The Liquor Interests Up in Arms

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 6, 1913

The Liquor Interests Up in Arms

There has been much interest throughout the country in what is known as the Jones-Works Excise Liquor Bill now before Congress. This bill proposes such a regulation of the liquor traffic in the District of Columbia as will prohibit the opening or maintenance of saloons within certain distances of churches, educational institutions, and alleys used for residential purposes, or within a certain distance of another saloon, or in the residential portion of the District. It

also contains a provision which makes a saloon-keeper liable for damages in a case where the saloon-keeper ignores the request of a member of a drinker's family that he do not sell him liquor, providing that as a result of such sale of liquor the one who makes the request is injured in person, or property, or means of support. The liquor interests of the District and outside of the District are doing all they can to defeat the enactment of this bill. Protests against the bill are appearing in the daily papers of the District, covering entire pages, petitions are being circulated extensively, and individual protests made. The old argument is being used that if this bill becomes a law, it will throw many persons out of employment. If the bill does become a law, it will close many of the saloons of the District, and to that extent decrease the expenses of the District government, and increase the happiness and prosperity of many homes. The passage of the proposed measure, coming immediately after the passage by Congress of the Webb bill prohibiting the shipment of liquor into dry States, would be considered by the liquor interests a very hard blow, and one that might lead to others equally hard. It is claimed by the liquor interests of the District that the passage of the Jones-Works bill would mean practical prohibition for the District. But many times apologists for the liquor business have made the declaration that more liquor is sold in prohibition territory than in license territory. If this were true, the liquor men of the District should vote for the bill.