The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-05
OPINIONS or OTHERS

O0S-.-31G C. 90GG--.s0J
The articles contained in this column are
just.what the heading implies Opinions OF
Others and the views expressed therein do
not necessarily coincide with ours. Under
this heading we welcome the discussion of
public questions but in no case will communi-
cations in which pers Qualities are INDUCED
in, be printed. Articles should be written
on one side of the sheet and be made as short
as possible. Any views that we may have on
public questions will be discussed in another
part of this paper.-Editor.
T. the Editor:
ia our last article we held up
Rockford, Illinois, as a glowing
example OF what no license had
done for city OF that class. With
no license came new business to
take the place of the saloons, an in
crease of bank deposits, more city
imp -ovements, and today, according
to the statement of Mayor v. w.
Bennett, the city OF Rockford has
the lowest tax rate of any city in
the state of Illinois having popu-
lation of Is, 900 or more, excepting
Jacksonville, which is also dry.
Rockford, at the present time, has
not the empty buildings that is
claimed for it by those favoring a
license town. On March 1st. 1914,
forty three of the fifty two saloon
buildings were occupied by other
lines of business.
But it is argued that Rockford is
city much larger than Washburn
and is not fair comparison. Ac-
cordingly we have taken Richland
Center, Wisconsin, which is city
of $500 population, and we give be-
low the letter from the Mayor, P.
e. Lincoln, which is proof in itself
of what no license will do for a town.
Rlchland Center, Wis,
February 18th, 1914
Rev. Hubert L. Goodrich,
Washburn, Wis,
Dear Mr.. Goodrich:
Your favor recent date at hand
regarding the effect of saloons being
vafed Out 10 tn : city. We have
oeeu W thout them for sevec years,
and have not experienced any trouble
in paying our taxes either. We
have during this time made moro
provements af a public nature
tnan ever before in the history of
the city. Of course we have in
creased our tax rate but no tax rate
was ever raised because the people
voted out the saloon. The saloon is
a continual breeder of crime, pauper-
ism, and consumer only. Wher-
ever it pays one dollar into the pub
lie treasury for license, it puts
twenty dollars into it's own pockets
Our local business has thrived as
aever before in our history. Every
clothing store, hardware store, all
three banks. in fact. I can safely say
that 50 per cent of our business
places are dead against ever having
saloons in this place again. We
have some people once in while
who try to sell and bootleg. We
get after them and see that they get
what they need. We have not been
troubled with blind pigs to any
great extent. When they know
what is coming, and that they Will
get it straight from the shoulder,
they do not care to take much risk.
Yes, the moral tone of the city has
been improved. 1t could not help
but be improved when you consider
that we recently had eight saloons
and now have none. We recently
tore down a twenty thousand dollar
school house and built one costing
sixty thousand dollars and the new
one is now well filled up. We re-
Gently built fifty thousand dollar
city hall and auditorium. For city
OF $500 people we think such i'm
provments show some thrift and
enterprise that is somewhat com
mendable. The last time we voted
on the license question was three
years ago. We beat the saloons so
badly in that election that the ques-
ton has never been brought up
since. Our majority was 298. The
buildings formerly used as saloons
were soon filed mp with stores. One
place has been remodeled and is
used as bank building. One place
is used as a meat market. TIL
other places are occupied as stores
and all doing a nice business. Just
one year ago 48 mercantile and trad
ing establishments signed a written
statement. which [ have in my
possession, that they were through
with having any more saloons IN
this CITY We believe that sober