The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-03-04
BANK DEPOSITS LARGER,
GARNISHtE CASES FEWER
IN STATES DRY CAPITAL
Local Option Forces in Lansing
Have string Of Cold Hfgtf=-
ments On Their Side
TAX RATE IS DECREASED
Doubtful if the VETS Will Be
Able To Reinstate "a Danger
ously-Decent" Saloons
From q son Correspondenk.

y LANSING, Mich, March ling
ham county and the capital city have
been aboard the water wagon for
nearly two years and they are trying
these days 10 make up their minds
whether they will vote on the first
Monday in April to hang on or fall
off--to stay sober or get drunk.
Ingham county went drained in
the spring of 1910, by a majority OF
nearly seven hundred, while the city
of Lansing voted swampy by nearly
1000 majority.
The county had 40 saloons and one
brewery. Lansing had "a saloons.
The brewery is said to have paid
dividends OF from 80 10 90 per cent
with an investment of only 100000
which probably Is very persuasive
argument against local option so far
( az the stockholders are concerned.
II seems that the dry" forces have
been handicapped by an unusual sit
uation In Lansing because the "a sa.
looms OF the days of "wetness' were
dangerously decent, with one or two
exceptions. II is reported that the
mer In the business were, generally
speaking, law-abiding bunch; that
they didn't sell to minors and didn't
keep open on forbidden days and dur
ing forbidden hours. Saloonkeepers
Of that kind are not as conducive 10
local option majorities as the fellows
who can't recognize q law unless II
is accompanied by policeman or
sheriff and who would rolf an I'M
fortunate victim for his last dollar.
The reduced degree OF badness in
the Lansing saloons Of two years ago
and the unusual "class" TO the men
engaged In the business, are argu-
ments employed to induce Ingham
county to become low and marshy
again.
Another unfortunate situation
against which the "drys" have to
contend is the considerable amount
OF beer and liquors shipped In from
outside concerns and the close prox-
unity of wet" Jackson.
tits also argued for the wet" side
that local option promotes bottle
drinking, especially among minors.
Eut in spite OF these hobbies
against which the local option forces
nave to contend, there Is an "on the
other hand side to the proposition
and the "drys" are optimistically
working for an anticipated victory.
There isn't any question but that
the general moral tone OF Lansing
md the county has been improved
by local option.
The Times correspondent mas peen
here for nearly week and Is not
sure that he has seen single
drunken manor married one either
for that matter. A man was seen 10
alip on the icy walk and fall down,
hut as the fellows breath was not
inspected, Il Is not definitely known
whether or not IL was case OF
drop too much.
Il seems splendidly civilized not
TO see the typical grog snop, tne
screened windows and the bleer-eyeo
burrs. and not to sniff the odor OF
the drink shop, and not TO hear the
profanity and vulgarity that are the
logical and inevitable products OF the
average saloon.
And arrests for drunkenness have
Increased.
So much for the moral side Of the
issue.
Now for cold. sentimentless, morai-
less. sordid commercialism.
For the year 1911 the five banks
I'm fhe city of Lansing report an iP-
crease of s236,00O In bank deposits.
II isn't a pleasant job to try TO punch
an unpunchable argument like that.
1t doesn't call for elaboration. IL
speaks for itself.
The postal reports for 1911 snow
an increase Of $1,000.
The number Of garnishee cases
during 1911 decreased 40 per cent,
an eloquent testimony for the fam
sily-supporting potency OF the dry
system.
The railroads entering the city OF
Lansing reported at the end OF the
year that they had carried more peo-
pie into the city during 1911 than
during any year in their history, an
evidence to smash the stock argu-
ment that saloonlessness keeps people
out OF place and Injuries business
In that way.
On December 81 representatives OF
275 per cent OF the commercial inter-
ests OF the city OF Lansing declared
in local paper that their business
had been as good If not better than
ever before, and that they expected
1912 TO be the best year In the his
tory OF Lansing. ,--
IL Is said that on January l, this
year. there were but three vacant
store places In the city that were con-
sidered desirable.
One business place that had been