Middletown transcript., 1907-09-28

summer, that have lost, and somebody
in Baltimore has gained it. You see they
have their own boats, launches and sail
ing vessels and they prefer to spend a
day extra, because as they say in 'Balti-
more we can get all kinds, of goods
even wet goods
"Then there is just as much drinking
here as before. They send for it to Balti-
more. Berlin, Laurel and even to Will
mington. What Salisbury wants and
needs is not prohibition, but more
stringent execution of laws. 1t was not
whisky that gave Us disorder so much as
it was indifference on the part of the
authorities to carry out the laws. We
still have disorder and drunkenness
Arthur W. Kennerly, proprietor of the
City Hand Laundry, declared himself in
favor of license, he5yoted for it four years
ago and would do It again. "It stands to
reason" he added, ''that whatever brings
the folks to town brings money and brings
business. can tell you of money lost,
from 81 to $40 > week, after the town
went dry, money which was brought here
by country people. That business went
to wet town, and l don't get the work
any more.
Prohibition does not prohibit. There's
plenty of whisky in the town. A negro
told me, only few days ago, of four men
of whom he bad bought whisky recently
In my opinion We ought to have one or
two licensed places for the accommoda,
ton of visitors and also for the benefit OF
the town generally"
A. A. GiIIis, wholesale grocer, thought
that there ought to be few licensed
houses in the town. "You know" he
observed, 1--WE are in the midst OF a lot OF
people who would like to turn on the
spigot." Aud yet they vote for prohibi.
| ton,
Jehu Parsons, lately retired as dealer
in fancy groceries and fine tobacco and
| cigars, had no use for prohibition.
tThere is no prohibition. 1t does not
matter to me whether strong drink is sold
or not, but there is no merit in the propo-
sition morally; and it is decidedly iniur-
ious to business here. felt the depres-
sion at once when it went into effect and
never did as much business since, as
before 1904"
J.Cleveland White, Salisbury's leading
insurance agent, said that lots of business
was driven from the city by the local
option act and 1--WE will never get it back. "
George W. Bell, Esq, of the law firm
of Messrs. Toadvine & Bell, promptly
answered to the question, "Does prohibit
ton prohibit ?" ''Not at all. There is
as much drinking and drunkenness here
as ever. You don't see it on the main
streets, but in the outlying corners and
suburbs there is as much as ever. Those
who can afford it send for it. Men will
club together and get gallon, that means
drunk for them and their friends, they
stay By the jug until it is all gone.
"You will be surprised to find during
your fight in Delaware that the best
| citizens, l mean the business people, will
| support license. Prohibition will br
backed by the few honest temperance
men but their biggest vote will come
from the least responsible members Of
society. Every fellow that has been re-
fused drink will vote for spite against
the local hotel keeper. Every dead beat
who owes bar bill will vote against
license. Then there are the fellows who
have extraragant notions about running
speakeasies and walking taverns. The
| men who have business stake in the
town will all vote for license"
Frederick A. Grier of the Salisbury
Iron Foundry Co., one of the most im-
portant industries of the place, could not
condemn the farce of prohibition too
strongly. Mr.. Grier was born at Milford,
DEL, and is well-known throughout the
Peninsula. He and his son constitute
the company and they have the largest
machine shop south OF Wilmington. He
said
"There is no prohibition here. Every
body drinks that wants to, not single
man has been reformed, but thousands
of dollars, yes, tens of thousands OF
dollars are sent to Baltimore every year
for liquor, aud Salisbury does not get
cent of revenue from the business. II il
did any good morally, l mean, would
have some patience with it, but it does
not and it robs us every day Of money
in addition to the revenue that we have
lost. L can name you man after man,
farmers and others, north and east of
this town, who are taking their machine
work to Delmar and Berlin. But this
thing is not settled. We are going to
have another election. This town is too
big to be run by a lot of cranks. This is
a business place and we are going to
prove it.
The general source OF supplies is Balti-
more. Men of means send to Kentucky,
Ohio, Pennsylvania and other States for
their whisky-a statement that can be
proved by tie postofice, the banks and
the Adams Express Office but the prin-
ciple source, whence so per cent. of the
whisky drunk comes, is Baltimore. The
Wicomico River line, two boats, leaves
Baltimore three times week at 5 o'clock,
P. NJ, and salutes Salisbury with ils
tenor whistle at A. M, the next day.
Then you see Salisbury as it is d,
scribed by the foregoing witnesses, than
whom there are no better nor more cred
table citizens in Salisbury, nor in any
other town. More than dozen witnesses
advised the writer to "meet the boat in
the morning aud when objections were
offered the friendly advisor would urge
you to see Mr.. "Sid" Gordy, the agent
oe tI,a boot oop,,aanx No,, Il 3 -