The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-26
FACTS AND FIGURES
AGAINST SALOONS
Messrs. Battle, Thompson and
Douglass Last Night.
SMITHFIELD'S EVIDENCE
Three Cases Of Cline to 0le in Favor of the
Dispsnsay---Population Increased so
Per Cent---Edentcn st. Ladies
This Afternoon.

Three telling speeches full of facts and
figures were delivered last night to a
crowd in the open air at the corner of
West and Cannon streets by Messrs. R
II. Battle, A. A. Thompson and w. c.
Douglass. They all told of the advan-
tages that dispensary had over twenty.
four open saloons, and in no uncertain
terms called upon the men of that district
to vote on October 9Th against bar-rooms
in Raleigh.
This was the third of the open air meet
ings for dispensary, and it was one of the
best. The band from the Institute for
the Blind was there and livened things up
considerably.
Mr.. Battie, after explaining the Watts
law, and how we come TO be voting on
the question of saloons or dispensary
proceeded to say that it had been seen
that prohibition did not prohibit, and
moreover provided a motive for breaking
the laws. That was why it was deemed
better to have a dispensary rather than
absolute prohibition, for there are some
old topers whose habits are so deep-rooted
that they will go through anything to get
a drink, and some other people who
need liquor for their health. In this con-
nection, however, Mr.. Battle said he for
his part could never see how whIskey
ever did any good except as medicine He
had endured the exposure and tatigues
Ct campaigns with Lee without liquor, and
had observed that those soldiers who
drank suffered more than he did. Not
long ago, he said, the English army had
conducted an experiment to determine
whether or not it was wise to issue whls
key as a ration to soldiers. Accordingly
it was issued to one body of men, beer
to another, and neither to a third. And
the soldiers that drank only water could
march farther and faster and fight better
than either those with the beer ration
or the whiskey ration.
AS to the argument against dispensary
that it would put the State In the liquor
business, Mr. Battle asked if it was not
exactly the same principle to take all
the receipts as to take part of them in the
shape of licenses. Mr.. Battle closed with
a powerful appeal to the young men to
cast their votes on the right side of
this great moral issue.
Mr.. Thompson, who followed Mr.. Battle
crowded a lot into a very short time.
saloons of Raleigh one year. There were
1876 people handling liquor. at an average
salary of 81 per year, $4,000. The rent
of % saloons amounted to $4,000. The
licenses ta~-the city amounted to $7,400,
ana appetizer $7,400 to State and county,
and $575 to the United States Govern
ment, and sundries about $1,000. These
are only some of the items. The total
was s172,S75 per year, $4,000 more than
we pay in city taxes all together, and
$4,000 more than all our taxes TO State
and county. The graded schools spend
only one-sixth of what it costs to run
the bars. Not all the churches, hospitals
and other charitable institutions spent so
much. nd two-thirds of all this money
comes from people that can i'll afford it.
The dispensary would not put the State
in the business any more than it is al
ready in the business. But now humil-
iating part the State plays is TO take
and lock up the victims of the traffic.
Il is true the dispensary is great evil
but IS there not a greater evil? Vaccina-
ton is a great evil, too, but smallpox is
greater.
Mr.. Thompson closed by citing the ex-
cellent results of dispensary in Smlthfield.
Warrenton and Louisburg.
Mr.. Douglass was the last speaker He
said the thing that troubles us is the
open bar-room. at can be attacked, /"
said he, there is nothing sacred about
1t. No one need be afraid to attack it