The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-05

will more. than onset the accumula- tion of taxes on temporarily unoccp- pied houses.
 Things have cleaned up in these sec. tions variously known as "Buszards
 Roost." Pigeon Roosf," etc. but tneIe, is no enhanced value of real eFtate there. Time must justify or not jus- tify these investments. The city has to grow to prove the wisdom of all suburban inyestments. Tn about hah the outlying old saloon shacks there are no occupants. These are complete losses for the time to the owners. They must walt for city growth 70 equal their income from saloons.
 sut that there is consistent build ing and has been during 1908. is shown by figures on file with the build ing inspector at the City Hall. m 1908 that odice isued 1.104 permits representing building to the extent or
 S2,54s.51s. This makes substanLal increase over, 1so7s when only l've1 permits were issued. representing an investment of buildings in the sum oF $l,s1S, ,2o5.
 from the second floors of business houses in the center of Birmingham. Lessees in many good places nave proflted magnificently by sub-leasing upstairs to the socim clubs Wnich thrive here. These second-noor quer- ters had been used heretofore 70 stocs merchandise and where then only half used But theT social clubs have given new impetus to rents, and whatever was lost by the vacation of saloons has probably been made up by the new drinking establishments.
 The relation of prohibition to thrift lit was thought. would afford ptont- able study in the Birmingham district. But there are conflicting stofies on this point. It may be said that the net result of many typical interviews
 tended to show an encouragement or thrift by prohibition.
 | The cashier of one of the largest sayings banks in Birmingham declared | in general terms that his savings de- | partments had swelled on account or prohibition. He would not give ng- lures Another bank president was | auproached because he had been citeo by urohfbitionists as good indicator. I He was a distinct disappointmene He l was irritated at the mention of pro- Intuition. ISe changed the subject ana | trlrned of into a disjointed roast or the State administration. Not seeking news of this kind. the writer turned to another thrift barometer. Tnts was
 a fire insurance agspt. or ratner, ns II - a big one at that. The son testineo lthat he was an antisprohtbitionisb put he was willing to say that 1t mas ibrought many benefits. He could see lin his rounds of collections and writ ine a. more comfortable set of homes. more satisfied smiles on the faces of wives among the poorer classes. more Etsay, appearances generally CT mousse and person. his buainess was dead. He did not zee that coiiections were any better. Opinion of Greeers. Il Most wrocere however, testtned tnat | collections have been much better un- l der prohibition, taking due accounts of the strike, the panic ana osner t The writer, in the hope that . fa- I vorable conclusion was within reacn on the thrift phase ,went to the man lager of the Metropolitan Life 1nsnr- Ianca Company. who has been quoted aIraady on another feature Of the
 stuay. Here, 1t seemed, was . good
 chance to find out the effect of pro
 hibition on the poor. He is tne man. 1.,a :
 ager of two dozen energesic msh., ll,, .,a.. wms are possessed of the best leg talent ! m the city, perhaps. and whe bqmbaro fine section houses, the novels, tne | an,,alid quarters of the small wage. earner daily. Surely the lbusinsss thal they do should represent the attitnos -l of the BOOT to thrift since the retgn lo of .ary" besan. It is the 1o.csnts-a.
 week insurance they are solicited te
 buy. and SO fine a thing for them tnal
 there are over 9.000.00o insured m one
 conpany alone. .,.... .s.
 But there was contradiction in ths
 Ireply of the manager He has repQ. 1fation for driving his solicitors tol
 producing results, but he declares .na'
 in 1908 his new business was less thar ftFle year previous, his. collections were moi so good. and his lapses of policies
 were more, He was frank 70 say 4 however, that he did not attribute tn'
 falling off to prohibition. He intelii'
 gently mixed. the strike, the panic
 etc. in with his discussion,
 TWO life insurance agents testinee
 that prohibition should helv their busi'
 mess. They could make no eompart'
 cons of results; but said that the com
 fnanieA accept more readily risks tna do not drink. But Of course tna would resolve .ftsef into questioi
 os whether the man Is more acceptaot <
 who drinks casually at the saloon ant
 one who takes 1t home in bulk to con
 aume in moments of leisure.
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