The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-10-18
HOW 1T AFFECTS BUSINESS.

HOW 1T AFFECTS BUSINESS.
Some people are of the opinion-hon
estly of the opinion-that temperance
laws rigidly enforced, iniure business;
and whenever you persuade the average
man that anything Injuries his business,
you need not argue any further-he isl
against that thing. Business represents
dollars, and the almighty dollar is the
god of most men. II it were demon
strdted proposition that TO convert the
court house into one great big gambling
house and drinking saloon, would mate
rally help business, we would greatly
fear to see the question submitted to
vote of the people. So many people are
willing to "be good,'' really want to be
good, so long as it does not cost them
anything. Many of them will sacrifice
business for pleasure; but comparative
ly few of them will sacrifice business for
morals or religion. They are willing to
pay the fiddler, but have nothing for
the preacher.
But leaving out Of the discussion all
question of right and wrong, we are will
ing to argue the restrictive or prohibit
ton proposition from purely business
standpoint.
Lewisburg, with all due respect to
Lewisburg) used to be about as rowdy a
place as you could find in any old, set
tied, civilized community. Lewisburg
now is just as different from that as il
can be. 1t is quiet and orderly, sober,
industrious and prosperous. Lewisburg
formerly had sal )ons. Immediately af
ter the old charter was repealed and the
saloons we're closed, the 'blind tiger"
cursed the community. But now with
faithful officers at the helm; men who
are in sympathy with the law and coura
geous in it's enforcement, Lewisburg has
neither the open saloon nor the blind
tiger, and is in the most healthy, grow
ing and prosperous condition ever known
in its history.
We have it from the testimony of peo-
pie who live there and who have lived
there for years, that there is less want
and poverty and idleness, and more bust
ness, progress and improvement there
than ever before.
We are told that houses that were
going to decay for the lack of paint anC
general repair, now look fresh and new
Q that fences that were oreened have beer
g Strengthened or rebuilt; that women wht
stayed away from church for the wan
of decent clothes, and children wht
played about the streets ragged ant
dirty, are now clad as they should be
= and mix and mingle with their neigh
; bors and friends, no longer ashamed o
their raiment or their former wretche'
abodes.
We are told by reliable witnesses tina
the grocery man, the merchant, tn
butcher and the baker, all report bette
: trade than they have heretofore had, an
u that they can trace this increase of trad
L directly to those who we're not able t
u buy before, because they spent thei
70 hard earned wages for whisky. Me
who heretofore spent from fifty cents
l. a dollar day in the saloon, now spen
that same money for the comforts of lift
IL There are fewer vacant houses in Lew
D. isburg, and fewer idle men than ever b'
l. fore. Men who formerly lounged abor
~ the saloons and we're supported by the
y wives and children, now that their loa
LII ing places are gone, ard the temptatiC
u to idleness and drunkenness gone wit
Il them, have gone to work to suppo
themselves and their families. Ar
these very ones, rescued from their b
10 setting sins, are among the happiest al
OF most delighted of Lewisburg's citizel
IL over the change.
or If prohibition will do so much f
rs Lewisburg, partial prohibition will {
by some good and no harm for the busine
us of Columbia. The saloons do their be
at business after dark. If you close the
at $50 o'clock in the evening, the mo
ey that would go into their Golfers W
in go into other channels of trade,
'e- bless and not to curse humanity;
en- grow men up into the likeness of &c
ed not to degrade them beneath the ley
I'm of the beasts.
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