The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-11-08
RESTRICTION OF
LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
BenefiCent Effects Upon Lebanon as
DRY" Town.
The Testimony of Unimpeachable
Witnesses, Drawn not From
Theory, but From Actual
Experience.

hcJuOulbl CuuICu III DeDduOIl, duuIesseS |
were made by several business men.
telling of the effects, morally and in a
business way, upon that place since
the saloons were abolished. Among
the speakers was Hon. R. Mcmillan,
who mad taken the pains to investigate
the result in practical way for him
self Part of his speech was as follows:
After an observance of the execu-
tion of the prohibition law in the town
of Lebanon | say TO you with the most
perfect candor and honesty it is a sue.
cess, and | bring you this night the
gospel OF encouragement and hope.
You recall the prophecies of the
whlskey men during that contest, how
they said business would be dead,
that grass would grow on the streets,
how people would 90 to Nashville and
Gallatin and Murfreesboro to trade
would go where they could get their
goods and a drink of whiskey, and
that the Cumberland would be bridged
or free ferry furnished to Gallatin,
and how unnumbered woes would fall
on the merchants and trades people of
the town and we would be dead. dead.
well, yesterday and day before
consulted these merchants and you and
they will excuse the personal illusion
to them and their business. ! told
them | was going to give the informa-
tion got from them to the people and
asked them for such facts as they
could testify to on their oath
II told J. l.. Weir & Co., dry goods
merchants that | wanted to known
if their trade had increased or dimin-
lshed since whiskey left us last June ;
and their correct and conscientious
book keeper gave me written state
ment that their business had increased
since June last Az per cent. They
are here tonight; ask these witnesses
for yourselves.
But, maybe, thought l, these mer-
chants have had run, or some other
element of success the other merchants
have not had, and SO passed on to
the extensive firm of J. T. McClain &
Co., and put the same straightforward
question. Their answer was Our trade
has increased largely and heathily.
We have not so kept our books as to
furnish you the information you want,
but in the future we will do it with
pleasure.
mot yet fully satisfied l went to
the dry goods house of R. D. Powell,
and put to him the same question. He
replied: 1 have lately figured it uI
to the 1st of October, this year, and
my gain / put at 40 per cent,
well, how about mems furnishing
goods, | said | went across to the
Cash Clothing Co., and there l found
that they had increased their trade
from 80 to 40 per cent. since whiskey
went away.
but, thought l, crops have failed
this is the third year with corn
and have never in the A years
of my life seen corn so scarce, OF
provision so high this time of the year
So l called on the family grocery
men. | stepped across the square tt
the nice establishment of Dyer Sud
darth and told him what l wanted
He furnished me a slip of paper show
ing that his increase of trade had beer
over 20 per cent. to what it was be
fore liquor was sent away.
Now the banks are an index of tn,
business of a community, aud we hav,
three I went TO their officials for
candid report and that report came
and they tell me that they are prosper
ing and their business has increased
Now l had been told the good ole
farmer would go to Nashville to bu,
his hardware, because he could fill hi
jug, therefore | went to the hardwar
house of Jenning q Marshall expectin.
to hear of loss, but their book keeper
a member of the firm told me in writ
ing, Our business has advanced 40 pc
cent since whiskey went away
Now people sometimes come her
sick and need drugs and we have dru,
stores. | went to one, as sample
and said to Hugh Mcdonald, and hov
is your business of this fall compare
with last?' He gave his answer to M
in writing: Better by 40 per cent
Il am not yet done. / was at tn
Lebanon College for Young Ladies las
evening, and | saw an institution ful
of pretty students. asked Prof Weir
the president of his success this yea
over last. He said: We have twic
as many students as last year Thin
of it 100 per cent. | tell you the
have found out place that they ca
send their girls where they will nc
have to see druunkaIds.
II passed by the public school build
ing and found the house full, outdoor
full and more clamoring for entrance
The price and transfer of real estat
is never failing index to the pro,
perity of a community. | called o
one of the most extensive real estat
dealers in this county, who knows th
lands and the price thereof. ana tina
is Capt. Andrew McGregor. tol
him candidly what | wanted. II
said Real estate has advanced 20 pt
cent since June, and there is sOmethin
better than that There is a demau
for il such as have rarely seen
Think of it. No houses to rent-a
full
Il took buggy and drove arOun
to see if Lebanon was dead. / fOuu
three or four pretty. new cottges und,
construction on Maple street. anothl
on Spring street. Or. Eskew has FL
ished his large. elegant new house {
Greenwood street. be told me IL v