Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-01-22
REV. custer ON
LOCAL OPTION
Closing Of County Saloons
Will Greatly Benefit
Lewiston

Rev. w. T. custer was asked today:
''Is it true that you are to apear be-
fore the Commercial club tonight in
the interest of the local option bill?"
I know nothing Of that" was his
reply. Il have had no such inten-
tion. l saw the meeting advertised
for last Saturday night, and was there,
but no quorum being present nothing
war done. I had no knowledge that
this matter would be brought up at
that time.
Il am sure that many members of
the Commercial club have an errone-
Gus idea of the purpose and the aim OF
the local option bill. ~he curse of the
land today are these little corner road
drinking places. The farmer who
would come to town to spend his
money in the stores OF community
will stop at these places which are
being put in at every corner of the
road and will there spend his money.
1t is the same with laborer
Cost Lewiston Much Money.
selling the poorest and the worst kuhd
saloons in the city restricted to one
district will go out Of business, and
these little corner of the road places,
selling the poorest and the worst kind
Of goods will increase. Every mer-
chant in the place will lose and the
thousands of dollars, and this for all
time.
"Now, this is the only way the local
option bill will eve effect Lewiston
1t would abolish these little country
places springing up everywhere. 1t
would leav: every saloon in Lewiston
just where it is now You have local
option here now The state law has
given you that.
Just as soon as majority of the
people want no saloon and will elect
the city government accordingly,
every saloon win be taken out. That
is local option. But the little country
crossroads saloons viii ca up the
money that should come to Lewiston,
and these will in crease without num-
ber rseht along, while the saloons of
II ewfston will decrease
Many Would Close Up.
Half of them will go out of busi-
nes under the present conditions as
soon as the large number of labor
ers who now are working contiguous
to the city have gone elsewhere But
these country places will eat up that
thing upon which Lewiston depends
for her future.
Il am utterly amazed to find that
business and professional men will
he so blind as not to see what the
future he's in store for them by allow
ing the liTuor interests at large in the
state to lead them to tie their hands
and feet as result OF this senseless
cry against local option. that II is
trying to close up all the saloons Of
the state.
Il repeat. Lewiston has as much
local option right now as she will ever
get. But all these other places taking
the money that should come here,
have nothing OF the kind.
Business Mems Measure.
Every Incorporated place is un-
der the same condition. The fact is
that this local option bill is the best
friend that Lewiston will ever have.
and 1t will do absolutely nothing more
than make possible the closing Of all
these numberless corner of the road
places where the money is held up
that should come to this pace and
low. degraded place like that does In
fnitely more harm than place kept
in decent condition by selfrespect-
ing man.
"chicaso has helped herself immen-
sely IN revenue ana IN decrease Of
crime by raising the license to 81 .ooe.
Il may 90 to the club tonight II
there = time. ana see II the business
men cannot zee this IN its true light.
The business men should be the vsry