The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-27
Gives His Views of Option
Situation at Martel
Thursday.
BANKS SHOW GAIN IN DEPOSITS
And all Businesses Are in
Better Condition Than
Ever Before.
Objects to Law-breakcrs Trying to
Instruct People How 10 Votc-Says
Many Names ON Wet Petition Were
Forged.

4 ~ IlIlt HttNiuk WIS ntlU, IlllTN-
I day evening, at Martcl. and was pre-
sided over by John McKinstry. John
| II. Clark addressed the people on
| the issues of the present campaign
for local option, presenting in clear
light the several problems involved
| lie began his address by referring to
an incident of his boyhood wherein
a boy was periodically beaten and
driven from home by drunken faith
er. This circumstance had much to
| do In influencing him to oppose the
liquor business.
| How It Affects Business.
Three years ago one of the argu-
ments used by the saloonists was that
the dry regime would injure business.
| That matter has now been tested and
all kinds of legitimate business ls do
ing better than ever before. The big
| Steam Shovel works officials say their
| business was never as satisfactory and
| prosperous as it has been during the
past three years. one of the largest
| dry goods establishments in Marion
| lost some wet customers for the stand
| they took three years ago but they
have gained more ana had last year
| the best trade in their history.
The boot and shoe merchants re-
port increased trade and profits. one
leading firm has nearly doubled its
| business and another has had large
| increase. The only falling Off re-
ported by these tradesmen Is that -
| the Emissions" Many poor people.
| having largely dropped off drink. arc
| now able to buy their own boots and
shoes.
our banks and loan associations
| show n gain of more than 100000
of deposits during the past three years
and have had the most prosperous
| period of business ever known to
| them. This Is Il certain indication
| of the prosperity and improvement
and happiness of the people.
| The pretense Of the saloonkeepers
that because the open saloon has been
| driven out they are doing more busi-
ness than under the former regime
is too absurd for consideration. II
that be true they would not want to
reopen their saloons and pay the
Aiken tax OF $1,000 and the United
states government special tax of S25
but could save that money. The as
| sumption that men can sell more
booze out of their pockets slipping
around in dark alleys or in we'll
guarded Easements and backrooms
where every boO2er must come we'll
okayed is simply unreasonable ana
foolish talk which nobody will believe
for a minute.
Treating is the influence which
causes over drinking and common
cause of drunkenness. This Amer
lean custom IL what plays havoc with
sobriety. But this is not allowed III
these bookkeeping joints because there
il too much danger of one being
witness of the selling which Is a crim-
inal action. If It is true that one can
do q bigger business by stealth ana
secretiye work In the dark than work
inc in the broad light of day then all
the ideas of merchants about adVer-
Using are wrong and absurd. our
merchants believe that II pays 10
work. I'm the light. on the best streets
and locations with fine show-wlndows
land big advertisements In the news
papers.
| one of the interesting matters ol
mis- compaign is the fact that such
men as carl Burke and the o'Keeffes
lare hard at work putting up placards
designated -.
chow TO VOTE VET
land thus assuming to educate the
people of this county on the problem
of bringing back the saloons, These
men have been convicted of criminal
factions ana are self-confessed law
breakers. They have been found
guilty of breaking the law and have
been constant violators of law I'm both
the wet and the dry regimes. II
makes no difference what the law is
these men constantly violate It,
The facts were recounted at this
meeting as shown recently at sid
ney where the school girls and boys
have been subpoenaed TO the number
of 100 to testify before the grand
Jury where they purchased the liquor
which made them drunk and caused
them to stagger and reel on the
streets of that city. Sidney is city
of open saloons,
But there is an object lesson in
these placards posted by the Burkes
ana the O'Keeffes which should ring
the changes on the liquor crime ans
curse i'm Marion county Here are
nroved and sclf-confessed break
ers instructing the people 'how 10
lvote wet" These men have the ada
mantine gall to instruct by diagram
the decent law-abiding, Christian peo-
pie of this county how to vote. Their
kind of people who burn up their
brains ANA sensbilities with booze
lmay need this instruction but the
clean, honest, Intelligent, patriotic,
law-abiding, God-fearing men and
women of Marion county need no
such law-breakers ana promoters ol
vice and crime and degradation ana
the liquor curse to instruct them now