Middletown transcript., 1907-09-07

]
:sted. \ ,eument in the world can
advanced to show why place should
licensed for the purpose Of making MT
drunk
''How are the finances of the county
I asked.
"TheY have not in the least suffere
because OF local option. When the re-
enue from liquor licenses was cut OF
the money saved by the decrease in Grim
more than met the loss.
"If you hear anybody talking in fave
OF license here. it is somebody who woul
be directly benefited by the sale ofliquol
WHAT THOMAS S. BORDLEY SAL
No man stands higher in his commuu
ity than does Thomas S. Bordley in Ches
tertown. He is gentleman of superio
intelligence, a leading business man, AM
one OF the town commissioners. He salt
to me:
II have been i'll business in Chester
town for nearly thirty years and have hat
ample opportunity to observe the effec
upon the community both as to open bal
rooms, under the license system, ant
closed ones, under local option.
"Were to enumerate even tithe o.
the good that has come to Chestertowr
since the saloons were closed, it would
be sufficient to show you the great ad.
vantage and benefit derived from local op.
tion.
"0ur churches are far better attended
now than under the old system. The
poorer classes, particularly the chill
dren, are far better dressed and regu-
larry attend Sunday School. The morals
of the community is infinitely better in
every particular. The very class of our
citizens who were accustomed to spend
their earnings in the saloon, now own
neat and attractive homes.
''There are more than double the num-
Der OF stores in Chestertown and through
out Kent County now than there were
when the saloon fourished and such
thing as business failure is almost un-
known.
"The paucity of inmate and prisoner
in our almshouse and Jail is an irrefrag-
able proof of its wholesome benefit. We
have three hotels in our town, all doing
thriving business whereas, under the
saloon domination We had only two.
''Since local option went into effect our
own has improved BY leaps and bounds
has taken on a new imputus, particu-
arly in the building line. Under the old
egime, we had only one bank in the
county, where the maximum amount of
leposit never reached half million of
lollars. To-day we have four banks in
he county, with a combined deposit of
nearly two millions of dollars. This
,loLe, l think, is sufficient proof OF the
neffable blessing Of local option
''To see man drunk in our town
: such rare sight that he attracts almost |
S much attention as a freak. The citizens
I our town and county are SO thoroughly |
Fell satisfied with the result of local |
ption that no concatenation of circum.
tances could possibly induce TIA. to
yer again try the saloon"
! TALK WITH SHERIFF AszseyS
A found the sheriff Of the Eg at
is residence in the Jail. WhedS ltro-
uced myself, and told laara u -! had
allied for, he became quite commune
ative.
Said he, "There is not business in
'wn that is not more prosperous since
le saloons were closed. There is not a
tizen who is not better off because of
zeal option. As to the improvement in
Iorals, that goes without saying. What
'er crime there is in the county consists
minor offences. There is practically
0 drunkenness or disorderly conduct in
le town. There are now five or six
risoners in Jail. That's good many"
How about speakeasies ~ asked.
Well" said he, eff you believe all the
i'm talk you hear, you would think we
e oyer-run with them. There are
W OF them here"
Said /, "It is up to the authorities to
i've them out. But speakeasies are not
nfined to local option districts. We
I've number of them in Dover, it is
id, where there are licensed saloons"
''We will get these fellows, by and
;" said he. ''Let me tell you the 6
nth about the speakeasy. The man t
no goes around talking about them
furnishing an argument against local S
tion doesn't know what he is talking S
out. The speakeasy has no effect
lateyer upon the decent citizen. 1t t
lists only among the vilest, lowest dregs Q
humanity, and is kept only by the s
ost contemplate of creatures. No man
10 has pride enough to hold bis head
would ever think Of going near one of
elm. The reason they are SO hard to +,
aak up is because the cattle that steal {,
and out of them will swear every time q
at they never got drink there. is
i'Come with me-" said he, and he led II
> way into the Jail. Opening a cell
or, and pointing to filthy, repulsive fc
king old negro woman, he said to me, 4
SIX her what she is in here for" =,
N replying to my question, she said, b
hey say ! sold GIN" ii
Opening another door, he said to If
etched looking colored man ''Tell the
,tleman what you are in here for" II
They said was drinking, but l was =
y sleepy" he said :,
Now" said the sheriff, as we turned II
ay, that old bag is the kind Of crea- =
e that runs the speakeasy, and that
ow is the kind that patronizes it. h,
Can you conceive of half-decent !.
n stealing into the den of that bag to
amean drink, or of allowing himself r
come into contact with that vile fellow? n
W, that is sample OF the speakeasy T