Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-10-24


&c in Chicago, would undoubtedly
save to the people from 30 to Is per
cent of the city's present liquor bill.
The 1000 saloons of Chicago must
take in an average of $4,000 each
per year to pay expenses and even
moderate profit. Including the large
sale of bottled liquors and mail and
express shipments from outside, the
liquor bill of the city must total not
less than $SO,O00,0OO per year. By
closing the saloons the people will be
saved from $4,000 900 to $50, 900, 900
for legitimate purposes. Not less
than 1OO,O families will be materi-
ally benefited. This $40,000,000 once
spent for drink would probably find
channels for distribution, in some
such ways as the following:
"For better and more comfortable
clothing, boots and shoes, hats and
caps, s5,OOO,OO0; for food and groc-
cry necessities, of which so many
thousands are now deprived through
the drink slavery of the heads of
families, not less than $4,000, 600; for
better homes and furnishings, not
less than s1O,OOO,OOO; for increased
deposits in savings banks, education
amusements, and miscellaneous, $780,
0O0, 900.
"This increased demand for legiti-
mate merchandise, homes and recrea-
ton, would prove tremendous boon
to local retail and wholesale trade.
''The record of prohibition in fifty
large industrial centers shows that
the locations vacated by saloons have
in almost all instances been quickly
filled with legitimate business, res
taurants and amusement halls.
"The liquor claim that prohibition
would close up the hotels of the city
is disproved by the results in every
city where prohibition has gone in
to effect. Our records do not show
a single instance where the hotel IA
cilities have not been as large and
as high in grade following the enact
ment of prohibition.
''Since the Inauguration of prohi-
bition in the great industrial city Of
Birmingham, Alabama, at least one
new million dollar hotel has been f.
nanced, three new banks opened for
business, and the figures for bank
clearings and building operations
have increased remarkably. Not only
that, but the increase in the invest
ment of foreign capital has been
marked. Building operations in At
lanta, Georgia, Birmingham, Alaba-
ma, and Kansas City, Kansas, three
of the largest prohibition cities, have
broken all previous records in the
past few years. .~a~ "a +.
"As regards the condition of pub
lie finances, with a clean political adj
ministration $4,000, 900 could be saved
to the city annually by a fifty per
cent reduction in crime; another mil
lion by the reduction of present ex-
orbitant salaries of city officials, and
more than 100000 secured from
personal property assessments, which
have this year been shown to be no.
toriously small, and no retail bust
ness has lodged its reasonable per-
sonal property taxes so astonishingly
as the saloon business. Instead of
paying on an average assessed valu-
alton of $4,000 each for saloon fix
lures and stock, the liquor men, &C
cording to the otncial report of the
state board of equalization, are as
sessed on an average valuation Of less
than $500 per saloon. II. This is a
graft which would not stand the first
ray of light under a prohibition ad-
m1n1Strat1On.
1.-THE decrease in the cost Of crime
is based upon figures available to all.
Worcester, Mass, reports total ar
rests 81 per cent greater under Ii.
cense than under prohibition; arrests
for drunkenness lib per cent greater
under license; arrests of first offend
ers' 129 per cent greater under IL
cense.
SIN Birmingham, Alabama, arrests
dropped in one year from 1882 I'M
der license to $500 under prohibition.
Railroad accidents dropped from 81
under license to 16 under prohibition,
and others in proportion. Through
out the state of Alabama, the de-
crease in arrests for crime averages
Is per cent. In Memphis, Tennessee,
the decrease in arrest for crime for