Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-07-24
Care to BE Exercised.

Care to BE Exc, cised.
The people of this state would De
wise to exercise care in the legisla-
ton they demand, and be slow to
adopt new and radical changes IN
their laws. Washington is new
state, with wonderful possibilities,
and the adoption Of radical laws will
prevent development and be our own
undoing.
The growing of hops and barley in
this state is one of the important IL
dustries that would be destroyed by
this bill. The hop crop of the state
of Washington in 1913 sold for over
$1,32O,00O, and from a conservative
estimate placed upon the crop for
1914, the value will exceed $1,SOc,-
600. In 1913 there were 900 PEI
sons employed in picking hops, and
One-half of the total value of the
crop was paid out in labor. WASH
ington has $500 acres of land grow
ing hops at this time, valued at ST.
100000. Hop yards are valued at
between $500 and $500 per acre,
while the same land, without the
growth of hops, would have value
of but $3.50 to $500 per acre, wa:o-
means a loss of over $1,650,0O0 10
the hop grower, and a like amount OF
taxable property lost to the sca,e, anc
other property will have to bear "a
crease in tax levy Initiative biz
No. 3 does not alone affect hop gTo----
ers, but will affect taxpayers IN az:
increase in taxes. This bill wouiL
destroy the hop and barley industry,
as we would have no market AT nome,
and outside manufacturers will not
buy hops from a prohibition s:ate.
The annual barley crop of $780,
000 bushels, of which $80o,Ggo worth
is used per annum locally Tor malt
ing purposes, would be greatly de-
creased, and the value of 10000
acres of barley land would also de-
crease.
Initiative bill No. 3 destroys the
brewing industry, wipes out revenue
and taxes paid to the state and mu-
inequalities, but does not prevent the
consumption of alcohol The desire
of mankind for alcohol will result in
the secret manufacture. Every ar
ticle of food contains alcohol in vary
ing quantities, and a mixture of sugar
and yeast, permitted to ferment, will
result in a liquid from which alcohol
can be made, by distilling the same
as water is distilled to purify it.
Destroy Instead Of Create.
The Anti-Saloon league, by initia-
tive bill No. 8, seeks to destroy and
not to create industries in this state.
Its agitators. composed of political
preachers, seeking publicity in the
limelight Of prohibition. living
transitory existence from city to city.
are united in their efforts to destroy
the brewing, hop and barley indus
tries.
People Of this age do not confine
themselves to the bare necessities or
life. II they did there would be but
few mercantile establishments of any
kind.
Five cents spent for glass of beer
is not all profit, and does not go out
of circulation. Five cents spent for
beer is divided into many channels OF
trade. The farmer gets his portion
for barley and hops. The transpor-
tation companies get theirs for haul
ing, and pay out portion to en-
ployes. A part goes to expenses OF
federal. state and municipal govern
ments. The saloon man pays $25 a
year to the government, $25 to the
state, $1,000 year to the city. Then
comes rent, light, heat, state, county
and city general taxes, insurance,
salaries, and this is not all; the var
ious brewery workers must have
their portion of the nickel. All OF
the men engaged in the numerous
activities necessary to the produc-
ton and sale of beer must have cloth
ing and food, and they pay rent and
taxes.
Prohibition does not reduce liquor
drinking. It's only accomplishment is
to take away revenue and regulation
and to destroy taxable property and
pay rolls. The bootlegger and blind
pig takes the place of the licensed sa-
loon and the taxpayer must make up
for the loss of revenue and taxation
that is completely wiped out.
The destructive tendency OF the
Anti-Saloon league is only crowned
nv their impudence when they say to