Mower County transcript., 1899-02-15
WHlTERIBBONPAPERS
A New Partnership-Sparks from
two ~Anvils-Elder Beacon and
His Searchlight--Tllat "Moral
Side''--Official Figures" "Soap
and Molasses-.Canteens , and
Blind Pigs-The Entering Wedge
- Nt.$ - -
of Prohibition. ~,
No. 80.

| AANAAO OoSAS ONllys tc yUu
been?" exclaimed Jack Wheeler, join
ing The group OF men in the black
smith shop.
Had the gripr' said the smith
drily. dan Bessemer's been run
ming my shop. Did it so we'll we've
decided to 60 into partnership and
chum it the rest Of the winter.''
"Ha! indeed? Guess you won't
chum it much on the license question.
will you?'
"Wait till Elder Beak comes in,"
laughed Harry Jenkins. "He's been
here most every day lately"
Come, come, my boy! no nick
names," said Uncle Jerry pleasantly.
Glider Beacon carries too strong a
searchlight to please shady opinions,
but that Is the worst you can say of
him. What's Jack got over there?"
1.-The daily paper. Somebody please
tell me how much it has cost this city
to prosecute blind piggers. 1t isn't
long since the paper was lamenting
that the money for these prosecutions
was raised by the preachers and pious
women and Children Since when
was this crushing burden laid upon
the city I'd like to know?'
nd what about the money for
the tines?" interrupted Farmer Proc
tor. 1.-The city has received in fines
q good many times the amount spent
for prosecution. The Anti-Saloon
League, seems to me, is putting some
pretty crisp hundred dollar bills into
your city treasury. Eh, Bessemer?''
Bessemer nodded. 1.-THE money is
all right" he said, "and I want it 'un-
derstood l stand with the clergy on
the moral side OF this question: But
the tinancial--its bad--very bad!
We've paid $4,000 for our make-be-
lieve dry town.
"Wait a minute Daniel!" exclaimed
Uncle Jerry. If you grant the moral
side Of this question then clearly you
believe in licensing immortality pro-
vided you find there's money in it..
On that score I say license murder,
theft, vice, arson, wife-beating and
1.-The whole list. It will bring in a
1 revenue. Why select Just one immor-
! ality? Now / wanG>tO challenge your
/ last statement Here are the police
records: Board of prisoners in city
lock up 1897, $l66.7l; in 1898, $1,000;
police expenses in 1897, $l965.27; in
1898, $llS9 20. So far that is gain of
$932.76, and instead of an empty
treasury we find on Jan. l, 1899, an ex-
cess Of $76s.l7 in our city treasury
over Jan. l, $685. Besides that there
has been reduction of three-f0urths
in that 5000, O,000. 90 liquor bill of our
city and our merchants are getting
their share of it.
"Hold there!" Interrupted Besse-
mer. "Do you tell me that our great
| wave of DrOSneritv ia f1ne tn mo-
license?"
mo! not all of it," said Uncle Jerry
slyly, "but just want to remind you
Of the midsummer howls that no-li-
cense was responsible for all the
stagnation in business. Both condi-
tions were very general throughout
our country and hence neither are to
be attributed to local conditions. But
when you turn $3.50, 90 into a COM
munity 1 assure you business men
will soon know it and this very thing
has been DONE"
"Pshaw!' said Bessemer tartly,
"our importations of groceries, soap,
vegetables, vinegar, molasses, ETC.,
has increased rapidly and the Prohibi-
tionists find cause in this for great
rejoicing. II the Prohib could but
stand near by when the soap is
taken from the box and the molasses
drawn in half pint bottles
"Hm-m-m-m" ran through the
group. 1.-The grocers will thank you
for that Bessemer. That's your way
Of accounting for our Increased ship.
ments,' eh? Unfortunately some
quite honest looking men have told
the pu blic their shipments have in'
creased. They will hardly swallow
that kind of statement"
: Dan bit his lip. "There's nothing
in that now fellows. l wasn't sluE
ring the merchants"
''There's just as much in it as in al
this other stuff that you are trying tC
j make people swallow!" exclaimed
Jack Wheeler. "Why don't you fel
lows give US some figures. Uncle Jerry
gave US plain official figures for his
statement-$l56,71 saved from the
board of prisonefs, e776.O7 less for po
lice expenses. Now you say the. gro.
GERS soap wasn't soap. Prove it.
Take me into the freight office and
show me 9 single shipping bill te
prove it. No matter what the goods
are, the shipping bill shows whether
} 1t was shipped from wholesale gro
Gerry or a wholesale brewery. Show me
some soap and vinegar and molasses
shipped from q wholesale brewery
u What would the government revenue
man have to say about it?"
Dan was silent. .s ....4,-
Jack ts right" said Uncle Jerry
7 Nobody need to tell us where the
blind pigs are. We know where they
ARE, and are fighting single handed stc
Il bring them to Justice. But we know