The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-11

| they will go lower. l believe they
have more respect for this good old
| city, their homes and their families -
Mr.. w. n. Thompson Against.
Mr.. w. A. Thompson, one of Raj
| eigh's best known citizens and business
| men, the president of three cotton
mills in Wake. the Rolyh Cotton Mills,
| Caroleigh Mills Companl, and Neuse
| River Mills, being interviewed on the
subject, spoke strongly in favor of the
| NiSpenSa1y, land CONDEMNED as the
worst evil that could befall the citi-
zenship of Raleigh by the voting in of
a high licensed saloons. He said:
when the election as between dis
penSarieS and saloons was held nearly
two years ago the matter was fully
discussed among the members of the
anti-SaloOn league, as to which would
be best for Raleigh: high licensed sa-
t.oo!ns, prohibition, or a dispensary,
After full consideration the dspensary
was agreed upon as the best solution
of the question. Lefore investigation
the matter l had thought that high
license would be preferable, but after
l had looked into the matter I changed
my views entirely and agreed that the
diSpenSary was the best. / am still OF
that opinion as | regard it as the best
solution of the liquor question in Raj
eigh and think that it will bring bet
ter results than prohibition under
present conditions.
High license will not do 1t provides
brilliant saloons as rendezvous for
men, and it becomes "a kindergarten
for teaching the liquor habit to young
men. The older men who are already
taught can secure it at the diSpensary
but there is not that glitter and at
tNctivelieds for young mGn which
comes from the aliurements. of the
saoon and the comradeshpp found
'rCre
NJ rally the dispensary is far better
for Raleigh than the saloon and the
records show this. That is the large
question to be considered. Incidental
ly the revenue that comes from our
dispensary is the means of lowering
taxes, as it has already done. The
county schools, the roads and the city
have a larger revenue because of 1T.
The county schools are being improv-
ed and our city schools are now in
position to do a great work. The
industrial school and later the new
high school are made possible by this
revenue, while with the open saloon
we will have the liquor question III
q multiplied form, with thousands or
dollars less revenue. That is thing
for the tax payer to remember. If we
a year to the Rex hospital, increase the
appropriation to the Raney library,
keep up the salaries of city officers
and the fire department, the tax rate
must be Increased. If the dispensary
is voted out for the open saloon, A
new fire engine costing about $4,000
has just been bought, this made pos
sible under the increased revenue UNI
der the diSpenSary.
"a loon
disorsranizer of labor that | know of
Under the diSpenSary labor has grown
more reliable and steady. There are
men in Raleigh today who have saved
many because the saloons. have been
closed. 1t is to invite those to begin
again the old course by re-opening
the SlloOn.
The matter of revenue is only Incl
dental, however, and the great ques-
tons is the betterment Of the moral
situation. Certainly no one can argue
that this will come by, again opening
the saloons. l am emphatically in
favor of continuing the dispensary.
Col. II. B. Arendell Against.
Col f. B. Arendell expressed him
self in favor of no agitation and the
allowing of matters to stand as they
are. He voted against the dispensary
two years ago, but now favors 1T for
reasons he, gives. Being asked as to
his position he said:
II am not in favor of stirring upi
and arousing the city and community
over this question at this time. l vot-
ed against the dispensary two years
ago. l did not think then and do not
think now that ii is a temperance
proposition, but it amounts to what |
believe is a, police regulation that re-
duces drunkenness and produces reve-
nue.. / am opposed to the agitation of
this issue, for what l consider are
valid reasons"