The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1907-03-01

yocates of local option. that by the
adoption of such a law, not only will
the moral interests Of the city of Paris
be benefited, but its material in
terests, as well. 1t is also claimed,
with equal boldness, that drunkenness
will diminish and the tax-rate de-
crease. These are strong statements,
and if true are entitled to the serious
consideration of the people of this city
who will soon be called upon TO decide,
whether or not such q law shall be
adopted here, Before accepting them
as convincing, however, they must be
tested by the cold light of reason and
their truth or falsity determined by
comparison with the workings of local
option laws in other places. For the
purposes of such comparison, our neigh
boring city of Carlisle is taken as an
example. This place is selected in
spite of the fact that short time ago,
one of the newspapers here published i
lEII0E OlSllSu ny q VI NAOiHCiAo
Of that place, in which the writers
claimed that local option had proved
benefit. It is easy enough to get state
nentS showing that the results are
either good or bad, but such things
carry little we gat, for the reason that
the views of most people as to the
effect of any particular law, are large
ly based upon their own personal feel
ings. Facts, however, are stubborn
things, and like Banquo's ghost, they
will not down. For the purposes of
this argument. facts and existing con-
ditions in Carlisle will only be consider
ed. An investigation reveals the fol-
lowing state Of affairs:
Before the adoption of local option,
Carlisle was thriving little city.
There were few, if any, vacant store
rooms and its business men were pros
porous. Rents were high and the tax
rate was low. There We're five saloons
which paid .into theseity treasury, the
sum of So, 100000 year. A LEGAL option
law was adopted and went into effect
on January /, 1905. Today there are
nineteen vacant store-rooms there, a
very large number for small town.
The advocates of local option here glib
ly say, that 'tof course we know that
this law will be death to the saloon
business" but as only five of these
places were ever occupied by saloons,
it would seem to be death to some
other lines of business as well. Will
some one please explain why fourteen
other business houses are vacant?
Rents have decreased from twenty-five
to seventy per cent. and there are
more vacant houses in Carlisle than
ever before in its history. The hotel
property known as the Kimbrough
Honse, which formerly rented for
Sl91 90 per month, now rents for $500
per month. Mrs. Cain, the owner OF
this property, contemplated the cree
ton of new building, and had the plars
drawn but abandoned the Idea. With
q decrease Of seventy per cent. in its
rental value, is it any wonder that she
did so. The Tureman business house,
the best in the city, which formerly
rented for $4,000 q month, has stood
idle for the past eighteen months. The
upstairs of a good business house, near
the depot is now occupied by cigar
factory, which pays $4,000 a year
rent; the store-room down stairs is
vacant. This factory will move to Lex
ington in a short time. Before local
option went into effect, this building
rented for $4,000 a year; Mr.. Frye,
the owner Of it,, is now willing to rent
it for S200.C0a year. A house belonging
to Mr.. Hanley, leading contractor
there, which formerly rented for
twenty-one dollars month is now
bringing ten dollars. The two-story
brick house, owned by George Brothers
& Campbell, which rented for $500 a
year, has b zen vacant for two years and
two months. Three OF the eight
grocery stores have gone out of bust
ness. The Peoples Mercantile Com
pany, large general store, short
time ago, invoiced its stock and sold
it at fifty cents on, the dollar. There
is no building to speak of, and about
ten carpenters, who were steadily en-
ployed in former times. have left and
gone to work on the railroad. In the
language Of a man. who was in busi-
ness there for thirty years, and VINO, is
one Of its wealthiest citizens, "There
isn't any business down here. This is
. a dead town." These are merely cited
as an illustration of general conditions
prevailing there These statements
cannot be truthfuily controverted in
any essential particular and in
fine faca of Thorn can arv nerSOn of or.