex.