The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-08
OF PROHIBITION
 ON GROWTH AND PROSPERITY
Average Tax Rate in 343 Dry Towns q Per Cent. Higher Than irN846 License Towns.
 According to Figures for 1906.
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| emergency the commissioners court | has borrowed money at 8 per cent until | 1t has arrived at point where the | county is paying an annual interest l charge of $2,000 outside of the oondeo !! indebtedness. The reduction In reve- ! nues is due to local option and the in- crease in court expenses growing out ! of prosecutions for violations of this | law" The Mayor of Temple writes to | The Post: "In the first year of prohf- bition our assessed values fell $llS,- O00."
 The Dallas (Tex.) Trade Union Ga zette asks: "Why Is 1t that nearly all dry counties have shorted pupiic school term and a higher ad vaiorem tax after the adoption of pronipitlon "Prohibition does not enforce itseil. Wherever the effort has been attempted to make 1t prohibit the expenses or the courts have. because of such enort, very largely increased.
 Prior to prohibition an empty house was exceptional in Des Moines, Ia. On the sth and sth of June, 1887, under prohibition, 1881 vacant houses were counted within the city limits and 300 more in the suourns, a startling total in city of as. 10o inhabitants. More than 1000 men left the city in search of work. The local papers were full of adver- tisements offering to rent property at 50 per cent of the former rental Sixty four large brick stores on the best streets were vacant.
 At a period of most active enforce ment of the law in Kansas the Attor' uey General of the State wrote:
 These cities are all in debt. and the financial condition of the country is so low, the times so hard. and money so scarce that the people of these cities have concluded to acquiesce in the pol icy of collecting license taxes from these liquor vending institutions.
 In Rhode Island the depressing eff feet of the laws was so severely felt that after one years trial the mer- chants, manufacturers and property owners united in a petition, signed by the best men of Providence, represent ing $49,00O, 900 of property, asking the abolition of the law.
 In Atlanta 201 business houses and 912 dwellings, were vacated through local option. Where room or build ing became vacant under prohibition it stood unoccupied or was rented at a lower figure than before. The decline in rents throughout the city was from Is to 50 per cent. There was no de- mand for real estate. A house on the court house square which was assessed for taxation at $6,000 sold for $4,500 A house and lot in most desirable portion of the city. the house alone costing $1a000 to build. was sold by Charles Beerman for $10,000. The Weems property on Capitol Avenue one of the aristocratic streets, which was held before prohibition at $1S,000 was sold for $10,000. Sales at similar reductions were frequent.
 Smaller places have suffered even more severely under prohibition. With in a few months after It's adoption Weatherford, Tex, had 31; Waxahatch- ie, Tex, i69; Sulphur Springs, Tex. "A; and Crockett, Tex, 92 vacant buildings, and rents had dropped 15 to 47 per cent.
 The following letter shows the re- sults in one town:
 Temple, Tex. March. IS, 1904.
 Prohibition has very materially de- creased the rents in Temple, a great many buildings being vacant that can- not be rented at any price. The Moss Rose building. formerly renting at $SO, is now renting at s25; the People's building rented for $60 now renting Cor $25; the Square building rented for $10O. now renting for $60; the Eagle building rented for $6o. now renting for $25. These are just a few examples; we could mention a great many others. Experience has taught us that prohibition Is not what It was represented to be. Very truly,
 'J. D. Walters.
 'Mavor"