The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-02-08
A Word or Two.

topic OF the day, we thought q few
pertinent remarks would not be a
miss.
1t seems that VIGOROUS fight is
being made, and the outcome will De
watched with much interest. We
are not q saloon-keeper, nor q fire.
quenter of the saloon. Neither are
we 80 utterly enwrapped with pre-
JUDGE that we are compelled to dis
believe what we actually see with
our own eyes, for seeing, with us,
is believing. We have studied both
sides Of the question thoroughly and
must say that we are at loss to un-
derstand how any fair-minded tax.
payer who has the welfare and fur
Their advancement of our city at
heart can do otherwise than favor
the licensed saloon.
We could devote much space in
citing instances where the city has,
directly and Indirectly derived sub
stantial and lasting benefits from the
neat little sum paid into the city
treasury annually, saying nothing of
the percent that goes to the county.
But suffice it to respectfully call
the attention of our citizens to the
state of affairs that existed prior to
the enactment of the Mulct Law and
those that have existed since.
Throw your prejudice aside and
compare the two periods from q
standpoint of close and fair obser-
yer and the result will be, you have
a contrast that Is something astonish-
ing. 1t cannot be denied that prior
to the licensing of saloons our city
was deplorably perforated with "pig
stys," "holes in the wall" of the
most depraved character, where even
lemon extract was sold as an intoxi.
cant, and, pray what did our city
realize out of these joints? Not one
penny, but on the contrary was put
to additional enormous expense in
harbouring the frequenters of these
places.
Can any one deny these facts; no.
A nice state of affairs. The saloons
were closed! The temperance ag-
gregation rejoiced. rhe city too poor
20 build sidewalk across a 10 foot
q ley and pay the cash for it-with
the outlook for any realization in the
treasury very discouraging.
Now let the taxpayers take that
period from the beginning of the
Mulct Law up to the present time,
follow closely the substantial i'm
provements, in numerous ways, that
our city has enjoyed and then if he
fails to see the marked contrast,
overwhelmingly in favor of the latter,
then we must say that his profound
stupidity is something marvellous.
The licensed saloon simply and
plainly means about s14, 900 or s15, 900
annually for the city of Oskaloosa,
every cent of which is paid out for
the general improvements of the city,
labor, etc. Our miles of paved streets
and alleys bears testimony to this
statement.
Another little instance that pre-
sents itself to our notice and which
is worthy of mention, is the number
of teams and laborers that are seen
at work on our streets during the
summer months. Was this the case
during the 30 called prohibition age?
We think not. Who can deny the
fact that the excellent condition in
which our streets and alleys are kept
is not due to the income received by
the city from the saloons. Many of
these laborers who are struggling for
the maintenance of their little homes
and families, through senility are
prevented from securing steady work
elsewhere.
We persume that our grand, good
(?) anti-saloon apostles would con-
sign these poor old men to the coun-
ty poor farm to spend the rest of their
lives, which perhaps have been more
noble than their consigners, at the
expense of the county.
Now we would like to ask il it ever
occurred to those disciples of VIM.
Penn who seem to be exerting siren
uous efforts in behalf of the anti-sa-
loon people, that had 1t not been for
the licensed saloons they would yet
be dragging their gum boots through
the yellow clay out on Penn avenue,
which, has since the mulct law went
into effect, been made one of the
prettiest paved avenues in the city.
1t seems hard, but they have got to
stand for it. Another thing we would
respectfully call the attention of tax
payers is this: Are you aware of the
fact that the star agitators of the
anti-saloon are men, as general
thing, who do not own one foot of
property or pay a dollars tax in the
city. Men who are here simply filling
lucrative positions and who would
leave this city tomorrow by an offer
of better salary. and we want to
offer the suggestion right here that If
some of the ministers who are so act
lively engaged in antagonizing the sa-
loon, and whose hearts seem to be
overlooking with compassion for the
would devote all their spare
time in keeping the members of their
fiocks on that narrow road
that leads but to glory, they would
have accomplished their earthly |
mission. Gods work would have
been well done, and great would be |