The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-08-14

made applications to the council for
renewals. They were refused by I'M
animous vote of the mayor and the
six councilmen. Then the two other
saloon men were sent for and an
agreement was entered into with
them whereby they surrendered their
city licenses and were refunded their
license money for the time due them
to run. Thus it was on July 8 that
this Oregon town supposedly became
dry.
Councils Position.
The foregoing was all carefully ex-
planned to the writer by DR.. G. A..
Pogue, mayor of Ontario, who was
asked by what means the two sa-
loon men were continuing to sell liq-
uor under government license. He
explained that a question had been
raised by the saloon interests as to
whether the new local option law
was effective in an incorporated city
like Ontario. The city charter grant
ed Ontario by the legislature gives
the city dads full power to say wheth-
er saloons may operate, how many
may operate, what licenses shall be
paid, etc. Pending settlement Of
that point the saloonists combined
hiring an attorney, who before Dis
trict Judge Davis, obtained temper
airy restraining order commanding
the county attorney and sheriff of
Malheur county not to interfere with
the regular selling of liquor in On
tario by licensed saloons until he
could decide the matter finally. The
case does not come UP for final hear
ing and settlement until his term Of
court convenes at Vale in October
A saloon man questioned on the
matter said that the daily consump-
ton of beer in the town now would
average about two barrels of bottled
beer day.
"How has the new move affected
business interests in Ontario?" was
asked the mayor.
That's hard question to an
swer," was the reply. ''This is al
ways the dullest season of the year.
We haven't been testing this very
long and can't say how it will be
under all conditions. Some of the
merchants tell me it hasn't affected
trade but the saloon element claims it
has killed the town deader than a
door nail.
''The council stood unanimously
against refusing renewal of liquor
licenses Notwithstanding that three
fourths of the council voted against
local option. I did. But we council-
men looked at the matter this way
A large majority of the people, by
their votes, said they wanted a dry
town, and it was our moral duty to
see that the wish of the majority of
the people was carried out. We,
merely as servants of the people.
could not decide the matter. we
thought. 7 can say, however, that 1t
appears to me to be causing less dis
satisfaction than / expected In the
last three weeks I have seen but one
drunken man on the street, and he
got off the train, having come from
another town.
Says Trade Suffers.
J. H. Farley is one of the leading
citizens of Ontario. He runs a fur
niture store. He belongs to the On
tario city council, and he is not pleas
ed little bit because the town has
gone prohibition. He was reticent
about talking of the matter, however,
but after repeated questions he said
suddenly:
Last year I was taking in $500
a month here; now I'm doing well to
get in $500 worth Of business. It IS
driving a good many people away
from town, We knew 1t would, but
they told us it would attract many
more of much better class"
"And are they slow coming, eh?''
well. you don't see any big rush
of customers and visitors hurrylng
to get here, do you?" was the reply.
The writer gazed up and down the
dusty almost deserted street and was
obliged to answer in the negative A
bystander who had been listening to
the conversation remarked:
This ere local option has done
one good thing, all right, all right. "
whats that I'd like to know
said the merchant.
cts reduced the rents replied
the onlooker between two long
yawns. :,
Eyes! It's reduced rents. Well
now let me tell you,' said Farley
''before this started / could better
afford to pay $50 rent here than !
can afford to pay $25 now. Business?
Has this affected business? Go to
Payette and see how much more the
Payette merchants are doing today
than we are here"
Brighter Side Viewed.
The reporter was rather discour-
aged but he believed there must pc
some merchants taking brighter
views of the new conditions. There
was large bill in the window of Mr.
Farleys store advertising his whole
stock for sale at Cost and less than
cost and we, couldn't help but ask
the proprietor if the advertisement
had been put after the town went
dry.
nyac :" answered Mr.. Farley short