Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-30
never known to be so great as it is
since the saloons have closed
Grocers Want Mo SaIoone


under his bonafide signature that the |
grocers of Kansas City could much
better afford to annually donate the
amount equivalent to the former sa-
loon revenue, than have the saloons
returned.
and here's the best of ala state
ment signed by all the bankers in
Kansas City but one. didn't ask
that one for his signature because
I've prosecuted him three times for
renting buildings for saloons and
didn't feel like asking him for let
ter. This Is what the bankers say,
the men who have their fingers on the
pulse beat Of business: The State Saw
ings banks show an actual increase
in deposits of &c per cent and rs per
cent of the new accounts opened are
by men who formerly spent all their
money in the saloons"
Here's another letter from a prom
inent business man of Kansas City l
read it because just twenty-one
months before he wrote this letter for
me, he and were the principles in
painful controversy about whether or
not the saloons should run for bust
ness reasons. This is what he says:
A Notable Fl Months.
In twenty-one months the bank
twenty-one months of the largest
growth known in Kansas City; TWEEN
ty-one months of the least crime;
twenty-one months of the least num-
Der Off vacant business rooms in the
history of the city; twenty-one months
of unprecedented results in the public
schools, of the largest additions to fac
tories; of the purest city government
and twenty-one months of the best
moral atmosphere possible
ut. would seem that Mr.. Wagner
erred in his statement. Mr.. Wagner
writes here that there is no building
going on in Kansas City The most
authentic reports in the world are
those of Uncle Sam. bring you to-
night the government building report.
We are informed by 1t that from July
I, 1906 to July 1, 1907, the gain in
new buildings in Kansas City was
209,07 per cent, the highest gain in
the United States. The next largest
was Spokane. with gain of II per
cent. Mr.. Wagner must have erred
In that statement.
Need Few Policemen.
"Mr. Wagner tells us that the pc,
| lice force has been reduced from
eighty-five to thirty-five men. 1t has
and we don't need all of the thirty
| five men. Kansas City has popula-
ton Of over 100000, yet thirty-five po-
| licemen are more than enough to keep
order.
"Mr. Wagner tells us that the Off
Gals know not where to turn to get
money to pay the city's bills. The
last year Of saloons in Kansas the to-
tai receipts of the city were $780,,
300.S7 and the expenditures amounted
to S210, 450.49-a deficit of $4,000. The
first year after the saloons were clos
ed the receipts were $150.519.52, and
the expenditures $155,S62.29, a deficit
of $4,000. The deficit the first year
without the saloons was only $4,000
as against a $4,000 deficit the last
year the saloons were there That
was then; now, under date of March
/ 1, 1909, have the treasurer's state
ment in my hand showing a balance
on hand to the credit Of Kansas City,
Kas., Of $6S,9S1.69. I guess we can
pay our bills.
Taxes Are Lower.
| "Mr. Wagner tells us that the tax
rate has been increased from $190 to
1910 since the saloons closed. In
looking over the tax records at the
time he secured his $1.90 rate, find
that Mr.. Wagner was careless. The
$1.9O was the county tax rate which
he has compared to the city tax rate.
Here's the tax receipts from one piece
Of valuable property there for three
| v0a r.c In a CT n go.
looms in Kansas, the owner of that
property paid $114s5 taxes; the next
year his tax was S106.40, and the sec.
it was $1O649 Have our taxes in.
creased? Men of the jury, do you
want more evidence? Here it is.
Here's county treasurer's report OF
Wyandotte county, Kansas 1t shows
that we have saved more than enough
from prosecuting criminals the past
two years than the total revenue evet
received from the saloons.
Who is Wagner?
"Who is this Wagner" you ask. Ha
was formerly editor of a Kansas City
newspaper. Here's a letter, in reply
to one I wrote, from his employees. II
says that Mr. Wagner is an undesir.
able citizen, that Mr. Wagner is an
exponent that the Kelley cure don't
always work and closes by stating
that we have enough evidence In this
office to verify anything disreputable
that you have ever heard about Mr.
Wagner
Business men as a rule are either
easily gulled or big towards. In Kan
sas City they have been educated
, When this fight started we had 8
, mayor that we had to remove from
!; Office for treason. The Republicans
{ nominated a Judge Iscariot and the
, Democrats nominated Benedict Ar
mold; SO we nominated man, DR.
Gray, to run against the platforms il
favor Of saloons. We had to have
money to run the campaign, SO we
called on the business men and They
contributed in one day enough money
to conduct the fight. Does that lool
like the business men needed sd
looms?