The Washington times., 1916-02-08
Retail Merchants Petition Con-
gress For Right to Vote on
the Question.
"sHEPPARD BILL UNFAIR"
Lively Debate PreCipltated.
Measure Termed InVat. IN
of Private Rights.

The Retail Merchants Association
will nlace in the hands Of every Con-
gressnan and Senator n resolution re-
questing that before the provisions or
the Sheppard bill, providing absolute
prohibition for the District, are enact
ed into law the measure shall be sub
mitted to the residents for refcren-
DUN.
At a special meeting last night at the
New Willard Hotel, called expressly to
consider the Sheppard BILL the assocla-
tion. by an almost unanimous vote.
adopted the following resolution:
NResolved. That the Retail Merchants
Association. assembled in special ses-
sion, hereby petitions the Congress Of
the United States to consider the fol-
lowing:
I'VE submit that it is unfair and in
equitable for the Congress of the
United States to attempt to pass a law
affecting prohibition or other fun
damentals of the body politic of this
community without first giving the
citizens of the District of Columbia
the right--which should be the priv
ilege Of every American citizen-to
vote by referendum or other legal and
effective form, as to whether they
desire a change in this or other laws
of such vital interest to the citizens
hereof; and be it further
Resolved, That the secretary of
this association is hereby directed to
formally present this resolution to
the presiding officers OF the Senate
and House of Representatives for
transmission to those bodies and pro-
vide each and every member of Con-
Tress with a copy of the same"
After Lively Debate.
This action. however, came only
after a lively debate at the conclusion
of which the resolution, as originally
introduced by NJ. A. Leese, had been
materially amended at the instance
OF George TOpham.
In its original form the resolution not
only requested the referendum, but
suggested that, IL Congress did not SCI
Mt to grant such a referendum. 1t should
at least refrain from enacting pro
hibition legislation for the District un
I'll 1t shall have seen At to make pro
hibition national in scope. References
was also made TO the eflect which pro
hibition would have upon the business
interests Of the city.
Mr.. Topham contended that such
resolution would place the association
on record as opposing prohibition, anC
bring severe criticism upon the or
gRnization.
Having carried his point with regard
to the scope OF the resolution, Mr. Top
ham endeavored to inject the subject OF
equal suffrage into the meeting. He
offered a resolution providing tha
should the referendum be allowed by
Congress, women twenty-one years O,
age and over should have the same
franchise rights as men.
htr. Leese promptly moved an ad
Journment, which motion prevailed.
Invasion of Rights.
NJ, D. Rosenberg. general counsel for
the association, denounced the Shep
pard bill as an invasion of the persona
rights OF the residents Of the District.
The enactment of the law, he added
would result in at least a 50 per cen
depreciation in property values. Their,
Is no city in this country. Mr.. Rosen
berg continued. where there is so littl,
drunkenness He also praised the Elk,
else Board.
A. Wade Wells. announcing that he
would support prohibition. characterized
the Shepard bill as unfair in that IL did
not submit the question to a vote of
the residents OF the District.
Letters from Andrew Wilson. presI-
dent of the Anti-Saloon League, and the
Pastors Federation asked that action
with regard to a referendum, or the
opposition to prohibition be deferred
until those bodies might present argu-
ments. President r. p. Andrews an
nOunced the receipt of a similar letter
from the Women's Christian Temper
ance Union. and added that he had re-
ceived more than 100 other letters reIa-
tive to the referendum. some favorlng
and some opposing.