Evening journal., 1907-09-12
Reply to Professor spaid.

Gle Of September 7uh. which refers tol
statements regarding Win ngton alreaGy
sufficiently explained in a reply to MI.
Burchenal whose self appointed success
sor Prof spaid seems to be.
AS to fairness in our comparisons when
Prof. spaid and his colleagues in state
education work issued a circular in sup
port Of the local option policy they COM
pared no license cities having 679-S chill
dren Of school age with license cites
having 1s9,19l children Of school age, in
cludlng the city Of Boston. 1t is we'll
known that there is greater rroportion-
ate school atte. dance in small towns than
in those Of large population.
In his selection of no-lcense cities he
has named such as are largely resident
places several OF these mere suburbs Of
Boston. containing the homes of bu iness
men of position and wealth. but to rep
resent license he has given the reverse, Sc
lecting distinctvey manufacturing CEN
ters where the children enter the m Is
as soon as they readh the legal limit Of
age.
In the no-lcense cities he selec there
we're employed IN factories according to
the census OF 1900, a total of 511lS people;
while IN the license cities there were em-
ployed In factories a total Of 2l6.o9i OF
the population in The no-licens ellis o.
230 were Of foreign parentage in the H.
cense cities 3S5,526 were Of foreign par
entage, II would be as fair to compare the
East side foreign colony of New York
with Fifth avenue, or the coast region Of
Wilmington with Delaware avenue. But
he represents the normal fairness of the
prohibition contingent.
His criticism OF a comparison between
Fan River and Wilmington Is void. The
figures from Fall River were taken from
statement in Pure Products" a period
ical Of repute, and based on conditions
when Fall River wis no-license city as
gathered from official sources The fact
that it has returned to the license system
is no compliment to Prof spaid's theories.
He asks in fairness that we compare
such cities as Cambridge, Mass. and At
lanta, Georgia.
That would be the acme Of justicel
Cambridge, Mass, is the Oldest college
town in the United States. it has been
an educational center since 1886. Harvard
University was then established and to-
day has nearly 5000 students The city is
one Of homes and schools. representing an
atmosphere Of wealth and scholastic cul-
ture.
Atlanta, Ca, OF about the same popu-
latlon as Cambridge, has $1,000 white and
55,7S2 colored inhabitants, with the condl-
tions of illiteracy associated with a popu-
To- 90. oh.
ployed in factories, of whom. one-thrd
are women and children. 1t Is called the
Fall River Of the South as Birmingham.
Ala, Is called the Pittsburg OF the South.
Atlanta takes care of its own vicious and
dissolute. Cambridge Is at the door Of
Boston. no license means 10 its drinking
population a ten minute ride 10 the center
Of that city, and II they become intoxi-
Gated they are arrested by the police and
recorded in Boston's list Of drunk and dis
orderly. How often we hear Of Harvard
students on a spree in Boston. What
sense is there then IN asking comparisons
between cities Of such marked contrast?
His statements OF the re'ative effect Of
license or no license in certain towns he
enumerates is subject 10 the same charge
of inconsistency.
Providing his statistics are correct,
every one Of the places enumerated Is in
close proximity to license towns. and il Is
only a ride Of few minutes by trolley or
steam car 10 reach the drinking resorts Of
the license towns.
AS a matter Of fact. right here in VIII.
mington many Of the arrests are undoubt-
edly Of men who come from the dry
districts Of Maryland. I'll up inside. and
carry also a load Of pints or half pints TO
meet later demands.
When Vermont was under prohibition
the towns across Lake Champlaiu were
ovor-run with dry" vermonters. Plat,s-
burg. Port Henry. whitehall and all bord-
er towns could give strong testimony on
this point
He also says that the police force IN no.
license towns are more ready and anxious
TO arrest the drunlSs. than they are in H.
oense towns. This would make a lemon
laugh.
Why in no-lcense localities the speak.
casies. boot-lcsgers and kitchen bar
rooms, run by colluson with the police
as rule and the system Of blackmail,
graft. etc. Is one Of the damnable feat
ures OF the prohibition niquty. The police
in such places are more apt TO run the
drunks into a retreat, safe from pub
lie knowledge and record. than 10 ex-
pose them 10 public view
They go on the principle OF hush up
and cover up, while in license towns every
act is open and drunks are arrested and
recorded as SUCH
An item from Lewistown. Ne. says,
OF the records in that city; Statistics
compiled for the purpose of getting at
the facts in relation TO intoxication are
very unsatisfactory Many drunken per-
sons are sent TO their homes or else
delivered to their friends, and many are
taken 70 police headquarters for intoxi-
cation and then released without any re-
cord being made Of the case.
In many prohibition and local option
cities not one-half Of the arrests get
into the record.
This, perhaps. accounts for the
character Of Prof Spaid's statistics.
We are exceedingly glad to have our
attention called to tho financial side
Of the issue. especially as it relates
to banks and savings
1t would be manifestly unfair. how
ever. to confne our Investigations to
the savings banks. as in many of the
States there are no banks so classified,
and in others they are classified as
State banks.