The Detroit times., 1910-04-01
lew VOTERS HOLD KEY TO
OAKLAND OPTION FIGHT
scossiassd from psrs one,

. inquiry for c. N. Barbour. the pro
Drietor. Asked for his opinion OF Local
option, he became all glow and fire
Or q dry Town. He studied condi
GIons while the saloons were part OF
Pontiac's business uistrict and since
lnst election when they were outlaw
"a.
Local option has driven out the
81 otreet bum" he said. There Is less
n vulgarity and fewer groups OF idle AMI
m uncouth men on the streets. There
"A are fifteen factories here and every
man can find employment. All they
. need to do Is TO go up TO these places
and ask for work. And there are few
q who do not seek work when there are
no saloons in which 10 LOAF"
Mrs. Fannie Moore, superintendent
Of the Guiding Star Mission. and who
has worked In the charitable field for
x long time, was found in her small
Office, Just of the Main street. She
VI dictated a statement saying that pow
b orty had almost entirely disappeared
pointing. also, to the large amount OF
\ charitable work done among the un-
fortunates in the winter of 1907-0S.
other Side Of Question.
In an office on the second floor or
time-worn building James II. Lynch.
an attorney was found. The tables
y n his Office were covered by posters
and other press material dealing with
the liquor question from the wet
< standpoint. Mr.. Lynch first admitted
that he was a Democrat; that he had
served one term as circuit court com
missioner. but did not expect 10 get
\ another public office unless political
conditions change. He next said he
was a champion OF the saloons. He
believed they were essential To a
city's social makeup He holds that
rigid restrictions should be exercised.
h .The situation never looked better
Y for the vets" he said. Since the
drugstore saloon has been legislatei
almost entirely out OF existence the
farmers and others who voted to drive
h out the saloons have come over 10 our
side. The people Of this county have
had their fill of local option and
sre convinced the saloon In Pontiac Is
s better than driving the men TO Detroit
70 come home in a drunken condition.
4 have always favored the restriction
Of the saloons. | introduced in the
city council two weeks ago a resolu-
ton providing that ten saloons should
be allowed TO operate in Pontiac. This
= d compared with % that were here
Z before the last election. The coun-
1ilmen. by an almost unanimous vote,
favored my idea. but decided to await
Me result OF Mondays election"
In n comfortable ~two-story house,
two blocks off the main street, a wo-
man about 40 years of age answered
m inquiry for Mrs. L, b. Harnisch.
She sensed the full meaning. OF ny
visit after she had been asked about
The Women's Home Defenders league.
Mrs. Harnisch has two children-a girl
Of about IL and another OF 6. She
keeps boarders.
What Is thereal purpose OF the Wo-
mems Home Defenders Lacquer" Mrs.
Harnisch was asked.
-The members, IS of them, are work.
. Ing for the return of the saloon. being
convinced that ii is better to have sa-
looms here, in which husbands can be
\ found easily. instead of having local
! option, which drives men TO Detroit
20 become intoxicated and remain
away for unreasonable lengths OF
dme"
Who suggested the organization OF
the club?"
II did"
did any condition In your home
life lead you to conceive the idea?"
NO; | have the best husband that
ever lived"
Why did you become so keenly in.
terested? Was it because you had
heard your friends complain?
Yes. 1t became a byword for the
women whom I visited TO inquire
among themselves, Have you got 10
put up with the Detroit liquor affair,
too? I'm getting disguised
Action Was Voluntary.
Were you Influenced in any way
by the saloon interests when you or.
gaDized this club?"
Emphatically not. ! started the
A NOV ement and all the other women
were willing and anxious TO register
as members"
Mrs. Harnisch holds that the pres
ence OF liquor in the home has a bal
affect on children. She prefers The
men go to the saloon for drink rather
than let the little ones see them drink.
lrg.
Mayor Rose, OF Milwaukee, one 0t
the prominent speakers for the vets,
will address a meeting here tonight
AS the campaign draws to close both
the vets and drys are losing no time
IN clinching the arguments they have
already made because the result IL
Oakland county will have a far-reach-
Ing significance
Pontiac has an air Of genuine pros.
perity. Business was never so cool.
No DRINKS are seen on the streets, ex-
cept late at night when they come
from Detroit.
The large shipments OF liquor from
Detroit will have an important bear
ing on the election. The voters must
decide IL the moral standing OF the
home has been improved or made
worse by the incoming of this liquor
D~ce cf Kouk Cocotr