Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-03
LET VOTERS REGISTER.
Reasons Why Every Citizen Should
be Prepared to Cast His Ballot.


Editor Morning Meas: If our citizens
do not wish the politics of Chatham
county and Of the city to be run in the in
terests OF one industry liquor-they had
better register at once, for the registra-
ton books close on June or thereabouts.
was conVersing the other day with an
aVoWed advocate Of the liquor men. and
he said that at next election the liquor
men would have a Board of Alder
men IN the interest Of liquor,
and that men We're registering their sup.
porters so the Legislature would be all
right so far as Chatham could make it.
Another strong supporter OF theirs !
heard make a similar boast. These re-
marks caused me to go to the court house
TWO or three times DAY for three days,
and | saw there were workers" who
would approach and converse with peO-
pie who came to register, and seemed
to be on the lookout tor parties
who after coming would talk with them,
register and go away. And these work.
ers" are there every day while the books
are oDen. Let any one look over the
books ana he will be satisfied that if the
liquor men desire they can put in any
body they want. l believe that pro-
hibltiouists and anti-prohiDitionists agree
that liquor is source of misery. The
former think by forbiddng its
sale the evil will be stopped;
the latter believe the law can't stop its
sale, and by withdrawing the license they
increase the evil. The object should be
to reduce its sale to minimum. For
years back Savannah has been grooming
under heavy debt; real estate is taxed
as high as per cent; this makes rent
high and living expensive. The growth
OF the city is retarded. The cost of police
and the annals of crime make an unde-
slrable showing.
Liquor was sold last year in over $50
saloons in this city, and in a
community the size of this such
a showing is dreadful. At a
meeting of Council it was asserted that
there were dozens Of places which had not
paid even the 500 license. / believe this
was not proved, so it is hardly fair TO
comment on its effects. Since the tax has
been put at $500 very few have gone out
OF business. The dealers either make so
great profit they can afford to pay $500
or they expect another year ''board"
who Will put the tax back to 800.
Dealers paying $500 could not compete
with dealers paying no license. There
fore they would keep a sharp look out for
illegal selling. This. together with a
good reward for information of illegal
selling, would be sufficient protection.
with $500 license great measure of the
misery liquor causes would be avoided,
dives would be broken up, and
crime become less frequent.
OF course, where man is
determined to be a drunkard, he will get
whisky whether there Is license or not.
But | believe there are very few men
who become drunkards Intentionally.
With $500 license Savannah would en-
ter on an era of prosperity unheard of be-
fore. Our principal streets could be paved,
artestan water furnished us, and the
incubus of debt in a great measure met.
Let every citizen consider bis duty 70
register as an important duty. An or
ganiZed effort to control votes by registra-
tiOn or bribery is the lever for powerful
evil. Every one who has the good of the
community in view, or their own prosper
ity at heart, should register to-day. Then,
when the time comes, put the seal of APP
prevail on the $500 license and PROVE that
those who drink whisky must support the
barrooms, but the many should not be
taxed for the benefit of one industry.
OBSERVER.