The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-11-23
HOW PROHIBITION
AFFECTS TOWNS
According to Officials and Business
Men It Helps to Vote Out
Liquor.
NUMBER OF EXAMPLES


GAINESVILLE. Tenn, Nov. IA 1906.
Editor the Herald:
write to give your people some
idea of how out Tennessee towns have
been affected by going dry"
In the last few months l have in
Investigated conditions in many of these
towns by personal correspondence
with officials and other prominent citi-
zens. Three things 1 have inquired
about particularly: % the effect on
disorder and crime; (2) the effect on
business; 90 the effect on city reve-
nue. and tax rate. The following synop-
sis will give you an idea of the re-
plies:
Union City-Drunkenness and crime
greatly decreased. Business better In
every way; business houses occupied
more generally than ever before; col
lections better. The tax rate 40 cents
per hundred less than with saloons;
more money in treasury than for ten
years; many public Improvements
Mayor Walker.
Observation-Disclosures and crime
reduced to minimum. Business never
better; such prosperity never known
before. Increase in trade and values
fully makes up loss of revenue.-May-
or J. H. Crichlow.
Waverly-Not one-tenth as many ar
rests as before. Business not injured,
but steadily improving. Town has
done more and got along better with
out revenue from saloons and no need
to raise taxes.-Mayor John B. Bow
man.
Lebanon-Moral phase most crafty
ing; look back with horror to sa-
looms" Business much better: unparal-
lelled prosperity. Taxes lower than
for years; county out of debt: city in
fine condition.-Lebanon Democrat.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS fallen off great
ly.: Business SSh to SO per cent. bet
ter. Attendance at school largely in
creased. City 100 per cent. better off.
j. E. Fox, cashier First National
Bank.
orristown-Drunken man a curl.
osity; City Recorder and Sheriff al
most out of business. Business bet
ter and everybody prosperous. Taxes
Increased, but from bonds for schools,
pixies and other improvements, not
from closing saloons.-J. N. Fisher,
President City National Bank.
Camden-No fights and drunken
carousels; rarely ever an arrest. More
business and safer business; building |
boom on and property values increas-
ing. Municipal expenses cut In half.
u. A. Potts, leading merchant.
rownsville-Arrests decreased so
per cent. or more. Business fifteen
to twenty-five per cent. better.
to twenty-five per cent. better
Brownsville Tribune.
Ripley-Crime and disorder much |
reduced; drunkenness fallen off more |
than 80 per cent. Business increased
a great deal. No lack of revenue or
increase of taxa. c. Crockett, May
or.
Springfield-Jail virtually empty. |
Business better in all lines. Whiskey |
tax never paid criminal costs caused
by whiskey, and closing saloons caus- |
ed no higher tax rate.-Dulin, Glenn &
Co., merchants.
The writer could quote many more |
testimonials along the same line and
has yet to hear from a single dry town |
in Tennessee where the people are not |
satisfied with the result. / believe we
are safe In saying that Of the seventy
one towns in the State that have abol-
ished saloons, not one would have
them back. There are now but fifteen
towns left where liquor can be sold
and a number of those will probably
go dry in 1907, including Clarksville.
Yours very truly,
ROBERT B. ELEAZER,
Sec. GAINESVILLE Anti-Saloon League.