Smyrna times., 1907-10-16
LOCAL OPTION IN
DORCHESTER GO.
WHAT THE BUSINESS MEN
OF CAMBRIDGE SAY.


ecutive Committee of the Anti
License Campaign Committee
Cambridge with its 5000 inhabitants
the county seat of Dorchester County,
is a most beautiful town and is most
beautifully situated. It's tall spires,
its old mansions, ivy-grown, dating
back beyond the Revolution, its hand
some modern dwellings, its shady
streets sloping gracefully down to the
Choptank, all remind one of some de-
lightful old English town along the
Thames.
And it is business town, progress
sive town. It's citizens are earnest and
active and demand the very best con-
ditions for themselves. That is why,
years ago, they said to the saloons,
"You are an injury to our welfare.
You must 60" And they rose up and
voted the evil out.
What royal welcome they gave me,
when they learned the purpose of my
visit there The backbone of the town,
the very best citizens, held out their
hands to me and said, eyes we will
gladly send the good word to Della
ware. Tell our friends there not to
hesitate. The saloon is curse!
Drive it out! Not only will we send
the word to you, but we will come oyer
into your State this fall and tell you
what a blessing to every condition,
both public and private, the closed sa-
loon is.
That is the way they talk in Cam
bridge. They have lived under both
systems. and they know what they are
talking about.
Not only did interview the leading
citizens of the town, but vent among
men in the humber walks of life and
talked with them. One of these men
said to me frankly, voted for license
when the question came up before the
people. said it was an attempt to
take away a man. right and privileges
But l was a fool. | was clamoring fol
the very thing that was holding me
down. 1 was voting to support al
enemy that was destroying me. WHY
sir, in the LICENSE days ittook about al
the money could earn to keep the sa
looms going. Since the town wen
dry, have built myself cozy home
got better acquainted with my family
regained my self-respect and the re
spect of the people, and am gettini
along all right"
That is the voice of the respectabl
workingman of Cambridge.
Interview With Mr.. Hurley, Leading Merchar
The stores of these Eastern Shor
towns were a revelation to me. Busi
ness is no longer done there in crampe
end uninviting shops. 1t is conducte
in commodious. we'll appointed stores
with their attractive display of goods
Such is the busy store of Hurley
Williams.
found Mr.. Hurley at the back pal
of the store; approaching him sale
81 have come to Cambridge in the il
terest of the voters of Delaware, to Al
certain whether local option is a desi
able thing or not"
"Desirabler' said he, ''my dear si
1t is an indispensable thing to th
business and moral welfare of con
munity. The public sale of liquor is
blight. To legalize the sale of it is
become party to all the crime al
bad conduct it creates. To protect Il
saloons is to imperil the youth, threate
the home and deprave the people,"
''Then you think local option do
not injure business, or retard pr
gress?" I said.
ambridge has grown, under loc
option, from village of less than 30
inhabitants to a town of 8,OOO," he 7
piled. Every good condition has il
proved in a wonderful degree In Il
days of license we had one bank her
now we have four and they are
hourishing. Tne workingman is O
OF debt, prosperous, and owns |
homes. Business failures are po
lively unknown. If you were CO.
mercial traveller come to town, Y
would not to inquire as to who amo
the merchants to trust, and who n
You could confidently trust any
them, and they would discount th
bills. I love Cambridge, I love n
home. but say to you truly, sir, Il
if the saloons should ever be thro
open here again I would move av
from the town.
"The conditions here are so hig,
satisfactory that to disturb them wo
be fatal But there is no possibiIitx