Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-08-14
PROHIBITION IN CHARLOTTE.
The Wonderful Change for the Better
SSince 1905.

The Atlanta Georgian published in
it's issue of last Monday the follow
ing interesting letter from Heriot
Clarkson, chairman of the North
Carolina Anti-Saloon League, deal
ing with the effect that prohibition
has had on the city of Charlotte.
A newspaper editor has requested
me to write you as to the beneficial
results of prohibition in the city of
Charlotte, and l hand you herewith
booklet showing what the leading
business men, bankers, farmers,
laborers and others say. The sub
stance of each testimony is, "That it
helps business and is a blessing"
Prohibition went into effect on
January 1st, 1905, in the city of
Charlotte. The majority against the
saloons was 1856. The election took
place on July 5th, 1904. The re-
corder's court shows that the total
number of arrests fol 1904, the last
year whiskey was sold, was 2,4O5 and
during the year of 1905, the first year
prohibition went into effect, 1,496, o
decrease of 900 arrests the first year
prohibition went into effect.
l have lived in the city since 1872.
l have known the city from small
village till now, when it is one of the
finest industrial and educational CEN
ters in this section of the South, hav-
ing population of about forty thou
aand. Property has increased in
Charlotte from 10 to 25 per cent.
since prohibition went into effect,
and never in the history of Charlotte
has there been so much building.
On May 20, 1906, there was great
celebration of the Mecklenburg Dec
laration of Independence. There was
never such an assemblage in the city
of Charlotte, and the universal ex-
preston was that "there never was
such a sober and orderly crowd gath
cred in this section of the South" A
learned Judge in North Carolina,
who was against prohibition, and who
saw the good order that prevailed at
that celebration, that he was about
convinced that prohibition "pro-
hibited."
The prosperity of the oity has
never been greater. Merchants
have been greatly benefited, as they
have gotten money that once went to
the saloon. The wage Garner and
laboring man is putting his money in
the building and loan associations
and in the savings banks.
This section has wonderfully de-
veloped the cotton mill industries.
The cotton mill owners and the cot
ton mill operatives have been in op-
position, as a rule, to the saloon, and
in my opinion, as solicitor of this
Twelfth judicial district, comprising
the counties of Meoklenburg, CASTOR,
Lincoln, Cabarrus and Cleveland, the
work of prohibition has done Won
ders and untold benefit to the mill
owner and the operatives, and all
sorts and conditions of men.
In one county, CASTOR, twenty five
years ago there were about three cot
ton mills and about forty-eight dis
tilleries and many saloons, but to-day
in CASTOR county there are fifty cot
ton mills in operation, and alb 1t ten
in construction, and not legalized
distillery or saloon in the county.
Just recently, in Linoolnton, where
the prohibition law has been enforced,
there was gathering of some twenty
thousand people at Fourth of July
celebration, and the papers comment
ed on the fact that never was such
sober and orderly crowd gathered in
Lincoln county.
l write from long years of expert
ence in watching the liquor traffic. I
give it as my opinion that prohibition
when the law is enforced, is the
greatest blessing that can be given to
any community. l hope to live to
see the day when the saloon, "the