The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-05-24

it, for his own protection, and every
body wants. it but the liquor retail
ers in the State. whose business has
been killed and the wholesalers of the
commercial centres who end Geor-
gia no longer field on which to
browse.
The effect in the prohibition coun-
ties has been startling. Labor has inn
proved 100 per cent and the condition
Of the laborers 100 per cent. Men who
never worked but part OF week
now put in six good days and those
who spent their entire wages at the
doggeries. leaving their wives and
children to shift for themselves, are
now saving money. and are LOOKING
forward to the time when they shall
own land themselves - something
very easy to accomplish in almost
any part of Georgia.
In one village in q county south
of Atlanta prohibition was most bit
terly opposed. The village was at
the junction of two railroads, and q
very large force of men was employ
ed by the companies. There we're q
half dozen grog-shops in Furnishing
condition before prohibition, but the
railroad managers. for their own pro-
lection, enforced the law and closed
them.
Up to this time payday was the be-
ginning OF o saturnalia that lasted
half the month, and such thing as
saving dollar never occared to bnt
very few of the laborsrs.
After the erog-shops we're shut and
the proprietors thereof compelled to
seek pastures new. it was found that
the business of the solitary dry goods
aud grocery store was more than
doubled, aud trade in Legitimate
goods became SO brisk that another
was added, and still another. twill
be observed in this connection that
rum kills every business except those
of jails and poor-houses. Nothing
legitimate can thrive where it reigns.
And another novelty developed
itself. One by one the men employ
ed by the railroads dropped into the
store. the proprietor OF which they
knew, and pulling out portion of their
wages remarked:
'Look here, I Amt got no use for
this Just now, and I don't want to
cart it about keep it for me-"
Certainly I will, and as / can use
it in my business I will pay you inter-
est for it,"
In six months from the commence
ment of prohibition the merchant
had established regular savings
bank, with very handsome amount
of deposits.
There was wonderful change in
the men, but o more striking one in
the women aud children. What bad
been spent in the abominable whisky
shops appeared upon their backs and
feet. Their homes took on another
appearance altogether and the vii
lage was transformed from one of the
most shabby and disorderly into one
of the most prosperous and orderly
in the State.
It is the same thing all over the
world. Whisky and prosperity new
or get within distance of shaking
hands. They always shake hands
once-when the bid each other good
by.
Hogarth. in his pictorial temper
ance sermon, "Gin Lane" had only
three good houses in the street, the
workhouse, the .gin-shop and the
pawn brokers'. As it is in London
so it is in the little village OF Geor-
gia. Whisky absorbs everything
and leaves nothing for its victims.
The prohibition OF the sale OF IL
quor in these counties il the proudest
thing Geogia has ever done. The
remaining forty-two win follow their
example ere long. The prohibition
counties have demonstrated the pos
ability of driving out the stuff and
the good that has followed will induce
the others to follow suit.