The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1909-01-29

Any statement tndu ny Tedson.
of the operation of the local OPP
ton law, or from any other cause,
any legitimate business has
"waned" in Paw Paw or in Van
Buren, county, is utterly false, a
libel and SANDER upon the good
citizens of one of the best and
most prosperous counties ia
Michigan. The only business
that has "waned" is the business
of the sale of booze, the manu-
facture of drunkards and the
ruin of homes. This business
has indeed "waned,' practically
waned out of existence.
Van Buren, county has been
under the local option regime
for nearly two decades and they
have been her most prosperous
years. More public improve
ments have been made in those
years than in all the previous
years of her history; more real
estate has changed hands and at
better prices than in any like
period of time since the county
was organized; more substantial
progress has been made by both
towns and country than ever
before.
The following statement, drawn
up by Mr.. Cummings himself, a
few months before his death, and
which was signed by nearly
every business man ia Paw Paw,
and endorsed over tia cir own sig
natures by practically all the
county officials, and which could
be easily duplicated in any town
in the county, shows not only
MIR. Cummings own view Of the
law which, according to the Star,
was running his business and the
business of his fellow merchants,
but also the views of his bust
ness associates and of others
whose opportunity Of under
standing the operation of the law
and its results are of the very
best.
Local Option Success-So affirm the
following residents and business men Of
Paw Paw, Michigan, whose aggregate
business amounts to over half a million
dollars yearly. A success because it
brings and upholds business. 1t has
made Van Buren, county the banner
county Of the state in wealth, in morals,
in intelligence and christianity. ln Paw
Paw alone, it has given Michigan one of
the brightest, best towns in the state;
best in which to bring up famllies the
best of schools and churches; with miles
of fine highways leading into town from
all directions, and with It's up-to-date
and modern improvements it is second
to no town of its size IN the entire state
We should regard it nothing short of a
public calamity to be forced to return
to the era OF the open saloon. You will
make no mistake to push your campaign
for sohriety and good government. Pass
this along to other counties engaged in
the fight
STATEMENT OF MRS. CUMMINGS.
| desire to state that the business of
my late husband was successful and
prosperous up to the time of his death
and that it never was 80 prosperous as
it was under the local, option regime
Our stock of goods is not being
closed out at administrator sale
because Of any lack of patronage or pros
perty, but solely because Of my desire
to close it out and retire from the labor
and care of its successful conduct, a task
that feel that ought not to under :
take, and preferrIng to retire from trade
and relieve myself from the labors and
anxieties that are inseparable from the
management OF a mercantile establish
ment like the one left in my charge by
my husband. Any statement to the ef-
feet that the stock is oeing closed out
by reason Of lack Of patronage is wholly
outside the domain OF truth and is made
without regard to the facts Of the mat
ter Mr.. Cummings was an ardent sup
porter OF the local option law from the
time of its first adoption and regarded
it, not as hindrance, but as an advan-
tage, not only to his own trade, but to
business in general.
Mrs. /. JAY CUMMINGS