The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-09
AUSPICIOUS OPENING
OF THE CAMPAIGN
Anti-SaIoon Forces Made a
Splendid Start Last Night
FIVE ADDRESSES MADE
They Touched Upon the Vital Issues at Stake
Figures and Estimates Of ImpOr-
tancs by Hon. A. A.
Thompson.


In spite of the rain and storm last night,
the campaign for the dispensary in Raleigh
opened conspicuously. The crowd was not
large but it was representative and the
spirit was admirable. The speeches were
in good temper, and the meeting was
success.
After the speaking an appeal was made
for a fund to pay for the use of halls,
copying registration lists, hiring carriages
on election day, and for the necessary ex-
penses for carrying on the campaign In
brief time $235 was subscribed for the
work In all the committee does not wish
but $50 as that will be all that will be
needed for the payment of necessary cam
paign expenses.
The meeting was presided over by Mr..
w. N. Jones, chairman of the committee.
After prayer by Rev. NJ. M. Marshall, d.
D., rector of Christ church, Mr. Jones
made-a brief and telling speech, dwelling
upon the far-reaching Importance of win
ming this campaign for moral and civic
progress in the city of Raleigh. He
spoke with power and earnestness and
profoundly impressed all who heard him.
Mr.. THoMPsON's SPEECH.
Mr.. A. A. Thompson was then intro
duced. He spoke with his accustomed
wisdom and directness, confining himself
to only one phase of the question. HIS
speech in full was as follows, and it is
printed here because it contains valuable
information that every voter ought to
read and inwardly digest. He said;
Saloons directly or indirectly touch SO
many points in the life of this city that
the short time allotted me for the discus
sion of the questions under consideration,
can touch only one phase of the sub
ject, viz:
The price we pay for maintaining them
There are many weightier objections, but
this cost alone is sufficient reason why
this community cannot afford longer to
tolerate them.
The proper regulation of the whiskey
traffic has for many years engaged the at
tention of National, State County and
City Governments All political parties
have agreed that heavy taxes should be
imposed, and the whole business from
distillery to saloon subject to strict po-
lice regulation Adding all these taxes
together, they probably amount to 500 per
cent of the value of the raw product
when first manufactured. Add to this
the profit of the retailers it will give you
total cost so large that you are sur
prlsed to find twenty-three saloons flour
ishing in the city, there being a bar-rOom
for each 500 of our population Evil
IDENTIFY, some better way must be found
for controlling and regulating the sale of
alcoholic drinks in order that bad in
fluences may be lessened and the reve-
nue. therefrom increased The dispensary
we think will accomplish these results.
Certainly one place open from sunrise to
sunset will dispense a much smaller guam
tity than twenty-three saloons open nine
teen hours of tMenty-four, while the cost
of one establishment will be far less than
all of those open saloons keeping such
long hours.
Other towns in the State have tried it
with great satisfaction They have an
increased revenue, coupled with a de-
crease in quantity of liquor sold, and
marked decrease in crime of all Sorts
You can satisfy yourselves by writing to
leading citizens in Smithfeld, Louisburg,
Clayton, Oxford and Waynesville.
Let us consider, first, the cost of sa-
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~ -. 80 r. ~ - a,nn 90
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