The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-02-08
Public Office; Privileges

anu " uuINAat W every WOECnN utSs col
of the people that no valid argument
could be urged in its behalf. The pro
hibition party was organized, the cleo
ton called and the liquor traffic was
swept from this city and county by a
majority too decisive to leave any
doubt of the intense popular hostility to
the evil.
That was emancipation day for Live
Oak and Suwannee county, and its ben.
efits and blessing have been flowing
with undiminished current for our PEG.
pie ever since. The relief from great
burden was felt almost instantly
Drunken men disappeared rowdyism
ceased all the streets became safe for
ladies' any day or night in the week I;
the crime record fell off wonderfully /;
the profane bully and boisterous hood
lum1 always ready for trouble and
prompt to make it, vanished with the
cause that produced them drunken
men from the country, cursing and
yelling, no longer rode their horses on
the sidewalks and into saloons and
stores, defiant of authority and decency
alike; the calaboose was no longer
crowded with the maudlin victims of
the saloon keeper; poor, whiskey-
soaked wrecks who had lost all self re-
spect and all credit at the stores for
food for their families, pulled them.
selves together and became men again,
many of them now among our most
substantial and respected citizens, pros
porous in their affairs and with abund-
ant means; Saturdays and Saturday
nights ceased to be times of terror and
violence and drunken crowds and pistol
shooting, and Live Oak started on
new era which has been one of steady
growth and prosperity ever since--at
times phenomenal
The improved conditions resulting
from voting out the saloons grew more
marked each year, and the immense,
benefits of these conditions are now 80
plain that all active hostility to prOhibi-
ton has long since disappeared. And
we verify believe that if a vote could be
taken over, all the drinking men Of the
better class would vote to keep things
just az they are because of the priceless
blessings Of law and order and decency,
and absence of rowdyism and crime,
and freedom of our young men from
the steady temptation Of the open sa-
loon all Of which we credit in very
large measure to the prohibition condi-
tiOns prevailing here. Live Oak is one
Of the model cities of Florida, and
crime, even Of petty character, is
hardly known here. That this would be
true if the liquor traffic was permitted,
no one believes for a moment. The re-
lation Of cause and effect m this case is
too plain TO be doubted, and it is a
here which no one ever dis
pute- that no open saloon will ever
again he seen in this city or county
A. ior that buRbear. that most ride. |
llous scare.crow about killing the /
town If you take away the saloons. it /
has b'-en answered and reanswered and /
1isprOved and knocked out 50 often NV /,
the cold, clear facts and lain results /
IN prohibition towns that man risks /.
his reputation for intelligence by urg-
ng such an argument in this day and .
time. II is the last ditch OF the saloon
advocates, and, although they have
been driven from il times innumerable
IN every State in the Union. they will
get back in it and COVER there a. he
lniy $'-'nblace of shelter in storm
the last feeble protest they can put up
against the voice Of popular judgment
IN a lital public issue There is abso
ately nothing in the tOwn-killing argu-
nenL The sOlOon draws no valuable
rade 70 town that wouldn't come
without it. The currents Of commerce
ar directed Ivy stronger forces than
"a mills and beer joints. and, given
rood town with the commercial inter
ssts and mercantile facilities to draw
he trade and furnish q market Tor
farmers produce, and IL will be discOv-
red that one of the grand differences I
from the departure Of the sa-
cons will BE- more people In the stores
With money IN their pockets to buy
FOODS with, and more men finding their