The commonwealth., 1907-01-17
PROHIBITION IN SCOTLAND
NECK.

Editor of The COMMONWEALTH -
Please allow me space to say a few words
about prohibition Ia Scotland Neck.
There are some people here who
seem to try to believe and make others
beI:eve that prohibition has ruined
business in Scotland Neck. We often
| hear them say "thls town is dead" :"
Mr., Editor, cannot see how any one
can say this of Scotland Neck. I ask
them to go with me for while and
let Us Investigate. Let us go to the
depot first and ask If the freight re-
ceipts are any smaller than when we
had whiskey here, see if they are not
very much larger. Then come with
me back down town and we will notice
the stock business first. We will find
! that there are three stock dealers here
now where there was only one few
years ago Then let us visit the gen.
eral stores one at a time and notice
the increased mum ber OF clerks in each
notice the lmprvoed stores and store
fixtures, the Increased stocks; ask the
proprietor If his business Is not better
than it ever was. Now visit the two
hardware stores, notice increased mum
Der of clerks in each, notice greatly in
creased stocks, notice improved fixtures,
machinery, etc, and see how busy
they have been all the season and ask
them If business is better than 1t
was two years ago. We venture to say
! that they will tell you that their bust
ness Is quite double what 1t was two
years ago. Visit the grocery stores and
see II you do not think they too are
doing well. Visit the repair shops and
you will notice increased number OF
men, one new shop, and one OF the old
shops running gasoline engine, put
in since prohibition was established.
Visit the bank and you will fine
that the banking business is all right
too, 1t must be improving for another
bank will be opensd soon.
Now let us visit the printing Office
If you will let Us in, Mr.. Editor, and
the first thing that we will notice Ii
-, that you have lately put in gasoline
engine to run your presses, also in
creased your force, and as we stand ant
see the pulIeys whirling and the belt
Tapping, and hear that little engin
clicking away over there In the corne
as it ma9es the presses roar and slam
We will not bother you with the que:
ton "Has your business improved :?
for We will see that 1t has.
Now let Us go on the street and nc
tice the nav buildings going Vi
1 And do you think the crowd Is smalle
t than it used to be? No, but 1t is NOR
~ orderly, and that reminds us OF on
: business that has "gone to the bad,
and that is the police business. Th
policeman has very little to do no
but collect the town taxes, see that th
bridges are in good repair, and otha
II like duties.
Now, we will admit that certal
class OF people go to the towns near l.
to buy whlskey, but dLes that lnjul
Ii the business of Sc )tland Neck? No
/ for ii whiskey were sold here the
r. would only buy whiskey and drink
+. and become troublesome on the street
Perhaps toe, there is little Blind Tlge
ism" here but We do not believe thei
Ia much and we believe there would
l. none if, perhaps tae officers would
little more interested in trying
catch the keepers, and would take tt
Ie time to look them up.
ir We hear complaint about labor b
ing scarce. Well, we ask can you 8
~ tribute that to prohibition? If 81
a Why is it that it is equally scarce in al
I, around TilIery, Halifax, Weldon, al
or Robersonyills? Even Gold Point
=, scarce OF labor.
:. AS to the revenue that the sale
H. whlskey woald bring to the town,
10 ask my friends who want 1t sold hel
NJ to consider lmpartially the busine
"A conditions as shown above, and the
ask yourselves do you want 1t SO
20 here again, just fer the revenue?
ID cay NO, NO, forever NO.
A CITIZEN.