The Washington times., 1917-10-26

stretch of the Imagination can II be
said that the courts are influenced
by political considerations, the saloon
regulation has been air-tight The
failure to secure a single conviction
means that the excise law was
obeyed to the letter in every instance.
Congress took all this into consid-
GRAFTON, and yet decided that no sa-
loon was better than a regulated
saloon.
Under the law which goes into eff
feet Wednesday. Washington for the
time being will not be a Sahara
may be imported for individual use.
All persons who import liquor, how
ever. must go before a notary public
and make afdavit as to amount and
purposes for which the liquor is to
be used.
Unquestionably, It now appears, the
District of Columbia will come under
the provisions Of the bone dry law
soon after the coming session Of Con-
gress convenes. A bill already Is pre-
pared placing the District Of Columbia
In exactly the same category with all
other dry territory affected by the
bone dry act.
1t is estimated by the internal
revenue LndL e4OtOOOfCOO q
year is approximately the drink bill
Of the District of Columbia figured on
the average Of the last five years.
The great bulk of this money, officials
now assert, will now 60 into the saw
Ings banks and for the purchase OF
commodities vastly more useful than
booze. with the elimination OF the
open saloon, officials say, but very
small fraction of this big sum OF
money will continue to find its way
into the channels OF the liquor trade.
Historic Places to Go.
with the closing Of the saloons will
pass a number OF the most historic
drinking places in the country. Relics
of the days Of fifty years or more ago
are now being auctioned on. Some
of these relics are Of real historic
value. having intimate association
with the statesmen Of half q century
ago in the days when drinking at pub
lie bars was the custom among the
Washington leaders OF national pub
lie opinion.
Bars, known and referred 20 by
travellers in London and Paris, pass
on into history. Here were places re-
puted to serve the finest Of all mint
juleps and an amazing cocktail, the
recipe for which always was kept
strict secret The shutters go up on
these places which for long years ex-
tended hospitality to many OF the
great men of the nation
Closed also will go the doors of
Shoomaker's. q landmark in the retail
liquor trade OF the country, the place
where new, Et Il cnnceded, vas in
vented the famous gin rickey. An
other to pass out OF existence IL
Mades' Hotel, under the shadow OF
the Capitol. q great rendezvous for
statesmen In the days OF the civil
war, and a place where the leading
figures In the civil war drama con-
gregated to indulge in their custo-
mary tipple. Here. too, at a dinner
one night. there died John Sutter,
the man who discovered gold in Cali
fcrnis. an event memorialiEed by a
tablet hanging over the bar for all
these years.
History of Changes.
Up until 1893. save for a 800 IL
cense fee, there was no restraint OF
any kind on the dispensing of liquor
in Washington. There was no limit
on the number of saloons, and they
operated on the free-Rnd-easy basis,
staying open all night and Sundays at
the will Of the proprietor. In 1898
came the first move toward reguIa-
ton. The license fee was Jumped
from 500 to $1,000. and closing
hours. including Sundays. were pre-
scribed. Then came the existing ex-
else law, the act OF 1913, with the IL /
cense Jumped to 81 800. the number
OF saloons limited to 800. and strict
regulation. That was four years ago.
in that period the sentiment of the
country, as represented by Congress,
has progressed to the point OF thumbs
down on the retail liquor traffic. Ac- |
cordingly. on Thursday morning
Washington. for the first time in its |
historY. will be Without saInnna