The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-04-08
FACTS ABOUT
PROHIBITION
Knoxville Has Improved
Greatly in Wages, Etc,
Under New Regime.

The Montgomery. Journal says:
The right or wrong of prohibition is
no longer a question in Alabama.
The state must come under the pro-
hibition statute after January l,
1909. and we should now be getting
our houses in Order-should be pre-
pairing TO accept the law and its en-
forcement against everybody and
everywhere alike.
But what concerns us just now is
the effect of the law in those cities
and states that have adopted prohi-
bitiOn. Every Alabamian is concern
ed in this, and every Albanian
wants to hear from other cities and
states where prohibition prevails OF
course, strenuous efforts are being
made by certain interests to show
that prohibition is not only a fail
ure, but sets towns and cities back
turns them backward in their prog
ress. But what are the facts? All OF
lis want to know the facts. None Of
us Will be satisfied with less than
the facts. Then We can accent the
statements of reputable newspapers on
the grounds, especially when they deal
in facts and figures and not in senti-
ment or theories? Here is what the
Knoxville Sentinel says of the effect
Vi III hnOAVllio.
Statements have recently been
made in far-off cities that Knoxville
has been banlzrupted by prohibition.
An examina ton of the budgets for
expenditures this year and last indi-
Gates that the members of the board
OF mayor and aldermen do not think
this. city is bankrupt. Under the
new budget the school fund has
been increased from Sos 600 to s1O3,-
600. The street fund has been in
creased from SIS, 900 to $50, 900. The
water fund has been increased $4,000,
the light fund $500 The members
Of the police and fire departments
have had their wages increased S.
per month and the chiefs SO per
month. The appropriation for the
board of public works has been in
creased from $500 to $4,000. The
city will use $4,000 OF its school APP
preparation TO build additions to the
school buildings. AT this time when
many cities which have not adopted
prohibition are cutting off men and
reducing wages it does not lock like
Bankruptcy when Knoxville has the
means with which to increase sala-
ries-''
1t has also been widely circulated
that Kansas City, Kansas. had be-
come bankrupt because of prohibition
and according to the Kansas CITY
Star, one of the most influential and
reputable newspaper in the entire
west, in a leading editorial on the
enforcement of prohibition in that
city, makes it not only clear that
prohibition has not hurt. but the peo-
pie would not go back to the old con
dltions-would not accept the saloon
and the joint under any conditions
Here is what the Star SAYS:
Enforcement of prohibition was
literally forced on the city by Attor-
ney-General Jackson at a time when
public sentiment seemed to be favor
able TO the saloon policy In the
short time that has elapsed. the sue
cess Of the prohibition plan has been
demonstrated to such a remarkable
degree, that public sentiment has
been completely reversed. It would
be impossible to force the saloon and
the joint on that city now. Every
business man on the Kansas side is
in favor of prohibition; the prOpertv
owners are practically united in the
support of the law. and the citizens
are delighted with present conditions.
The policy which the liuuor
Interests are advertising in eastern
papers as 'ruinous' to Kansas City.
kas-, has been in operation for
twenty-one months. and unfortunately
for the brewers, it has been the
most prosperous period within the
entire history of the city