The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1900-02-09
Some Pointed Questions,

EDITOR GLACIER: Noticing In the last
issue the petition for a licensed saloon
in the town Of Hood River, and feeling a
real interest in the welfare of the place
and its surrounding country, beg to
submit for consideration few of the
many points that are involved, seeing
that an invitation is extended for that
purpose;
l. AS the present saloon enterprise is
carried on without the consent of the
locally governed, will the principle in
volved concerning the will Of the people
be inyiolate by granting licenseY
2. If there are evils connected with a
quantity establishment, will they be less
ened by the more extended retail traffic?
8. If the principle of license shall car
ry, must not the legal right Of suffrage OF
one be extended to all who may apply2
4. AS increased patronage in that line
is intended by the petitioners, will the
results of such patronage justify an en-
tire submission to the licensed system?
5. Ii it is now difficult for parents to
isolate their children from the evil inau-
ences of the saloon, would their diff
culties be lessened by increasing the in
fluences2
q. win licensed saloon be financial
gain to the merchant? For do not the
dimes and dollars spent over the bar
leave the merchants customers with
less to pay bills and make new pur-
chases? Will credit lists be decreased
and cash receipts enlarged?
z. What about the argument "that
the saloon will stay if not licensed?"
What has been your experience in the
past2
8. Will the public health be advanced?
For does not the general use OF liquor
render men less able to resist disease or
recover from its ravages2
8. Will the village marshal or sheriff
have less to do under the license system,
or will he need an assistant at times
and demand more pay? Will crime be
lessened and wives and daughters more
secure upon the streets?
10. What about mortgages? Does the
license help to lift mortgages, or will not
general Indebtedness be increased2
IL. Ii Hood River has maintained
permanent growth financially and NOR
ally without licensed saloon, will the
same progress be more apparent by
licensed one? Make some comparisons,
Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead,
Minnesota, for example. The latter has
45 saloons, paying $500 each. Fargo has
none. The towns lie upon opposite
sides of the river, with equal advantages
and facilities, and while Moorhead, with
so much license accruing. is falling be-
hind annually in city improvements
and population, her per capita tax is in
creasing. Fargo has added in the last
year about one million dollars in build
ings, has fine streets, a large increase in
population, and its per capita tax is
among the very lowest in the United
States. Make other comparisons.
II. Will the farmers, who are the
backing to the town, be benefttedP
Will the results Of q licensed SALOON put
hinges upon the gates, locks upon the
doors, glass in the windows, clothes
upon women and children and shoes
upon their feetP viii Increased traffic
bring comforts to the home, happiness
to the heart and education to the Mind2
l3. Will the reputation of Hood River
as model place for people to come to
rear and educate their children be bet
tered by the willing existence of the
saloonP
ii. viii my boy, or yours, or your
neighhor's children, have a better ex-
ample before them and thus be made
stronger to resist downward course2
Is. Is it true that one or more licensed
saloops will build up the placer Will
they build school rooms, found libraries
or in any way benefit the young?
16. For whose benefit is the saloon,
anyway?
II. Will the money accruing to the
town from the license more than bal
ance the cost of trials, the loss of char
acter, the bad bi!ts, bad tempers, weak
ened minds and loss of comforts in the
home that are truly incident to the sa-
loon?
1t is true that justices of the peace and
attorneys will have more to do, for who
knows OF town where liquors are freely
dispensed but what quarfels, fights and
other difficulties are not of common and
serious occurrence, and suits of action
become frequent in consequence? 1t is
true that doctors will have more to do,
because there are wounds without
cause" bruises without number, and a
long list of ills that even Keely cure
cannot heal, But as no one meditates
such things as value received for IL |
cense, they cannot weigh in its favor.
How about the results of the "treat- |
ing system" that surely follow retail
liquor traffic. Is it not better that the
present enterprise should exist, if stay it |
must, without the encouragement and |
suppogt guaranteed by license.
Hoping that these points may touch |
some OF the real questions for consid- |
Grafton, and that q license shall not
carry, / remain as one who has sincere
motives, for the name, honor and pros
perity OF Hood River and vicinity.