The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-29
EORUMOFTHEPEOPLE

wayne county TO vote dry, because the
farmers benefit from the corn sold to
distilleries. Now how much corn is
sold either directly or indirectly by
Wayne county farmers for use in max
ing whisky! There is no distillery for
many miles in any direction and it is
but very small percentage of corn
raised in this county that is shipped
out. But perhaps those who argue on
this point do not realize the actual
facts. The secretary of agriculture
and commissioner of internal revenue
have been written to on this subject
and they reply that in the entire I'm
tied States only about per cent of the
corn crop is used for the manufacture
of liquor. That would make the in
come of Wayne county farmers from
this source almost microscopic.
The value Of the corn crop in the
fall of 1907. according to Secretary
Wilson's estimate was 1880. 900, 900,
while the value of the corn used by
the distillers and brewers during the
year was estimated to have been from
$40, OOO, 900 to $21 100000. For all in
toxicating liquors and distilled spirits
including alcohol, the chief clerk of
the internal revenue bureau said that
in 1907, 23,474 800 bushels of corn
were used The bureau does not COM
pile the returns concerning the amount
of corn consumed in the manufacture
of malt liquors, because hops, barley.
rice and other grains are used for beer
rather than corn.
The internal revenue bureau, there
fore, confirms the estimate Of the de-
partment Of agriculture that only an
infinitesimal percentage of the corn
crop is used for whisky or beer, and
even If all the distilleries and all the
breweries were closed, the farmers,
would never suspect it, so far as their
market for corn is concerned.
COUNTY OPTION COMMITTEE.
To the Editor Of the Palladium and
the Citizens of Richmond:
There has been much discussion in
the election about to be held on the
saloon question. 1t has hardly de-
served the name of discussion for so
far, there have only been communica-
lions on the side Of what is commonly
called temperance. but which in real
ity is only teetotalism.
respect the right of any one to
drink or not to drink. know as most
people know, that liquor will be
bought and sold and consumed in this
city whether the saloons are voted out
or not. l know Of many men who have
already made provisions for their IL
quor in case the town is voted dry.
most of these men are buying whisky.
Most of these men are beer drinkers.
Some of these beer drinkers are young
men. They are not drunkards. There
is good chance of their becoming so.
For the man who drinks whisky
from a bottle and who drinks whisky
from a bottle in secret there Is little
hope Which will you have; a man who
after the days work buys two or three
beers and gets relaxation in the pleas
antries of his friends, or a man who
after his work has no place to go ex-
cept to a lonely room where he fills
himself full of rot gut by way of set
IlDS ulIIlScll up dllCl tAC udS IL ia
lions.
The saloons of this town are orderly
and lawabiding. The blind tigers are
never orderly or law abiding. The sa-
loon is a respecter of persons. the
blind tiger knows no age, sex, time or
place If the saloons which sell beer
go out of business the only man who
will be Inconvenience will be the mod
crate drinker with the chance that
certain percentage of these will be
changed into secretive whisky inc
briates.
Take your choice. This sort of
thing has been tried over and over
again. but never has it been found that
human nature can be changed. l ask
you if it be wise to do away with con-
troll of the sale of liquor and hand it
over to those whom you can't control.
l point to the recent cigarette sit
uation in this state-has it stopped the
sale of cigarettes.
Neither will the voting of a town
dry stop the sale of liquor. 1t didn't
in Eaton or Liberty.
The adjustment of the canteen in