The Brookhaven leader., 1888-08-16

human action, such facts from such
sources as / have given you should
send an arrow of conviction to the
heart of every unbiased and reason
able man.
But shall not stop here, but pro-
ceed to present corroborating proof
equally conclusive. IL was said that
the amount of cotton brought to this
town would greatly diminish as soon
as whisky ceased to be sold.
How do the facts bear out such an
apprehension Upon investigation,
found that the number of bales Of
cotton shipped from this town in the
year just preceding the election,
from August, 1885, to August, 1886,
was 1879; whereas, during the year
beginning August, 1887, and ending
August, 1888, there were shipped
9689 bales-an increase of nearly two
thousand bales in favor of prohibi-
ton. Mr.. Bee, the agent here, informs
me that he has had more work and
business this season than at any time
since his connection with the Rail
road. This only means that more
goods have been bought and sold,
that both our exports and imports
are greater than ever before. A surer
sign could not be given of growing
trade and material prosperity.
Why, my friends, it is humorously
absurd to try to argue that PrOhibi-
ton has hurt the town and county
financially, in view of all that has
been proved, and that too, in the face
of the still further fact that since the
passage of the law, it has been found
necessary to establish two banks in
which to deposit the saved earnings
of sober and thrifty people!
One of the best and most influential
citizens, and q recognized leader
in this county, man who has de-
feated every person for Office who
ever ran against him, a man, more
over, who worked and voted against
Prohibition at our last election, stated
to me a few days ago that the people
throughout the county are saving
more money and are enjoying far
more of the necessaries and comforts
of life than they did when so much
was spent for whisky, that they are
paying more attention to education,
and are in every way more prosperous
than they were before. Though Op-
posed to the passage of the law, he
now recognizes its good results and
thus strongly testities IN its favor.
ATTENDANCE UPON THE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS HAS INCREASED.
The County Superintendent informs
me that the teachers report general
improvement in school work. The
children are better provided with the
books required by the rules, are more
tidy, better clothed, and present a
better appearance than ever before.
AS further evidence of the better
condition of affairs, school warrants
which were worth from 70 to rs cents,
under the whisky regime, have now
gone up to ninety cents.
There has been a wonderful increase
in attendance upon the Sunday
Schools and Churches throughout the
county. Well informed ministers and
laymen tell me that the number of
Sunday schools has almost doubled
during the last two years, and that
many children now 60 who were not
able to attend before for want of
proper clothing. The number of ac-
cessiOns to the various churches has
been unusually large as compared
with previous years, and livelier in
terest is now taken in general relig-
iOus work.
All these indications point unmis-
takably to the increased prosperity of
the county.
Let us now glance at few facts
which, l think, must be palpable to
even the ordinary observer. There
is one that strikes me with consider
able force, however trite it may seem
at first, and that is the marvellous
increase in the amount of fruit sold
since prohibition went into effect.
l was interested enough to look into
this, and l discovered that before
whisky ceased to be sold only about
forty or fifty barrels of oranges came
to this town every winter, and those
principally during Christmas; while
last season between four and five
hundred barrels were sold-an in
crease Of OUer 800 per cent. One deal
er disposed of $50 barrels of oranges
and twice as many apples, to say
nothing of the various other kinds of
fruit. This shows decided improve
ment in the tastes of the people.
Money that used to be spent for liquor,
"The death-begetting sweat of the
STILL" now goes for little luxuries and
comforts never enjoyed before. AS a
result of the closing of saloons, how
many children have been made to re-
alize that there are more "gOod things"
in this world than were ever dreamed
of in their PHILOSOPHERS
1t is said that more OvercOats were
sold last winter than in any former
year, and the proprietOrs of the meat
market say that, beginning with the
very first week after the last saloon
was closed, their weekly cash sales
have just doubled what they were
previous to that time, so we see the
people are now better clothed and
better fed than they ever were before.
Evidences of thrift and enterprise
are to be seen on every hand. A
large lumber manufacturing establish
ment is now being put up that will
require 400, 900 feet of lumber to COM
plete it, and the plant is to cost about
$25, 900. Stores in which the liquor
trade was conducted are now occupied
by legitimate lines of business.
Quite a number of new buildings
are in course of erection, among them
a handsome Catholic Church.
The churches in general have all
been imDrOyed and some have had