The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-11-10

~ 49, ~
the mater-namely, the temperance
workers and the saloonkeepers, says
an article in the New York World.
1T was only last July" said j. A.
Richardson, a prominent worker IN
the local mission activities and gos-
pei rooms of the Bowery and the
lower west side, that | began to
realize the powerful agency WE had
in the cheapest of the moving picture
exhibitions. Several itinerant gospel
workers called our attention TO it. |
| made a personal investigation and
was surprised to find in one section OF
the lower west side that the all-night
loafiing in saloons had decreased 80
per cent. Saloon-keeprs regretfully
admitted il.
"Why?" l asked.
For answer a SalOon-keeper pointed
to a five-cen+ moving picture show
across the street.
Il went over and was surprised to
find inside men l knew to be habitual
leaners On the saloon rail. | found
men there, TO, who used to spend
their nights in saloons drinking and
had gotten out of that habit by cul-
tivating another. I cannot say to
what extent this will help the aboli-
ton of the corner saloon, but / do
claim that the moving picture show is
now an ally in that work
Fifty-Nine Brooklyn Saloons Quit.
The Excise Bureau in Brooklyn a
few days ago that fifty
nine saloons had been driven out of
business in that borough since the
first of the year. The owners Of some
Of these admitted that the movies in
the block had been to strong a COM
petitOr. The men simply had &C
quired a new habit-the habit Of go
ing to he movies. They no longer
stayed in the saloon night, as they
used to, spending from % to so cents
on ordinary nights and above a dol
lar on Saturdays. They did not stay
away altogether; they went in and
bought a drink and then left. The
habit Of treating was broken up. Men
got in the habit of taking their wives
for an hour or SO to the movies in
their neighborhood.
In Brooklyn alone the closing up Of
saloons and the failure Of many
keepers to apply for renewal Of their
licenses at the beginning of October.
caused a falling off Of nearly $4,000
in license fees. There has been a
corresponding reduction all over the
city in the number OF salons. Fail
ures are reported daily to the local
Excise Commission. The number of
ais has greatly encouraged the Anti
!. Salon League.
; Many Licenses Dropped.
, At the main Offices of the New
+ York State Excise Department in AL
: bany the records up to October 10th
snow that los saloons in Manhattan
and the Bronx had gone out Of bust
I ness since last October. In Richmond
Borough six went to the wall. Onl,
IN theBorough Of Queens do thu
hgures show nof ailures and no de.
crease Of renewals.
me commission informed a re.
y porter for The World that the "falI
ing on this year in all parts of thu
state mas been the largest of an,
= IN recent times. With these figures il
: brooklyn as a guide, the estimated
decrease IN fees to the Excise De
partment is close to $500, 900 in New
York City. ~
, AT the branch offices OF the Excis,
department IN the several borough
/ the reported was told hat while tn,
commissioners had no facts to shov
~ - tne moves were responsible il
s al there was no doubt tina
le IN SPECIFIC cases they had been th,
Il olrect cause of failures. In genera
% IL was the opinion Of the commits
,e sloners that the war and inability +
/ get ready-money on account Of tn
sixty-day rule Of the banks cause,
le many Of the failures.
ot Church Workers Testify.
n In the Pau1lst parish on the uppe
y west side workers said that the movie
y hao been unconsciously a factor !,
Il iessenlng the attendance at local ga
N looms. In that neighborhood RI
I'd movies, coupled with the activities O
Id the Paulist Fathers, have reduce
I'd treating and aII-nignt Ioaf;n
st around saloons 40 per cent. some =
ed frst-class places can stand a dacreaS
IS Of this kind for a year or two. br
of the dumps and the dives" it wa
Id limited. must surely go to the wall"
ct The temperance workers in III
Episcopal church reported that in tn
IS. rural districts and towns the movie
ed had a tremendous effect in the re
duction of the liquor rattle In man
an instances pastors have told concre
rs cations that they would prefer to So
them so to moving picture show
b. even on Sundays. rather than to
saloon.
n OF fifteen acknowledgements ;,.a,