The Washington times., 1916-02-17

territory changed was 80 small as ia
raise the unavoidabie presumption, n
the opinion OF this committee. that II
was made for the special purpose OF
limits
"The board unlike the committee. be-
lleves II had no right to suspect wrong
doing on the part OF the Commissioners
Of tho District Of Columbia in so ex-
tending the fire limits. The board has
no knowledge that the change was
made for the special purpose OF keep
ing the saloons within the licensed linn
It's Before acting on the applications
OF the two licensees, who conduct their
sought. the oInion OF the corporation
counsel,
Calls Action Legal
''The board did not attempt 10 nullify
the law. and Is sure that It's action in
INC premises was entirely just and
'.Tke board differs from the opinion
fthe committee (section u that -four
saloons are now permitted to operate
on p street. between Thirteenth and
licsnss StTsetS EorthTsst Stor the
Miller Bros. is licensed not on 10 street.
but at sol Fourteenth street northwest
around the corner. II has not entrance
from E street. and cannot be legally be
considered as operating on E street. II
y true. as the committee reports, that
THE Is one OF tho principal business
sections OF the city, and it is equally
true that the barroom OF Miller Bros.
was and is maintained in rs croditable a
manner as Is possible.
AT this date there. are two borroolns
on 70 street. the third. which existed
part OF the license wear 1oil-l9i5. having
transferred elsewhere,
Measured Distance.
Wherever doubt existed AZ to the de-
greo Of proximity Of bar rooms to pub.
lie school houses, colleges, or universi.
ties. or houses OF religious worship.
the Excise Board personally measured
the distance. II Is positive that in every
case where license was granted the dis.
tance In question Is more than four hun
dred feet when measured by the short
est course of travel within the mean
ing OF the law.
THE committee makes special mentor
OF plats furnished by the District Sur.
veyor, and instances 'Schriner's place
ISO Fourteenth street northwest which
10 says by square cornered or othel
measurements Is located within foul
A9h1ACa L0CN VI tAC WV AOhA - NCAla'
Presbyterian Church. There is on nj,
at the office OF the Excise Board, q pla
furnished by he District Surveyor
showing the said distance to be mor'
than 100 feet according to the shortes
pared bx George s. Cooper. a competen
surveyor, shows the same thing. Tit
board also measured the distance ant
found II In excess of the four hundret
feet.
Hotel Grand Case.
The committee cites (sec. III tn,
licensing OF the Hotel Grand as n not
able instance Of violation OF the excis,
law. It refers to and quotes q portion
OF the police report read at the hearinI
before the Excise Board on the applica
ton Of the Grand Hotel Company. It
strange that not one word Is said Of tn
verbal testimony given at the excis
hearing by the officer who wrote tina
report. This testimony was cantradic
tory OF the report submitted by himsel
show that the character of the hotel. o
Of Its manager, was such as to neces
sitate q refusal of license.
THE committee reports (Sec. 16, paI
. that In the case of the Hotel Thysor
1t Is apparent that an addition was pu
on in an attempt to comply with tn
law. The boarU respectfully submit
that In this case there was more tina
an attempt to comply with the law
At the beginning of the present licens
year the board rejected the application
for renewal Of license In this hotel.
Proceedings Open.
I'm reply to Section II OF the com
mittecs report the hoard has this {
say: st no time Of its existence hav
its proceedings been otherwise tha
open. At every hearing the board ha
granted complete freedom to wit
ncsses testifYing. Much of the testi
niOny has been beside the question a
issue, but the board has always fel
| that II would rather hear too muc
than too little. 1t sought full in
which it had to d, ii. 1t honest honestly % an
fully weighed the evidence before 4
prior to passing Judgment. and sin
cerely decided with due regard ~
while submit tho foregoing stat,
ment of the Excise Boards positio
with regard to the matters complaine
of by the Senate investigating commit
tee. In It's report to the Senate. theI
were certain other statements made |
the testimony which your honorab
committee heard Monday and Tuel
day. which 1 beg leave to briefly CON
! ment upon.
Regarding the letter from the Pos
master General protesting against II
relicensing Of barroom by the Excl.
Board. l think II sufficient to invite tt
committees attention ~ n copy of thu
letter, with the boards reply, and ais
to copy OF a subsequent letter fro
the Postmaster General Withdrawing h
protest.
"As to the protest made by the teacf
ers against the rellcensing of certai
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