Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-22
AN EXAMPLE
How the Anti-Saloon Campaign
Has Affected Business in
Jacksonville. Ill.

Rock Island, Feb. 22.-Edltor Ar
gus: Jacksonville, Ill, is one of those
cities which many people thought
was too big to convert into anti-sa-
loon territory. 1t has a population of
10000.
Six weeks prior to the election of
Nov. 5, 1907, nearly everybody said it
was no use to try. Business men
shook their heads and declined to
publicly identify themselves with the
unconventional all of them, but a dis
couraging percentage. But a cam
paign committee. consisting of five or
six influential citizens, was organized
and took up the work in systematic
way.
The ministers kept hammering away
n their pulpits. The women never
went shopping or marketing without
letting the merchants, shopkeepers
and clerks know what they expected
of them.
Then a big business mems meeting
was called and paper was circulated
pledging each signer to be one of &c
in favor of anti-licenSe, the agreement
not to be binding unless 20 signatures
were obtained. The 20 spoke. The
meeting had a tremendous influence
in the right direction.
Then the presidents of the two col
int of a
three state institutions at Jackson
vile issued an appeal to the voters
to GUST the saloons in the interest of
those under their charge.
The result of all this was an over
whelming victory for anti-saloon,
where six weeks before the movement
was hardly perceptible.
The mayor, who was elected before
the city became anti-saloon territory,
has written letter in which he says
that business has suffered. This is
the way he says it: I'VE have Ii
cense towns north, south, east and
west of us, and it naturally drives
trade from Jacksonville"
Well, if it does, the bankers, mer-
chants, and other business men, pub
lie officials and others ought to know
it. This is the way they talk
81 can say that my business for the
months of December, 1907 and Jan
uary, 1908, is far ahead of the same
months a year ago and prospects are
good for better business.
THAD EAS TMAN Grocer"
Thomas L. Cannon, proprietor of one
Of the biggest meat markets in town
says:
81 wish to state that for December
1907, and January, 1908, my cash sales
have doubled and the conditions are
the same as to present month.
T. L. CANNON"
| Here is large firm of shoe dealers
who are not clamoring to have the
saloons back:
| Our business from Dec. /, 1907, tc
date shows fair increase over CORE
spending period one year ago. Wher
We consider the financial conditions
which prevailed over the entire coun
| try during a part of this time, to
| gether with the very open winter, W.
do not feel that local option has
caused us financial loss.
4 MATHIS, KAMM & SHIBE."
Eve are now operating two grocer!
stores in Jacksonville in differen
parts of the city. In December ant
January business was far ahead o
any We have ever had. Our Januar,
collections have been good The fan
mers' trade shows an increase owe
one year ago. We consider the bus
ness outlook in Jacksonville firstclass
and are certainly well satisfied wit
the future prospect
GEORGE T. DOUGLAS"
The original copies of the above LEI
/ ters are on file in the Office of tn
Anti-Saloon league of Illinois, 1873
First National Bank building, Chicago
LOCAL OPTION PRESS COMMIT
TEE