The Detroit times., 1911-02-15
SAVINGS DEPOSITS
INCREASE UNDER
LOCAL OPTION
Mt. Pleasant Furnishes Substantial
Evidence That the Absence Of
Saloons Makes for Greater Pros
perity for Working People.
Business Men Overwhelmingly 0p'
posed to Return to License Sys-
TEN, Is the Word From Flint.


ers opposed to the rigid enforce
ment Of the Warnercramton law
are Joining with brewers forced
out Of business In "dry" territory
to form an organization that will
have no connection with the Mich
igan Brewery association. Mem
bers Of the new organization,
which will be headed by John
koerber, an lonla brewer, hint
that the Michigan Brewers asso-
citation 10 secretly aiding the
"drys." with the idea OF Iessening
competition.
Local option endorsements continue
to come from districts where the dry
law has been tried for more than ,ana a
peninsula where local option obtains,
conditions are said to be much better
during the dry period than when the
localities We're wet" Some OF the re-
ports follow:
MT. PLEASANT, Mich, Feb. a.
In Mt. Pleasant and In lsa-
bella county since the adoption OF To-
cal option, nearly two years ago, have
been most gratifying to everyone. ex-
liquor business. IL Is, indeed, rare
thing 10 see a man intoxicated now.
There is no carousing on the streets
at night, no profanity or indecent
language, none of the direct results OF
the open saloon. Business men say
that men now buy goods and pay for
them, who always. before local option.
spent their money for drink and got
for their goods. During the
&C Celebration here last Fourth Of July
men ate their dinners with their fam
lies in the parks and IL was at the
time commented on that some OF them
we're never seen here before sober at
4 like celebration.
Business has been much better than
before in all lines of mercantile trade,
less trouble with their employees, who
formerly spent their time and wages
IN the saloons.
The savings deposits in the two
banks of this city have increased since
local option was adopted more than
sz16.000, large part of which has
come In small deposits from those who
lever had a bank book. The result
,f local option, which has been SO sue
cessful In Isabella county, has prob
ably been due In large measure to
an honest enforcement of the law. AS
4 result, there is scarcely any opposi-
lion now to local option.
An effort was made to again submit
the question this year, but there was
no interest In the proposition and no
signatures could be secured to the pc
titions.
Business Booms In Flint.
FLINT, Mich, Feb. 14-If the de-
of the local option ques-
ion were placed In the hands Of the
nj this city tho vote would
De overwhelmingly against the return
Of the saloon to Genesee county In
he coming election. Whatever feel
ngs they may have In respect to the
question, personally. 1t is difficult to
ind a merchant who does not make
The assertion that his business is In
much better condition and his book
debts smaller since the city went
dry" Ii Is the consensus OF opinion
among many OF the best citizens, mac
nfacturers and employers OF labor,
that Flint has benefited by the absence
Of the saloon. The statement in made
by many citizens that they voted
wet" two years ago, because they did
rot believe In local option, but that
heir opinion has changed since It's
operation In this city and they are
going to cast their ballot in favor Of
he retention Of the present system.
There is no question but that crime
has decreased. Flint has increased its
population about 5000 In the last two
years, and the jail records do not show
as many arrests now as there were at
that time, notwithstanding the large
Increase. II Is no uncommon thing for
two or three days to pass without q
single Arrest for intoxication, which In
4 record never attained In the Old
regime. One-quarter of the arrests for
are due TO the proximity
Of Flint to Saginaw county, which Is
wet.
There does not appear to be any
thing on the surface that would indi-
cate the return OF this county to the
wet" column. The city gave a wet"
majority OF 400 I'm 1909, but IL Is be-
Iieved by many who are In touch with
the situation that this majority will
be largely cut down at the vote in
the spring.