Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-12-22
LOCAL OPTION ELECTION
Bnena Vista business Interests
Issue Letter

| issue Letter
The following letter has been is
sued in Buena Vista by some of tn
business interest OF that city favor
ing the temperance side of the con
test, which closes tomorrow by al
election:
To THE CITIZENS OF BUENA VISTA
We respectfully request that yol
cast your vote and your influence
against the licensed saloon in Buen;
Vista at the election which will b,
held on the 23rd inst. We make thi.
request for the following reasons
First. We are asking you to vot'
to continue a condition which W.
have had for II years. and which
we have found to be the most salts
factory method of dealing with the
liquor question. This City firsl
went DRY in April, 1898; two local
option elections have been held
since then; at each of these three
elections the City has gone DRY
by substantial majorities this shows
that the larger part of our people in
the past have been satisfied with the
City being DRY. We are therefore
not asking you to vote for an exper-
iment, but for something that has
been tried andfound satisfactory.
Second. We ask you to vote DRY
because we behave that the bust.
ness interests of the City have been
benefited by the City being DRY,
and would be injured by the City
being WET. A little reflection by
any one will convince him that the
business interests of Buena Vista
have been successful since the City
has been DRY. To cite d few special
cases, we may say that the Buena
Vista Extract Co. has located here
since the City went DRY, and the
Blue Ridge Tannery has practically
doubled its capacity. Both OF these
are controlled financially
by Messrs. Leas & McVitty OF Phil
and both OF these gentle
men are taking great interest in
Ibis election, and are very DESTROYS
hat the City should continue DRY.
The Columbian Paper Co. are now
to spend a large amount
If money in the erection of new
and tho installation of
lew machinery. Our Furnace has
'een successfully operated, being
me OF the last Furnaces in Virginia
o close down during the recent de-
preston in the iron trade. A num-
yer of smaller manufacturing plants
lave located here since the City |
irst went DRY. such as the Buena
1ista Foundry Co., The Armour
Fertilizer Works, Silk Mill, sever
i planning mills, etc. Not only have
he manufacturing interests been
uccessful since the City has been
Dry, but the mercantile and other
usiness interests have been sue
essful. A number of our principal
Merchants have accumulated the
reater part of their capital since
ne City has been DRY. If you have
we'd in Buena Vista for IL or Is
ears, think over the financial con-
ition of the business men you know
no have been here all the time the
ity has been DRY, aud see if you
D not think that they have been
lccessful. 1t naturally follows
lat the commercialinterests of our
ity could not be successful unless {
e rank and file of our people have
zen successful. Stop and think of d
is, and you will find that the most
the men you know who own their S
'mes have bought and paid for I
EN- since the City has been DRY;
" will tind that some Of the very e
st residences of our City have u
EN- built since the City has been o
RY. Bring this question home to
urself If the saloon is such a Z
cd thing for Buena Vista as our q
EFT friends would have US believe, S
3 practical question for you to ask S
How is the saloon going TO help u
}? Would l be any better off to-
y il we had had sal ons in Buena
sta for the past II yeArs?" Think T.
err these questions carefully. 1t y
one of the stock arguments of the J.,
ErS that saloons help business. =,
you think that your business :,
'ud be helped by the saloon? If :,
had saloons here, do you think :,
ar employer would pay you more -,
ges? II we had saloons here, do :.
Il think you could buy your groc -,
es and clothing cheaper? We d,
NIX not. But it may be said that te
, City needs the revenue we
uld get from SALONS. Our reply
simply this: Our manufacturing Oh
] other commercial interests are V,
,cessful; the great majority otour IL