The state herald., 1914-10-16
WAR is DEVASTATING EUROPE
SALOONS ARE DEvASTAT.
ING COLORADO
TRAFFIC COSTS TAXPAYERS MIL
LIONS.
Strike Districts Greatly Benefited by
Closing Of saloons.-Federal OF.
flcers Plead for Dry Colorado.

Colorado. While war is devastating
Europe, the liquor traffic has been
playing havoc with the Centennial
State. The special session of the leg
lslature recently appropriated the
sum of ONE MILLION dollars to pay
the expenses of the state militia for
services in the strike districts. The
5aloons in coal fields were solely re-
sponsible for the destruction of hun
ireds of thousands of dollars worth
Of property. and for the great loss OF
life. Here is the proof 1t is an ex.
.ract from the report of the subcom.
nittee Of the Congressional Committee
IN Mines and Mining:
MANY of the coal companies main,
lain camp saloons and collect from
he keepers of such saloons a per cap
TIA sum of 25 cents to 40 cents per
month for each person whose name
appears upon the company payroll as
4 charge against the saloonkeeper for
he privilege of enjoying the exclusive
saloon business of the camp.
Saloons in mining camps produce a
leplorable situation among the miners,
1abituating them to the improper use
Of strong drink and thereby impair
lng their efficiency by lessening the
production and increasing the hazard
of operating the mine. One mine op-
orator testified as follows:
1.-The saloon is the curse Of the
camps, the sink hole for miners earn
lngs. Nine men in the month Of July
with IN average of $50 each for two
weeks payroll, after deductions had
been made, had not cent left on the
morning following payday. Their mon
gambling. These men were untitled
Tor work for three days.
MANY camp saloons are open after
midnight and on Sunday in violation
Of state law. Over one saloon there
has floated for years the red flag OF
anarchy with an open knife fastened
to the flag. The saloon Is a rendez-
yous for anarchists and many crimes
are chargeable to its Influence -
Part IX.. page 554. OF official hear
lng.)
When President Wilson sent the
federal troops into Colorado to take
charge OF the affairs of the strike dis
tricts. his first official act was to
close all of the saloons. The brewery
protested vigorously but
the President. realizing that the root
of the trouble lay in the vicious sa-
Icons. ordered that they remain
closed.
"Dry" Policy Best.
In Trinidad. Walsenburg and other
cities In the coal mining district, busi-
ness has greatly increased since the
were closed. Bank deposits
have shown tremendous increase;
miners are paying cash for the neces-
stiles OF life instead OF running bills;
old accounts are being paid; dead.
leafs have become us scarce as hens
teeth-until the merchants and bust
ness men OF these sections OF the state
are pleading for statewide prohibi.
tloi.
The DRY" policy has been OF vast
boEeflt to the miners also. Mr.. J. r.
Welborn. president OF the Colorado
Fuel and Iron Company. gave out a
sigaed statement on the Effect OF
Closing Saloons In the Colorado Min.
Ing Districts" which reads as follows
Experience shows that where no
saloon Is Immediately available many
woikmen 30 as far as Is necessary to
find one and there spend Saturday
nights. Sundays and holidays. often
returning unfit for work until after a
day or two of rest, and the general
Bory Ice is always greatly disorganized
By the incapacity OF few.
"sobriety First-eest Business
Policy.
''Nvith the advent OF the federal
troops all saloons In the coal mining
districts were closed. and as q result,
the efficiency OF the workmen has
realty improved. the average produc.
ticn OF coal per man increasing about
ten per cent.
"Thc production Mt this company's
mines In the southern district OF
Colorado for the first eighteen days
of April averaged 5s5 tons per day
for each miner at work. That was be.
fore the federal troops closed tho "a,
looms.
For the first eighteen days OF June
with all saloons closed) each man
produced G.52 tons. WHICH MEANT
AN AVERAGE INCREASE IN WAGES
OF OVER Nc PER MAN.
"This has confirmed the view long
held by US, that n saloons and drink
Ing could be eliminated from the coal
dlstrlets. not only the miners but the
companies would be greatly bens.
fitted"
MIR. VOTER: The liquor traffic has
been robblng wage carners OF their
earning capacity. In Colorado alone,
10000 worklngmcn are made unfit for
employment every year by the saloon
IL has filled tho ptato institutioua full