The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-28
THE FINAL ANSWER

John--''weil, Sam. hope you are
going to vote to Dust the saloons"
Sam-"No, have about made up
my mind to vote for the saloons"
John-'Why?
Sam-"Weli, / was down town last
night and l heard q speech about the
men that prohibition would throw out
of employment---the thousands in
breweries and distilleries, besides the
bartenders, the wagon drivers and the
men making saloon supplies like bar
fixtures. bottlemakers and many other
lines, and 1t set me to thinking. There
are enough idle men now"
John-"Did he tell you what the
brewers and distiliers would do with
their capital IL they had to quit max
ing beer and whiskey?"
Sam--"No, I don't remember that
he did"
John-"Did he say anything about
what drinking men would do with
their money IL they stopped drink
ing?"
sam-"No. he did not say. anything
about that
John-"well. II men quit spending
their money for drink they would
spend 1t for something, wouldn't
they?"
Sam-"Yes. expect they would"
John"You remember that case of
Tom Orchard-how he spent a good
deal of his money in the saloon while
his family went without many of the
necessities and had no luxuries at
all?"
sam-'Yes, remember about
Tom"
John-''You remember how he quit
drinking and out Of his first week.
pay he bought new shoes for his chill
dren and how a little later he bought
a new dress for his wife md then
some good furniture and after little
he got a piano for his daughter: he
got books for himself and now he
spends his evenings at home and he is
a different man In every way"
sam--"Yes. remember that"
John--"Did you ever stop to think,
Sam, what this meant? When Tom
brought shoes for his children H. gave
a Job to somebody to make the shoes.
When re bought furniture. he set men
to work making furniture. When he
bought a piano he not only gave Joy
to his daughter but he gave work to
pianomakers. When men quit drink
ing in large number and begin to buy
things as Tom did, don't you see what
q demand for labor It is going to make
right away? 1t will not be some time
1Al tiA khC Ad@uA q. put hc"s ca OAS~Nf
the very first ply day after the sa-
looms close, large additional amounts
will be spent for useful things and
the larger demand for labor will be-
gin"
Sam-"Yes. that Is true, but the
speaker said there would be these
thousand Of ex-bartenders and sa-
loonkeepers who would go to the man
ayers OF factories and say they must
have work and they would offer to
work cheaper than the men they en-
pioyed."
John--"yes. know, but you see
the foolishness OF that. Why, IL all
the Riddles. who needed them were
bought new shoes, so many orders
would 60 TO the manufacturers that
they would have to employ a great
deal OF additional help at once. II
men bought new furniture for their
homes instead Of the old stuff they
have II would make such O food OF
orders on the factories that they could
not get men enough to iii their or
ders" esv
Sam--'Then you think II we had
prohibition instead Of there being men
out OF work that 1t would give en-
ployment to more men--more men
than are now employed?"
John--"Of course, - would. II
there were more demands for furni-
ture than thu present factories can
supply there would be more factories
built and this would employ men in
making the brick and the iron and the
woodwork, and getting ready the ma
terial for the new factories and it
would employ men In building them
Why, Sam. do you know how much
there To spent for booze every year 2"
Sam--"No, don't know. How much
is it?"
Jehn-"Ths lowest estimate In the
United States Is $1.750, 100000 year
There are about 400 working days in
year--that is nearly $S.0e0,000 q
day-worse. than wasted. How much
is your bar bill. SAM"
Sam-"Oh. about $40 month"
John-'well, let's see-s10 a
month, that Is $40 a year. At the
end OF the year what do you have