The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-09-04

full juggling of figures In an attempt
TO prove false conclusion.
In March. 1915, only such DRINKS
were recorded on the police blotter
as caused disturbances warranting
trial and punishment Every man
discovered by the police under the in
fiuence OF liquor in March, .J916, was
arrested and recorded on the police
blctter for punishment, the old habit
of letting more than one-half of tho
total number or DRINKS taken in out
OF jail on SOLDERING up the next day
having been abandoned.
Arrests Compared.
THE total arrests for crimes.
growing out OF the sales of liquor as
recorded on the police blotter, were
for March, 1915, 1879; for March.
1915. loss. From the 1916 arrests
should be deducted. to secure the cor
rect point of view. ~ arrests OF LOU or
people for violations of the dry law
This leaves March only 1893 arrests
upon which a comparison can be
based, II then we add only 800 ar
rests for drunkenness in March, 1915.
which did not get to the police blot
ter. then the total for March. 1915, Is
raised to ,a79 March of this year
then was marked by almost 1000
fewer arrests than March. 1915, un-
der the wet law. In the first three
months OF 1915. 5,265 persons were
taken to the city Jail as the result of
misuse of liquor. In the same per
iod in 1915 under the dry law, and in
Guiding the violations of that law
by the liquor people Themselves only
2.654 arrests were made, but these
n 70 ka TIT Al ftf,y,
at least 1000 persons arrested In the
three month period of 1915, whose
names did not get 30 the p ,lice blot
ter.
The figures relative to the number
OF permits in the same paragraph are
accurate. but are used by the liquor
dealers to draw a false inference. 1t
was natural that the number OF per
nn3ts under law permitting the i'm
portation OF liquor should increase
as private supplies holding from the
wet period ran out
Concerning Drug Stores.
The fourth paragraph speaks of
an increase in the number of drug
stores. 1t Is perfectly true that this
did occur. but the liquor dealers
failed TO state that the most Of these
drug stores were started up by ex-
beat the law Nor does the Whole
sale Liquor Dealers Association tell
you that several score arrests have
been made amongst these new drug
stores and that latterly, many of
them have been completely wrecked
by raiding parties as summary pun
ishment.
Finally, In the last paragraph you
have permitted the publication Of
deliberate and wtlful falsehoo1 and
added to that a false insinuatton fully
as contemplate and unwarranted.
In a community of $4,000 souls.
q community as wealthy, happy, con-
tented, prosperous and progressive
all these things in spite of the wishes.
desires and statements of the liquor
dealers--no possible injury could be
worked by the departure even OF
three such wealthy men and sterling
citizens as Messrs. Boeing, Skinner
and Eden.
But these men have not left Seat
tie. They never intended to leave.
never announced their intention Of
going, and though indignant at the
treatment they accidentally received
at the hands OF overzealous officials,
are still in Seattle and expect to re-
main here indefinitely.
Business Has Increased.
Now, instead of suffering greatly
financially, Seattle In bank clearings.
bank deposits and volume of business
OF every kind. excepting the handling
Of liquor. has vastly increased since
the coming OF the dry regime. Janu-
airy /. OF this year, ! am not attempt
ing to say that the dry law caused
these things. / am merely stating
1t has happened.
Gated as a result Of the dry law.
more than 500 saloons
were closed and all but a very few
of the locations occupied by these
have since been occupied by entirely
new business houses. Naturally the
rent which a shoe store. a candy store
or specially shop can pay in an old
saloon location Is less than could be
afforded by the displaced car No
other rentals in Seattle were reduced
by the disappearance OF the saloons
In fact there are many instances of
increases in rentals OF business loca-
tons and on the main retail street OF
Seattle. within the last few weeks. the
highest price ever paid for business
real estate was recorded on the pur-
chase OF one lot by a dry goods house.
In conclusion, permit me to say
It is not necessary at this time to
discuss the morals of prohibition at
all. / simply desire to refute the
calculated to injure my
home city in order that the liquor
dealers may benefit
Very truly,
&C. B. BLEyTHE EN-,
Editor The Seattle Times"
Now for Direct Statement.
Now for a direct statement of what
has happened to business in Seattle
during the first six months OF 1915,
but always with the understanding
that II is not asserted that prohibi-
ion has been responsible for all the
Improvement, but that 1t is asserted
hat the bad business conditions prom
sed the people of the city and State
by the wet advocates did not arrive:
Apparently without any important
Increase OF population to account for
It. the dry goods houces, small stores.
shoe stores, meat
and groceries have been do
ing a largely increased business
In spite of the reluctance of many
real estate dealers to discuss condi-
lions. rentals have not gone down ap-
probably save in ola saloon locations.
where false values were maintained
as long as it was legal to sell liquor.
On the other hand. many large firms
are having higher rants Ana