Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-09-14

(Curtis p. Coe, McMinnville, Ore.)
At this time when the people of
Oregon are considering the question
of going out of partnership with the
crime, destruction, shame and dis
grace of the liquor traffic, it is worth
while to investigate the workings of
prohibition in cities of our fair state
where it has been tried consistently
and conscientiously.
Ashland is not the only city of this
class, but it is one of the largest
(6,000 population) that has had pro-
hibition for number of years. 1t
put the saloons out of commission in
1908 and since that time, although a
vote has been taken on the question
every year, it has always been strong
ly in favor of dry city. Now the
great majority of the business men
would welcome devastating disease or
famine more than the return of the
liquor traffic.
Regardless of all preconceived no.
tions to the contrary, in Ashland pro-
hibition really prohibits. The chief
of police, r. C. Porter, secures each
week record of liquor shipments
made by freight and express, and
these are filed in his office. He
knows every person who receives
liquor through the common carriers,
and is considering the advisablity of
publishing the reports from time to
time.
From the 1st day of May to the
10th day of June, 1914, nearly six
weeks, the total shipments into Ash
land were 1926 quarts. If Ashland
had as many saloons as some cities
authorize, one to each 250 popula-
tion, she would have "a saloons.
They would handle, if they shipped
in no more booze than now is shipped
into Ashland, about ten quarts
week. If Ashland had as many as the
county seat of Jackson county, in
which Ashland is situated, they would
have 40 saloons. A saloon that did
not handle more than ten quarts of
liquor a week is not seriously to be
dreaded.
The people of Ashland are a law
abiding people, as is shown by the
record of arrests. From January
to August 2S, 1914, there was total
OF 105 arrests. Eleven of these were
for drunkenness. and most of them
were for petty thieving of boys, which
in wet town would hardly be no
ticed. The police department, not
having to deal with the conditions
caused by drink, has time to check
tendencies toward wrong-doing in the
young, and so save many from lives
of crime.
Many of these young offenders
must report to Chief Porter weekly
for term of months, and so they
learn to respect the law and the Of
ficers of the law. How much better
such a condition is than to leave the
offender to ripen into a finished Grim
inal and then support him at public
expense in a penal institution.
Mayor o. II. Johnson is determined
that the city shall be dry and well
governed. 1t is said that city Of
ficial was reported drunk by a tele-
phone message from Medford, which
is wet and only twelve miles away
by good road and frequent trains.
When that official stepped on the de-
pot platform at Ashland he was pre-
sented with resignation for him to
sign, and his successor was appointed
within half a day.
At the close of the first year OF
prohibition a paper was circulated
among the business men asking them
for six reasons to place their names
on the petition to keep Ashland dry.
The reasons were: For the sake of
the normal school, the public schools,
public morals, business institutions
and the homes. Only three or four
business men would sign the paper.
At the end of the second year the
same paper was circulated and all the
business men except a very few were
glad to sign II. At the end of the
third year every man would sign It
The business men agree that collec
tions are much easier and that losses
by bad debts are very much reduced
TO a negligible amount.
Some will ask, Is there a good bus
mess condition? The bank report
may indicate. Besides the postal saw
ings bank there are three banks doinl
large business. The total numbe
OF depositors in the banking institu
tions is 1856, more than half tn
number OF the population OF the city
and the total deposits are 1862
7S1.34.