Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-09-22

Galesburg. ILL., Editor Dry Goods Re-
porter: Your favor asking our opinion
of the effect of local option. has been
received, and in reply we desire to say
that it is too soon to answer your
questions intelligently We have not
had long enough experience. We I'M
derstand also that 1t is not personal
opinion on this question you are seek
ing, but facts or results of the new
condition Furthermore, there are
SO many .other elements affecting bus
mess this season, such as politics, I'M
favorable weather, labor and flnanclai
conditions, that one who wants to De
fair. finds still more difficulty in an
swering your questions
We believe that dry town loses It's
attractiveness to degree, to quite
large class 1t is also true that the
dry town is more attractive to another
large class, and we believe there ars
advantages, ultimately accrulng TO the
dry goods and kindred lines in the dry
town.
From civic standpoint we note the
notice report ten arrests for drunken
ness for the month of June this year
lin a dry year), as compared with SIX
ty-six arrests for the same cause lasl
year, when the town was wet
Our April business showed a mana
some gain over last year. May showed
a. slight increase, and June slight oe-
crease We think year from now
would be a better time to intelllgently
answer your questions.-kellogs'
Drake & Co.
No Trade Lost.
G. m. Fighter. Clinton, H., writes as
follows 81 consider business is bet
ter in a dry town. I think 1T hurts a
town to go wet after having been dry,
but always helps town to go dry
~ don't think the prohibition OF the
saloon drives away trade to any ex-
tent.
II think there are advantages that
make up for any loss Of trade incurred
by voting out the saloon. Will name
lust a few: 1t is self-ev1dent fact
that a man cannot spend his money az
a saloon and then buy the necessaries
of life with the same money IL IS
known fact that the saloon frequenter,
as rule, goes straight to the saloon
when he draws his money, and ne may
he ever so much inclined to spend his
money for his family or pay bills for
the necessaries of life, yet it is equally
well known that he. as rule, does not
leave the saloon until his money is
gone. 1t is also a well known fact that
this same man not only squanders ms
money but his time, which reduces ms
earning capacity and makes him less
desirable customer.
CAS- to the dry town driving custom
ers away. I fail to see it, if 1t is So
But on the other hand many drnker
ceases to bother his head about it If the
temptation is removed. He really pre-
fers to spend his money with his fam
able to do so. I have lived in several
towns that voted out saloons and never
in one that voted them back for long
err than a year. The contrast is too
great.
From the standpoint of merchant,
from business consideration purely
and simply, would prefer a dry town
to do business in. / think today Clin-
ton, ILL.,, is better town morally, and
from a business standpoint
Bracken Bros, Polo, ILL.,, take the fol-
lowing view:
1--WE hardly think ourselves compe-
tent to answer your questions intel
ligently, from the fact that we had no
saloons in our town in forty years.
Perhaps you will recall, in your recent
local option fight, Polo was used as a
model business town without the sa-
loon revenue. As conditions are we are
satisfied to do business in a town
dry"
Went Dry; Business Better.
NJ t. kleeberger, Warren, H.. pre-
fers the dry town. His views are as
follows:
1--WE are doing business now in an off
year (presidentiaD, and have not fully
recovered from the effects of the panic
and notwithstanding these two facts,
business is better than last year. Our
town is dry this year; last year 1T was
wet.
"My opinion is, 1t is better for bus
mess not to have the saloon for many
reasons that might be mentioned. My
opinion Is that prohibition does not
drive but very few If any customers to
any other town and believe 1t would
be counterbalanced BY others who