The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-10-22

n Asheille VIII come as no surprise
to the many close friends and &C
q-uaintances OF that gentleman. VINO
have known for some time that r
would never again apply for hcensz
under present conditions At either o.
his hotels. but II the town went dry he
would again assume management OF
the S-wannanOa hotel
Mr.. Loughran, who Is recognized As
one OF the most successful hotel men
IL the state IL not in the South. and
who is likewise d shrewd business
man and a very large property owner
with the greater portion Of his hold
lngs IN Asheyllle, was asked today
what effect II any he thought the y9t-
ing OF AshevilIe dry would have on
the business and commercial interests
OF the city. Mr. L0ughran's answer 70
the query indicates his great faith IN
AshevtIle and IS calculated TO aiIay
any fear that might exist In the mind
OF any property owner or business
man. He said: II do not think that
II viii have any bad effect on the fu-
ture prosperity OF AsheyiIle or that II
VIII retard business in any way. Il Is
barely possible that for q very short
time 50 radical a change as that from
n open saloon TO absolute prohibit
ton may disturb business conditions.
but / seriously doubt it In such an
event, however, am fully persuaded
that conditions Will ShorLy reedJust
themselves and that VIII
continue TO grow and prosper In the
future as il has in the past In fact
I doubt not but Asheville Will even
make greater stri1es in the future than
h has in the past l for one Ger
tainly have no fear Of the result OF
the election. Ny faith in Ashevflle is
mistaken. We have passed the exper-
rimental stage INC If the citizens now
all pull together we will have no dis
rurh1 nra in 4ha business and CONNER
cial life OF the city OF Asheville VIII
continue TO grow n prosper.
Il have just recently turned down
a very attractive proposition for the
release Of the hotel ]
do not care to again lease the hotel
I desire to conduct it personally be-
lieving that | can successfully run this
hotel without a bar. It is d mistaken
idea that travelling men, for instance,
seek a town or hotel where liquors
are sold. In my nan years expert
ence in the hotel business have no
ticed the remarkable falling off in the
drink-habft among travelling men and
now it is a rare thing to ever see one
under the influence OF liquor"
Mr. Loughran to forcibly illustrate
his point of a salon IN connection with
a hotel told the story Of the Illinois
Republican farmer, who, in the days
of Groyer Cleveland, learned with dis
gust that his home county had gone
Democratic. He told his wife to pack
up things and get ready to leave; TO
migrate to a more c~ongenial and like
wise Republican cline. He reached
the railway station and there to his
horror earned that the whole country
had gone Democratic; that Cleveland
was elected. He returned to his home
and said: sally. unpack the furniture,
there amt no place to go"
The public-spirited and faith in
Asheville shown by Mr.. Loughran is
prevalent over the city and whether
recently the man was prohibition or
anti-prohibition he regards the matter
as settled for the time being and is
now ready to put his should to the
wheel for Asheville's great advance
ment and a greater era Of prosperity.