The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-06-30
BEER AND WHISKY.
Why the Dealers Report Booming
Business at the Present Time.-The
Dry Spell Ahead.

dealer Saturday evening.
I'VE are having big trade at present.
but 1t will not last long"
What's the reason that it will not con
tinue right along?'
"Well, you see, we have been receiving
orders from Iowa for the past month, but
after the fourth of July all that trade will
be cut off, as the railroads will not be al
lowed to carry any liquor into that state. :"
From the above conversation the re
porter was convinced that the people over
the river were laying in supply of
spurious consolation" for the dry spell.
A call at the express offices confirmed this
idea, as the men reported an immense
amount of both beer and whisky being
shipped into the Hawkeye state. For the
past week about one hundred kegs of
beer were sent from the Rock Island
breweries daily, and as the time draws
near fol the enforcement of the new law
a steady increase is noticed in the ship
ment of these goods. 1t is safe. to say
that after the fourth day of July there
will be greater quantity of intoxicating
beverages in the state of Iowa, than there
has been at any one time since the admis.
sion of the state into the union. In some
places the saloon keepers announce their
determination to continue in business, but
the greater amount of drink will be dis
posed of on the sly and by assumed
names. For instance man will call for
pop. and he will probably find some
straight whisky going down his throat.
There are many ways in which it can be
secured, and all the devices will no doubt
be brought into play. The law will be
evaded in some manner or other, but of
course, to all outward appearances no
violation will be noticed. A great many
will keep liquor in their cellars for private
use, and many will keep it for medicinal
purposes, as they will claim.
Meanwhile many are moving out of the
state, to pastures new, where they can
gaze upon the foaming lager in all its
pristine glory, and quench their thirst
with sl.o ee~-r.ss Whenever they oi.ooss.
Illinois and Rock Island will be somewhat
benefited by the change. Our saloon
men here expect TO reap harvest as soon
as the Iowa law goes into effect. 1t is
not very far from Davenport to Rock Isl
and, especially to dry man. who is
thirsting for a sip the foaming nectar.
The effect of the new law will soon be
known. From pecuniary point of view
it will certainly be great loss to Iowa.
1t might serve to improve the morals of
her citizens, but we doubt it.
In order to ascertain the feeling in re-
gard to the prohibition question in Dav-
export, an ARGUS representative took a
stroll over the river yesterday afternoon.
Going in popular resort, where all man
ner of drinks are procurable, the reporter
accosted the proprietor.
Hello, what will you haveg'
''Oh nothing today, thank you, replied
the scribe to the saloon keeper. "Oh.
yes, will, too, come to think of it.
Give me lemonade with a straw in it. u
The lemonade was produced and then
| the reporter turned around to the saloon
keeper and said "Oh, by the way, what
are you going TO do after the Fourth
Will you continue in business
"Of course will-who said wouldn't?
See, here is my license got yesterday.
paid SIS for it, and I am going to sell
pop, lemonade, soda water, seltzer water,
and sicht Of course | don't mean to sell
any liquor of any kind-oh no. that
wouldn't do. But see here, l can make
more money by selling pop and lemonade
than l can selling whisky. Why, | pay
one hundred dollars year for the privi
of running saloon. Now then haYe
only got to pay S. year, you see"
But don't understand you yet. Do
you mean to call whisky pop, and sell il
as pop?"
"Oh, how queer you are. Where did
you come from? Won't rose smell as
sweet by any other names You tumble
now, don't your When you want some
thing good after this, come in here and
ask for lemonade. You shall get wha,
you want, prohibition or no prohibition.
"But won't the temperance men gel
onto your little racquet"
well, let 'em get on; it won't do EN-
any good. We mean to sell pop ant
lemonade, and they can't hurt us"
What are the other saloons going tt
do; how many of them will go out of tht
business after the Fourth"
| "About every saloon in town runnint
now has taken out license, and viii
lcontinue on in business. We all may b.
arrested. but what can they do with US
/ tell you we are going to sell lets o
IpopP'
Leaving the saloon the reporter walke'
on up the street looking for news. Leaving
the man who seemed to have pop on tht
brain, firmly engaged in explaining tn
beauties of pop to crowd who had con
gregated in the saloon. There is nj
, question but that there will be man,
violations of the law in Davenport owe
this whisky question. The saloo
keepers are firm in their determination {
sell, whether or no, and the prohibition
lists have got an all summers job on thei
hands. People win drink, SO long as thcl
is any left to drink, and law that wi
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