The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1885-10-28
RenclIts of Prohibition.

and decrease in city revenue" until they
are worn thrcadbare, and observing men
are beginning TO cast up for themselves the
columns Of profit and loss They said with
much reiterntion that the enforcement Of
such a measure would leave large number
Of valuable store rooms vacant, that such q
state Of affairs would bring rents so ruin
ously low that men of means could no
longer afford TO build, and the growth Of
the city would be thus greatly retarded If
not entirely killed. They have also pointed
awk-struck faces at the $50, 900 Of city rev.
enues that were to be lost and asked 4:
"What will you fellows do when it comes
to making that up in tazes?" BY the way,
this is a strong admission in itself that the
revenues derived from Republicans come
I by way Of taxation and those from Demo-
Gratis by way Of license. Some interesting
inferences might be drawn from this vol
untOry dissertation of the Democratic party
from the payment Of taxes. Regarding
| their FIRST objection, that the rents would
be greatly lowered, it may be settled in a
moment to the entire satisfaction Of any
objector if he will only start out in search
Of a desirable location for any business.
He will find them all taken while the build
ing is yet in prospect, and at figures that
do not indicate any great stagnution in
business. The principal streets Of the city
are o constant refutation of the charge that
all building would cease and the character
of these buildings is such as in every in
stance to do credit to the city. The build
ings they are replacing were never any
thing but disgrace to the city and its cit
liens, though so long as the existance of a
license law enabled their owners to draw
big rents from their disreputable old shells
no improvement could be expected.
It does not take any great stretch of the
memory to recall the time when there ex-
listed sort Of den on the corner Of the
alley between Fifth and Sixth streets and
on Walnut. In fact there were several of
them together, constant source of annoy
ance to the citizens generally, and one OF
them in particular a refuge for the worst
classes that infest Desmoines. All efforts
toward the abatement of this nuisance were
fruitless, as the owner could draw rents
enough each year to more than pay for the
buildings, and why should he care to inves
moro capital without prospect for cores
ponding returns. But the prohibitory Law
curtailed this source of revenue, and in thu
place Of these old rotten traps to-day stant
two of as fine blocks as ornament the city
Buildings that cost thousands of dollars
and that contain stocks of goods aggrega
ting many thousands more any of which
would be a credit to any city, have thu
taken the place of the low dives represent
ing a capital Of but few dollars in money
and great many in the cost Of crimina
prosecutions. Another notable instance o
the improvement brought about by thi
law is to be found in the Lehane block, OF
Fourth street. It has grown from a miser
able little One-story den to a fine briol
block containing one Of the best appointe,
restaurants in the West, and refectin
credit upon the street and city.
But probably the most important chang
brought about by the passage Of this law j
to be found in the transformation Of tn
southwest corner Of Sixth and Walnut. N
one can fail TO remember the hideous oil
hulks that adorned this corner in year
gone by, nor the character enjoyed by tn
same. Strenuous efforts were made t
have them removed, but the "Dutchmau'
one per cent" again proved too strong
and they held on year after year, constaI
eyesore to all intelligent citizens. In thei
place stands to-day one Of the finest block
in the West representing a cost of thoJ
sands Of dollars, and soon to contain
clothing house representing O clean millio
in capital. These are but a few of Ii
more striking examples Of the chang
already effected right in the heart Of tn
wicked city. If any lesson can be learne
from these examples It would seem to I
that a step had been taken in the right d
rection. The change seems to mean el
CANT and substantial business blocks, cos
ing thousands of dollars, and adding great
to the beauty Of the city, taking the pla
Of tumble-down old shanties that cumberc
the ground on which they leaned and we
never-ending disgrace to the entire cit
It seems TO mean millions Of dollars i
vested in legitimate and growing busine
rather than a $25 stock in trade with
back-door opening upon the sheol Of Il
new revision. It seems TO mean a class
wealthy, enterprising business men, wi
will find it their best and only policy
build up the city, as opposed to a set
thugs and toughs who live of the slur
and devote every energy of diseased eEi
ence TO tearing down all that is manly
man or makes life worth living. In sho
it points the way to an active, healthy, al
vigorous growth Of the city, based up
the we'll established laws Of such grow
which guarantee permanence, as oppos
to that mushroom existence which is b
for a night and must involve others in
inevitable fall. It is everything desiral
opposed 10 the very essence Of the me
vile. It may be retrogression from a Del
Ooratic standpoint, bu, Republicans hail
with joy, and think If the results Of {
frst year are only the blossom, how ri