The Columbus journal., 1908-07-08

honesty and integrity of those who do
not believe In prohibition"
scRIBNER NEWS.
In its issue of June S, the Scribner
News says:
"A great deal Of Misrepresentation
has been put in circulation in regard
to the Merchants and Manufacturers
association of Omaha which is making
a strong and dignifled fight against
prohibition, and what Is still worse.
county option. The association Is
composed OF leading business men of
Omaha whose names are familiar
throughout the state. No distiller,
brewer or liquor dealer IS eligible to
membership.
"Now II those advocates of prohibit
ton will read and consider the weekly
columns furnished by the above
named association, they will notice
that some of the best business men Of
the state are strictly against county
option"
WESTERN NEBRASKA OBSERVER.
Kimball. Neb., May rs. 1908. Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Associa-
ton: Gentlemen: I came here over
q year ago from Kansas where I lived
fifteen years. had ample opportuni-
ty to observe the workings. or rather,
the non-working qualities of the pro-
hibitory law. am sick and tired Of
drug store saloons and joints which
pay no license and cause more drunk
enness than open saloons. The
Slocum law in Nebraska is all right
as it now stands and needs no chang
ing. A saloon run strictly in accord
ance with this law is q great deal
more to be desired than a dry" town
with its drug stores, its bootleggers.
and its numerous shipments of mail
order booze and consequent drunken
ness.-Very respectfully. r. d. Will
son.
MORE MAIL-oRDER BUSINESS.
Every local merchant in Nebraska
has felt the unfair competition Of the
eastern mail-order house. There is q
state association of merchants, the
object of which Is to make sentiment
antagonizing the mailorder business.
The local merchant contends that 1t Is
unjust to him. local taxpayer. to per-
NIT company paying no taxes in the
state to ship into Nebraska COM
munity merchandise at prices less
than the local merchant can afford to
sell for, because of the insurance, tax
and rental rates he is compelled to
pay for the privilege Of doing business.
He Is casting about for some means
by which the mail-order business may
be stamped out.
In this connection, 1t is interesting
to cite one phase of the situation In
Butler county. brought about by some
of the towns whose people voted not
to issue liquor licenses. A David City
banker writes that Immediately upon
the adoption Of the dry policy, there
sprang up an active mail-order bust
ness in wet goods. The same il true
Of Beatrice. All such money, Of
course, leaves the county. and while
as much liquor Is formerly may be
consumed. the volume Of local money
Is depleted.
1t is said on good authority that
every Saturday night trains from Kan
sas City to Topeka carry mail-order
original packages Of vet goods for the
individual consumer at Topeka.
A well known citizen of Cook. Neb..
writes of the mail-order business in
vet goods as applied to that town. a.
follows: In one month there has
been shipped into Cook seven and one
half barrels Of wine and whisky and
twenty barrels and I'VE cases of beer"
The Chamber Of Commerce Of Sa-
vannah. Ga. has issued circular
stating that the new prohibition law
OF that state has created an immense
trahlc in liquor amounting
to something like 100000 a month.
which il leaving the state. and In re-
turn for which liquor is received for
local consumption.
During the days when the policy Of
prohibition was sought 10 be enforced
In Iowa, the mail-order business from
Omaha houses into the various towns
Of western Iowa was enormous; the
money, Of course. leaving the local
Of Iowa 70 enhance the !
profits of Omaha dealers. The enact |
ment Of the Mulct Tax law In 1894 put |
q stop to most Of the tranic.
These instances are few compared
with the large number within the
Of the people Of Nebraska
kovna Witch have anna dY. IN ~