The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-19
PROHIBITION DOES
NOT MAKE GENERAL
CONDITIONS WORSE
CONTINUED From Page One.}

making inquiry. There is marked
contrast in the information requested
For foreign countries the inquiry is:
| How does it affect the morals of the
crime?' The inquiry from the several
states is universally: What effect does
it have on business?
Il shall try to answer both of these
questions.
There were bankers and merchants,
real estate men and lumbermen, and
in fact all classes and professions The
bankers said it would lessen deposits
and cause tight money market. The
merchant said it would cause the peo-
pie to go to Kansas City, Mo-, to trade
where they could get their drinks. The
real estate man said it would decrease
our population, render vacant many
houses, cause rents and prices of real
estate to fall and otherwise ruin the
town. The lumberman said 1t would
stop the progress of the town and the
erection of new buildings would cease.
Evils Have Not Happened.
What is the result? Have any
banks failed? Has the price of real es-
tate declined? Are there vacant hous-
es? Has work on new buildings
stopped? Have taxes increased? Has
our city ceased to grow and are we
losing in population? No man can
truthfully say that any of the prophe-
sled evils have happened.
"The bankers who said it would in
| jure the banks have returned to ad-
NIT their mistake and now say it has
helped them. The real estate man
says rents are higher than ever before.
The lumberman says so many new
buildings are being erected that it is
almost impossible to supply the de-
mand, especially in mid-winter The
tax payer finds that it has put money
into the public treasury instead of in
creasing taxes. The furniture dealer
| finds that he is selling more furniture
than ever before. The shoe man re-
ports likewise. Recently Mr.. Newton
of the firm of Dengel & Newton, stat
ed to me that one astonishing feature
of the increase in their line was that
it was largely in footwear for women
and children. Why is it that when the
saloons are closed the women and
children buy more shoes?
THE timekeeper of one of the large
packing houses tells me that if the sa-
looms are kept closed they could af-
ford an increase in wages because of
the increased efficiency of the men.
Similar statements have been made to
me by the superintendent and manag-
ers of other large institutions. l have
personally talked with many of our
business Il, en- and almost without ex-
ception they report an improvement
in business since the closing of the sa-
looms.
Some Lines Injured.
There are some lines that unques-
tionably were injured. For instance,
the ice man was injured. The pro-
prietor of our local plant said the clos
ing of the saloons decreased his sales
thirty tons a day. The saloonkeepers
and gamblers always patronized the
tailors for expensive suits, while those
of legitimate professions must be con-
tent with hand-me-downs. The bar
bers who were located in or near a
saloon have been injured, but those in
the rural districts report greatly in
creased business. l do not know a
single grocery man, dry goods mer-
chant or furniture dealer, but that has
an increased business.
In twelve months after the sa-
looms were closed the combined de-
posits of our banks increased one and
one-half million dollars. Does that in
rupt city?
In dealing with the effect on crime
Mr.. Trickett says that since the sa,
looms We're closed the city is running
at a reduced expense of criminal pro
secutions of more than $4,000 a year
Crime is so lessened that the city
saves an additional $4,000 through a
reduction in the police force.
Works Saving.
1.-The fact is" says Mr.. Trickett
that we are now saving in the var
ious departments for the suppression
of crime more than we ever received
in revenue from the saloon. An ex
animation of the criminal docket OF
the district court will reveal the fact
: that before the joints were closed il
required six or more weeks to try the
criminal cases. Since the closing oil
the joints at no term has it required
to exceed three weeks. The same pro
portion holds good in every Other
court having criminal jurisdiction
We no longer need a detective force
Thieves and burglars have followed
the saloon out of our city.
City Clerks Statement.
Mr.. Trickett quotes u " Widener
assistant city clerk of Kansas City. as
! follows: In twenty-one months Kan
! sas City, Kan, almost recovered from
as many years of saloon oppression
Two hundred and forty-five thousand
forty-two dollars and fifty-three cents
of the city's debt was lifted during
the last year, when no revenues were