Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-18
Senator Jones Attacks Meth
DDS Employed in Behalf of
Prohibition Referendum.
CITATION OF INCIDENTS
IN SUPPORT OF CHARGES
Says Proposed Legislation in District
Is Due to Attempt to Nullify
Excise Law.

Making the direct charge that
liquor interests already have be-
gun to attempt to coerce and i'll
timidate residents of Washington
into supporting a demand for a
referendum OF the prohibition
question to the people of the Dis
trict, Senator Jones OF Washing
ton in the Senate today spoke in
opposition to the referendum.
He charged, too, that the next
step of the liquor interests. if
tCongress granted the referendum,
would be to coerce and intimidate
the people OF Washington to vote
against prohibition.
Alleges Reasons for Demand.
| The reasons the liquor interests fa-
vor a referendum of the prohibition
question in the District, he said. lay
in the fact that such referendum
would give the interests oppor-
tunity to defeat prohibition. even if
they had to use all means of corrup-
| tion to bring this end about, and the
| fact that should prohibition win on the
referendum the interests could go to
the courts and attack the constitu-
tionality of the law granting a refer
endum to the people of the District
when the Constitution especially sets
forth that Congress is to have sole
power of legislating for the federal
| District. He contended that the ref
erendum would be delegation of
power by Congress which might be
held to be unconstitutional.
To substantiate his charge that the
liquor interests have attempted to in
fiuence through improper means citi-
zens of the District to favor the ref
erendum Senator Jones told the SEN
ate that a president of one of the
largest national banks in the city had
been requested to sign a petition for
a referendum.
Accounts Withdrawn, He Says.
Being a prohibitionist and regarding
| the referendum petition as an anti
| prohibition device, he refused" said
Senator Jones. The caller, who was
| a depositor in the bank. Immediately
withdrew his account, amounting to
$4,000. as rebuke to the president The
next day, for the same reason. another
Idepositor withdrew his account amount
! ing to $1,000.
The board of directors. learning of
| the Withdrawals. were. it is said some
what concerned. There was meeting
OF the board, and while the matter was
| under discussion, gentleman called
dent, who left the meeting to meet
his visitor. The president was asked
II 1t were true that he had refused to
| prohibition for the District giving as
a reason that he favors prohibition for
the District. The president said that
he had refused to sign such petition
for the reason given. The caller said
| he was glad to know ii was true and
| IN order to show how glad he was he
| count at the bank, and thereupon made
an initial deposit of $4,000.
Other Cases Cited.
| "A prominent insurance agent, who
| is in favor of prohibition for the Dis
| trict. but who is opposed to submitting
| the question to a referendum under the
| circumstances, has been approached by
holders OF policies in his company with
the threat that unless he line up with
the vets by signing in favor of a
referendum business would be taken
away from his company. This business
man was not frightened and refused
the demands and defied the threats But
| no poiicy has as yet been Cancelled.
| A prominent real estate comnany
was approached by saloonkeeper for
the signature Of the president to a ref
erendum petition The signature was
some rents for the saloonkeeper. who
remarked, upon leaving. that he would
nave 10 give his business to some friend
OF tne nquor business.
Here, as elsewhere, all men cannot
oe intimidated. There are among the
business men of this city many strong
men who will not bend to the Hill ~
the pro-liquor power"
Charges Attempt to Nullify Law.
Senator Jones told the Senate .b.,
Congress would not now be confronted
with the question of prohibition for the
District had 1t not been for the fact
that the liquor interests had been ac.
tive in nullifying the Jones-Works ex.
!S'sc 10" ehaSecu couple OF years ago
for the better regulation of the lionoT
traffic in the District
| He said that the law was a model
Regulatory law. and IL properly admin
istered would have been abreast of the
general public sentiment in the Dis
trict.
!. He continued:
1T provided for an excise board 10
be appointed by the President in the
hope that. realizing the great moral in
terest over which such a board would
exercise control, he would select men
who would enforce the plain provi-
sions of the law and wisely and Justly
use the discretion vested in them ia
lconserve the public welfare from the
baneful effects OF a traffic from which
no good comes to any one.
1T was hoped that political infiu-
ences would not control in the seiec-
tion OF these men and that special con
sideration would be given to their Sc.
lection with the sole purpose that the
llaw should be fairly and impartially
enforced.
Attacks Excise Board.
| ..rhroo mon have boap anno;utoJ YAH