The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-01-14

our jail, tWO-tnlrdS OF WnOm were put
there through the influence OF liquor.
Moral: II there was no liquor sold
in Marion the county would not have
its present expense of caring for SO
many criminals.
Prohibition
l suppose that YOU gentlemen will
expect something from me on the
workings of the state prohibition law
in our city. and l shall give you a
brief candid and we'll weighed state
ment of my opinion
III giving this opinion it is not
necessary that l. or any one of us. ap-
proach the subject from the stand
point Of prohibitionist or an anti
prOhibitioniSt. All that is necessary is
to take the facts as they are present
ed from the records OF our recorders
court and from the general condition
of affairs in our city, and from these
facts to form. each for himself. our
own opinions
Having said as much. l give it as
my unbiased opinion that the state
prohibition NV has done no harm to
lowing reasons:
drunks during 1907. which was the
last year of the old regime was G.
ouS. The number of cases for drunks
for 1909 was 3,I41 will be seen
from these figures thai the number of
drunks is still far below the number
of 1907. and thi-. toD Notwithstanding
a very considerable increase in our
citys population
>. The total numb" of cases made
in the recorders ..".t for diSorderly
conduct in 1907 W. 12,456, and in
1909 10.055. These lures show that
while the total cases for disorderly
conduct IA, ,.,ige. still they fall far
behind the record of 1907. the last
year of the old regime. Such facts
as these must show. if they how any
thing. that the absence Of the old
time whisky saloon has played an
important part in TIL" decrease in the
number of drunks and the number of
cases of disorderly conduct.
Rents and Real Estate Values
,. ! am informed by our leading
real estate dealers that practically all
Of the places formerly rented for
whisky saloon are now rented for
near beer saloons or for other pur-
poses. and a figures equally as high.
and in many places higher than the
rents received under the old regime.
That this is Il fact cannot be doubted
by those of YOU who have had occa-
sion to MAKE even the most cursory
investigation of the question
I. Again it can be fairly stated that
the value OF real estate has never
been 50 high in the history of the
city. That this is true can be seen
from the almost daily transfer of real
estate property both in small and in
large sales. and in every case the
seller appears to be making a salts
factory profit. While it is true that
Atlanta has largely profited during
the present year from having received
her part Of the golden stream of
$50, 100000 derived from Georgia s
princely cotton crop. and while it is
true that the general advance in all
lines Of commercial and industrial ac-
,, tivity is largely responsible for this
result. still it is nevertheless true that
these results ara being obtained while
| our city is working under the state
prohibition law, 1t cannot be over
looked. however, that in 1907 the city
received Sl35.612.50 from liquor Ii
censeS. while in 1909 the total receipts
from near-beer license was S31 500
The loss of this revenue has been felt
in financing the city. but l am glad to
say that we have been able TO meet
| the urgent demands of our growing
city. and our financial sheet at the
close of the year was free from debts.
Enforcement Of the Law
1t is gratifying to state that this
prohibition law is being we'll enforced
in our community. l know there are
those who may doubt this statement
but it is. nevertheless. true. as will be
seen from the following figures:
The total number of blind tiger
| cases made for the Year 1907. the last
| year of the old regime was 131. The
| blind tiger cases for 1908 We're 2l4