The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-03-15
Local option at CIrcIevIIIe.

Mr. E T. Moore:
Oar Sir-Having heard some argu-
ments,against local option III your city,
which are untrue, you will permit me to
give you little of my experience in
section Of Williamson county, IN which
1t has been in force for some years. a
district around Circleville for four
miles had local option law for five
years previous to the present one now
adopted, but about six months before
its adoption the little town of Taylor
was established near the edge of our
district, and to all intents and pur-
poses introduced the influence of intox-
icating drinks in our quiet little neigh
borhood, and its introduction became
quite an annoyance to the people of
that section from the fact that so many
would go to Taylor, get drunk and
render themselves ridiculous Though
afterwards they would be heartily
ashamed of it). Yet after it was re-
peated several times it became a mat
ter of indifference to them, whether
they got drunk or not, so the steady
part of the community could see the
habit was growing on the young men
and bidding fair to make few more
wrecks, who showed no signs of wreck
ing themselves previous to the estsb-
lishment of Taylor. Now, l have no
doubt that much of the money that
was spent in that section for drink was
absolutely needed for the purchase Of
necessaries for themselves and fami-
lies, which they had to do without for
want of the money.
When the local option law was be
fore the people for adoption many
young men who had INDUCED in the
use of whisky were ready to vote and
work for it and acknowledged the
wrong and injustice they had done
themselves. Since the adoption of the
law throughout the county our little
section has resumed its usual quiet,
and everything now moves on smooth
ly and all now say it is for the better.
In point of business l feel GER
tain that the Cash sales of the
merchants has increased fully ten
per cent, especially the floating trade,
and am confident the surplus money
savel in our little section, that would
have been spent in whisky, had not To-
cal option been adopted, will be sufi-
cient to procure many necessaries and
even luxurles in families that would
have been deprived of them. In my
whole business experience, have had
men to apply to me to sell them nee
essaries on credit, and at the same
time knew they had just spent more
money for whisky than was necessary
to answer their purpose at the time,
and the experience of all men who sell
staple lines of goods is that the losses
occur in the great majority of instances
with those who spend their money
freely for drinks. Drunkenness was
about unknown in our part of the
county during the time of the local oP-
ton, previous to the establishment of
Taylor, but during the whisky reign at
Taylor, there was turmoil, trouble and
bleodshed, but the adoption of the
law has made Taylor one of the most
quiet and nice little villages in the
county, and it is being sought now as
place of residence for gentlemen
with their families. Ladies were afraid
to go there to do their little shopping
during the whisky reign, lest they
should be made witnesses to some hor-
rible deed.
Wishing you success in your county,
and that it may work the same de-
gree of success that it does in Will
Hanson,
am, yours truly,
J. W, WAYMAN,