The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1914-09-17
Arrests Fewer. Bank De-
poSitS Greater
SALOONS ARE OCCUPIED
MERCHANTS ALL ENTHusIAsrIo
BUILDING PERluTs rA1
aREArER-sroRY OF
DRY TOWNS TOLD.
BY oRroN z. GOODWIN.
Publicity Department Csamittss Of One
Hundred.

BY ORION z. GOODWIN.
Publicity Dspars%:nt Ss.mi'''' Of o"'
There is only one fair way to
find out what Oregon dry will do
for Oregon. That il by investi-
eating what Oregon dry has done
for those parts Of Oregon now
dry.
So far az can be learned in
Salem, Oregon City, Roseburg,
Albany, Eugene and other Ore
gon dry towns, business has been
better in all lines, save that Of the
saloon, in every dry town.
Why, even in Pendleton. which
voted wet after being dry. but
which will probably vote dry, many
merchants are now In favor OF q
dry town and declare collections
were better, business better and bad
debts fewer when the town was dry
Building Now Better.
In Salem, building has been
greater since the town went dry.
There are but few vacant houses,
and those vacant are described as
"shacks." Practically every saloon
has been re-tcnantcd by other lines.
Of business, and one OF the princi-
pal saloon sites has been replaced
by fine new building block.
Since Salem Went dry a $4,000
brick building has been erected and
a $4,000 business block Is going up.
Doesn't look as If dry Salem hurt
that town, does II?
Better Building Results.
Salem went dry January I, 1914.
The building permits for the first
eight months Of 1913. when the
town was wet, total s388.925. For
the first eight months of 1914 they
were s422.s8S. an increase Of
$3.50. alr. re
Another instance OF dry town
helping businessl Absence of the
saloon always means better busi-
ness. for the money that once went
10 the saloon soes into trade.
Checks cashed once In saloons are
cashed In stores-and part OF them
are spent there, In place Of In the
saloons.
There were 25< arrests for the
first seven months Of 1918 In Salem
for drunkenness; In 1914 the ar
rests totsled only ~ for the same
cause.
Stores Enlarge Prsmisss.
The three largest stores have had
to remodel their premises because
Of increased business. when other,
towns-wet st that-have been COM
planning.
In Oregon City arrests have de-
creased co per cent.
Violations OF the state liquor laws
(bootlegging and so forth, are now
less than one-half.
You see the saloon men never
used to obey the LAWN a dry
town they have to obey II.
Bank Deposits Increase.
Deposits in the banks have in
creased. There is more building.
Bad debts are being cleared up.
Collections are easier. Not one mill
check has been cashed In a saloon.
All business wen say trade Is bet
ter.
Which ANSWERS The ssssffoA ss To-
WhV the cry has come from all oper
Oregon for a dry foiDn.
L. Adams. one of the leading Ore
gon City merchants. said:
"Since Oregon City went dry,
business has much improved. Col
lections are easier. / have fewer
bad bills on my books than l had a
year ago. People now have a ten
dency TO buy their goods at home.
l used to cash Is checks on mill pay
nights. Now ] cash so. The aboli-
tion Of the saloon has turned a vast
sum Of money daily into the chan
nels OF trade In Oregon City"
All OF which answers the ques-
tion OF whether . town Is better wet
or dry.
Ysia a1ysstissasss ~ sAs. osa.issss Of One.