Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-17
DRY DEs MONIES.
[Des Moines Tribune.l

Des Moines Is dry-legally.
The saloons closed Feb. Is by order
of the city council.
However, II q man wants to buy Q
drink he can II he is wise" There are
many bootleggers, several whisky drul
stores and no fewer than two wet clubs
in the city.
IF that is true, conditions will Be
worse than with licensed saloons" said
q disgruntled ex-saloonkeeper
His argument mas long since gone
stale.
Why did the liquor men Of Dsa
Moines spend thousands Of dollars to
get consent petitions and hiring coun-
sci to defend the petitions in the
courts?
Why did they pay $500 . year III
cense to the city and county?
why did they pay thousands Of dol
lars Of ''blood money" to certain prop
erty owners?
why did they invest thousands in
bar rooms?
They knew they could sell more
booze from their hip pockets or from
holes in the wall or from drug stores
or from the clubs or thru agents who
escort the prospective buyer 10 Sc
Guided spot to transact the sale. It was
because they loved their city and only
wanted to decrease the taxes and re-
fresh our thirsts that they gladly paid
$1,000 a year license, appeased the APP
petites of the teaches, spent money
like water to get consent petitions and
paid out huge sums for furnishings In
the saloons.
Hard luck for the "alky gang" says
some one meaning the old bunch that
hung around some of the saloons.
NY thought is that oil who drink be-
long to the "alky gang" The drunk
en- ciubman stands On the same level
with the blear-eyed bar fly. The club
man who wears tailor made suit and
diamonds and who gets drunk on
champagne is just as sloppy. just as
disgusting, just as wild-eyed, Just as
low down as the working man who
wears overalls and VINO gets drunk on
cheap whisky.
Bootleggers will Keep the police hop
ping. Drug stores are tricky at sell
ing booze. But the clubs with inf1uen-
tial members, men who can write big
checks yet who are oooze holsters are
the hard nuts to crack. The wet clubs
are the challenge to the city council
the temperance forces and the police
Hasten the day when beer. whis-
XIV, wine and all intoxicating liquors
will disappear forever. When the time
comes that people will not get drunk
then we will have passed out OF the
dark ages.
WHAT DUBUQUE COUNTY SAVES
[Des Moines Register and Leader.1
The Register and Leader is In re-
ceipt Of the official report Of recent
bridge letting for Dubuque county.
Members Of the legislature who
have personal information Of such
matters will appreciate from perusinR
few paragraphs just how great the
change has been from the old way.
The bridge letting occurred on
Wednesday Of last week:
Dubuque county held the greatest
bridge letting Wednesday. March 10
ever held in this part Of the state
Twenty-Five bids were submitted FOL
1872 bridges and culverts. The work
went to ]. ]. Leonard for 336. 100. q
unit price Of $11.72. Those In posi-
ton to know estimate that this price
is 81 below the former average price
of such work. Figured on basis OF
$1S.72 Dubuque county saved G0,SSS
over what the same work would have
cost under former prices.
'Tt required three hours to read the
bids. The bidding was so close that
during the reading it was impossible