The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-09-27
TIP TO THE PEOPLE.

!. response to a petition presented
!, ,hst body asking that the question
! icensing or prohibiting the sale of
s,oyicating liquors in OrOville be sub
.Ittpd to vote of the people, the
~ council has called an election to
: held on the same day as the gener-
!, election November 5, when the vOt-
~ of the town will pass their verdict
snou the proposition. The issue is
dar cut and well defined, and the
ummunity will be torn up in discus
~ Of the subject, pro and con, for
| lhe ak weeks that proceeds the cleo
rba Lines will be sharply drawn,
~ the merry war will be on until
AZ 0nality is reached through the in
drumentality of the ballot. 1t is to
h regretted that the question cannot
discussed nationally, but there are
extremists on both sides who feel that
lhsy are right, and have no time to
rason. Enmities will be engendered,
pcives will be questioned, and no
natter what may be the result the i'll
feeling aroused will not be eradicated
b years.
There will be two sides presented
he moral and the material. The NOR
,Ha will insist that it will be a bene-
Il to the town to have the saloons
closed; that the absence of the saloon
vii invite better class of citizens,
md more of them, as has been the
nse for instance, at Riverside, LOOM
b and C0ncOnully, that have pros
pfed beyond all expectations since
going dry; that it will be a financial
saving to the inhabitants individually
nd collectively; that it will increase
badness and superinduce unlimited
toatent and happiness; that people
should be perfectly willing to pay the
lcessarily increased taxation to be
lfN of the saloon; that other lines of
bu1iness will occupy the buildings to
b made vacant, to compete with the
nefcantile houses already existing,
vhich are doing enough business to
dvtde up the trade. All this and many
aher plausible arguments will be ad-
fa1ced by those in favor of making
II town dry.
o. the other hand the materialists
lnert that by closing the saloons an
llnud contribution of $4,000 to the
lown exchequer is cut off, and this
mount must be raised either by direct
1ntion, or by putting a license
'large on every line of business; that
~ that Is paid to the North Wash
9tm Power and Development COM
~ monthly for lights will be lost.
l1eo would be seriously felt by that
1npany; that some eight citizens
no have from 81 200 to $4,000 invest
u property would be closed out,
hd that property deprived of all val
e; that upward of 40 people who now
onfribute to the support of every bus
Ness house in the town would be re-
loved from the list of consumers;
nat the money spent for liquor in
foville Is drawn almost wholly from
1nstent visitors who II they could
q get their tipple here would get 1t
omewhere else anyhow; that the
oelng OF the saloons would open the
elo for boot-leggers, blind pigs, and
ack alley traders, keeping the town
turmoil, and supplying more busi-
ess Tor the police court than under
y present system; that several lines
business would meet with material
ss by taking away the patronage
Dw coming from the saloons. And
ore OF the same kind.
And now there you are. Everybody
W De drawn into the controversy.
mere seems to be no neutral ground.
gu must be for or against, and the
an who tries to dodge the issue will
celve less consideration than he who
ses sides, no matter what side he
aes. Both will be merciless. The
y OF It Is that SO long time elapses
iore the election. 1t permits of Iii
eling soaking in and becoming
ronic. To one who wants to see his
whsmen living on terms of amity
" fellowship these frenZied appeals
passion are deplorable. But they
nhot be prevented. There are so
Wy people so awfully good they in
y upon reforming their neighbOrs.
IN there are others so awfully bad
~ tney do not want to he reformed.
ie elements will not mix no more
an OIL and water. Anyhow, the case
up Tor settlement at the polls, and
t0wn will be twisted up from CEN
10 circumference until tEp idcS OF