Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1907-12-05

Tea perance sentiment Tending To-
ward Prohibition Increasing

Teu perance sentiment Tending To-
ward Prohibition Increasing
Editor Banner Have you ever given
your readers fair account of the mar
veIous rise Of public sentiment against the
saloon and the reasons for il? Not the
low dive. or the disorderly and -defv-
ing saloons, atho there are few that are
not such. hut even the most respectable
and orderly saloons are feeling the wrath
Of an aroused public OF course the
church must oppose the saloon business.
for the saloon would close the church If it
could But the business men and the la
boring men and men in every sphere Of
life are rising as one man with one purpose
OF wiplng out the evil traffic. Within the
past few months Georgia has voted out
the SELDOM. Alabama has just done like
wise, two counties of the three in Della
ware have done the same. Out of AS
voting districts in Illinois. SO have just
stituton with saloonless banner Many
others might be cited, but suffice it to
say that shrewd politicians declare that in
five years the solid south will be solid pro-
hibtlon. During the past few months the
governors of the following ! 4 states have
openly opposed the saloon and spoken for
prohibition: Maine, Kansas, North Dakota
Georgia. West Virginia, Ohio Indiana, Ken
lucky, North Carolina. Florida, Texas
Mississippi. Missouri and Oklahoma
Surely this should show which way the
wind is blowing Now permit me for a
few moments to appeal to the lowest mo-
tive of the average practical citizen. |
mean the financial motive. Can anyone
explain how dollar spent in the saloon
helps the business of that placer Of
course the saloon keeper will have that
dollar to spend for his living. but if he
was not in that business he would still
nave to provide his living Is It not true
that every patron Of the saloon not only
robs himself Of buying power to the ex-
tent of his patronage Of the saloonist, but
also to the extent of his use of the liquors
thus purchased So that if he was ROBBED
Of his money just before he entered the
saloon he would be minus his cash. but
men would respect and honor him Just
the same, but the saloon robs him not only
Of his cash, but also Of his manhood and
respectabiIity.
te kt,t tar he tciJ IL
Of the saloon, that IS the license he pays
70 the public treasury; but where does he
get that money from? Statistics show
that he takes not less than $40 for every
iollar thus paid by him, and then the one
item Of crime produced by the saloon,
which must be taken care Of by the tax
payer, more than offsets, even financially,
this supposed benefit to the taxpayer
Let me ask anyone does the saloonin-
crease value OF real estate2 Does it
make the town more desirable? Does it
contribute to the public order, the public
health, the public good. the public morals.
does i add anything to the intellectual,
business, manufac uring, or any other
capacities Of a community? Would not a
highway robber willing to pay higher
license 70 do his work under protection Of
aw2 And would not bis work De less
harmful and less expensive to the publlo2
Reader are you helping with your WORD
and work and yo to wipe cut the saloon
evI9
" K Beshgetoor.