The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-10-05
MAURY COUNTY
ANTLsAL DON LEAGUE REPORTS
NEARLY 500 DEMOCRATIC
MEMBERS.


In the contest that is now on in
Maury county. the temperance people.
favoring the abolition Of saloons being
on one side and the high license peo-
pie and the friends of the saloons on
the other. the argument is being used
by the high license advocates, that
high license will solve the problem and
decrease taxes.
1t is surely true that high license
will never abolish the saloon and its
evil influence. and it is also true that
the saloon people would be glad to
have the high license proposition pre-
vail in the contest and the saloons to
remain.
That the increase OF the license for
the saloon will decrease taxes has not
proven to be true in Columbia or any
other town that we can learn of.
In Columbia from about 1895 to 1900
the saloon license was $50 per year and
tax rate was during these years $1.25
on the 800; and from 1900 to the
present time the saloon license has
increased to s25O.OO per annum, and
the tax rate to $3.50 on the $4,000.
So we see that although the saloon
license has been increased 400 per cent
In the last six years, the tax rate has
in the same time increased 20 per cent,
Notwithstanding that there has been
an increase in the taxable value of the
property in Columbia during this time.
One OF the young business men in
one of the leading stores of Columbia
last week refused to become mem
Der of the Anti-SaIoon League and to
lend his influence to the suppression
of the saloon evil, giving as his reason
that he was AFRAID IT WOULD
HURT BUSINESS. If this Is fair
sample of the business ideas of the
youth of Columbia, the picture OF the
future Columbia would be sad one.
This instance, however. is given as an
exception. as the young men of our
city. as rule are becoming members
of our organization. and lending their
influence to the suppression of this
evil, which is doing more to injure our
town and to debauch our young men
of both town and county, than anything
else, and which is the source, as the
records of the city court will show, of
nine-tenths of the violations of law.
The temperance people, however, are
fighting this battle upon higher plane
than that of dollars and cents, as they
place higher value upon morality and
manhood Ito both of which the saloon
is an enemy, than upon money
The temperance people maintain
that the abolition of saloons will not
increase or hurt business, and to show
how the changed condition has worked
in the towns that have abolished sa-
looms, letters have been addressed to
the city officials of Franklin, Law
Lewisburg, Fayetteville,
and other towns where
the saloons have been abolished, and
the answer will be published from day
to day. and they all show most graf
flying result.
DR.. K. S. Hewlett, former Maury
countian. now of Franklin, answers
questions asked by the Maury County
Anti-Saloon League, also G. R. Berry,
Mayor, and H. P. Fow1kes. Recorder, |
of Franklin, answered similar ques-
lions, as follows:
1.-What effect has the abolition OF
saloons had on business in your town;
is it good, better, or worse? Four
fifths of our business men say 1t is bet
ter. None report 1t worse.
2.-Is the tax rate in your town the |
same, or greater or less, than when
you had saloons? Same.
3.-Are the houses formerly occupi-
ed by saloons vacant or occupied? Ev-
cry one occupied.
4.-Have violations of the law In
creased or decreased since the aboli-
ton of saloons? Decreased. What |
per cent? so or more.
5.--Are your people satisfied with |
the results of the law? Yes. un-
derstand that our city revenue has in
creased, not withstanding loss of sa-
loon license. Would they vote to re-
nstate the saloons? No.
6.-To what extent Is the law
against the sale Of intoxicants viola
ted? To a considerable extent by ne
groes and lower classes. When the
law and order element is aroused and
alert, we have complete respite from
any sort OF violation, for while. Ev-
cry day hear men. who were opposed
to the abolition OF the saloon in the
beginning say that they would not
vote to have them back under any con-