The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-08-20

fore, for who is there having house
to rent who does not repeatedly ge
caught by drunken man with fam
lily that he has to put out OF the hous
by process of law or through sym
pathy for the family, let them hav,
the use of the house for time with
out receiving his rents?
Fraser attacks the moral side o
1t, and says 1t will be worse under so
called dry" conditions, and we gran
| that 1t will be for such men as Fraser
but the Lord forbid that matter.
should grow worse morally than the,
are now and have been under the reg
ulated saloons.
/ This is Frasers article, read it.;
4 Local Option at Boise
/ THE business and property inter,
ests OF Boise appear to have awak'
ened to the fact that there is bust.
ness and commercial aspect to the
temperance question, as we'll as a
moral issue, and recently an organiza
4 ton was formed to present what
might be the effect, in business way
upon the city, should Boise be voted
a dry town, so that the people might
think the question over before they
voted, rather than after 1t was too
late.
Prohibition, in theory, sounds very
niee, reads and looks very moral, but
like the direct primary, government
irrigation, and other fads and fancies
of a like character, doesn't prove at
all satisfactory when an attempt Is
made to put it in active operation. for
the results are not healthy in BUSH
ness way, and all matters affecting
growing communities, to be a success,
must be worked out on business
basis.
Boise is just the class of city in
which this contest should be waged,
and it is well that the business inter-
ests have taken up the battle, for this
makes the fight a fair one and the
result will be of benefit to other local
tiles in the state.
Boise is city of $4,000 people,
and has about 40 saloons, paying
large contributions to the public,
treasury for the privilege of doing
business. If some scheme could be
devised for reducing the number of
grog shops 10 per cent a year until
they were all abolished, in 10 years
Boise would be a prohibition city, and
in the meantime business conditions
would not have been disturbed, for
when such changes are gradual con-
ditions adjust themselves.
Suppose, however, these 40 saloons
are put out of business on the same
day, and 40 business houses of Boise
would become vacant, what will be
the effect? The owners of the build
ings the saloons occupied will seek
other occupants, and tenant paying
a small rental is better than an empty
building. In such contest renters
will play one landlord against anoth-
er, with the result that incomes to
property owners will be cut in half
1t is reasonable to assume that the
40 saloons give support to five fami-
lies each, on an average, 200 in all,
occupying that many cottages, all to
be vacated in case the occupants must
seek other locations for employment
The over supply of homes will bring
about another reduction in rents, and
vacant dwellings are difficult to ex-
plain to visiting stranger looking
for investments.
Like in all revolutions, the ones to |
suffer most are those least able to
stand the crash. With reduced rents,
reduced incomes to capitalists, re-
duced business to merchants, must |
come reduced wages to people who
must labor for living. A clerk, me-
chanic or laborer at present earns
more than enough for living. II |
frugal and economical he is saving
the surplus by investing in property
or building a home on the install
ment plan. There is not city In
Idaho where this is not the rule, and
it is encouraged by the leading spirits
everywhere.
Reduce the pay of this class until
there is barely enough to live on and
what is there left with which to meet
the payments, and when he is unable
to make good, and can see no chance
ahead, 1t is not necessary to ask what
becomes OF the savings he had made.
Take the moral view Of 1t: Many
drink In saloons, and some get drunk,
Take away the saloons and those
get it, for as long as there is mari
ket for any commodity the market
will be suppIied Business will at /