Fergus County Democrat., 1916-11-02
How Prohibition Works in Washington

The rest was civil business. Three
murder trials, but one OF which can
be remotely connected with liquor
evils, are among the cases docketed.
Our county physician has had but
one case of delirium tremens to treat
since January l; he averaged nearly
seven each month.
Property valuations have been re-
duced, quite true, but not because
of prohibition. North Yakima had
boom, prices for realty jumped. They
settled again and valuations settled
with them. There was also a reduc-
tion in property values made in 1914.
certainly not due to prohibition for
prohibition was not adopted until
1916. Our tax rate has also been in
creased, quite true.
But if a person has a piece of prop
erty taxed at $4,000 valuation and
he pays taxes at the rate of 40 mills
thereon, he will pay $500 in taxes.
II the valuation be reduced to $4,000
and the tax rate is raised to As mills
he will pay $3.50, saving of $40 in
taxes. That is the case with us. Lower
taxes
Each of North Yakima's 16 saloons
paid $1,000 per year license. The
city lost that, but the expense for the
coming year is $23,O00 less than it
was in 1914. Saving has been made
in the cost Of maintaining the police
department, in the salary of the po-
lice Judge who has now little to do,
and in the board OF prisoners; also in
many other minor ways. With a
$4,000 loss in revenue, the taxes
levied on the people have also been
reduced to $1,000. Surely not bad
showing for prohibition.
Few places occupied formerly by
the saloons are now vacant. There
is a shoe store in one "a mems turn-
ishing goods store in another,a res.
taurant in third, two have been
transformed into soft drink establish
ments and another is occupied by a
second hand store One of the best
corners formerly occupied by saloon
has recently been purchased by
bank and $4,000 building will be
erected thereon soon.
Our former saloon proprietors are
employed and they appear to be pros
pering. though probably not in the
proportion that they were when TAX
ing the money that should have gone
to buy bread, shoes and milk and pay
the rent.
Not once a month, but many times
| each month, sometimes several times
a week in the good old days" of the
open saloon. has the police reporter
come to my desk. that of city editor
of the Yakima Republic, and asked
whether or not he should use the
names Of young girls and young boys
arrested by the police in raids or
otherwise who had been hailed into
court for crime committed while un-
der the influence of liquor, crimes
against the public, against themselves,
or merely the first downward step.
And all too frequently have young
girls or young women come to me
with tears in their eyes, pleading that
their names might be omitted from
accounts of. some disgraceful affair.
They feared publicity more than court
/ reprimands or court fines. If only
their names could be omitted or as
sumed names used they would prom
ise never to go astray again, never
to go to the cafes late at night and
take few drinks, never to be found
in the car barns with men; never to
be in lodging house when they
ought to be at home. They were sad
cases; in many of them discovery
and correction had come too late;
in others there was yet time.
BUT NOT ONCE SINCE THE
FIRST OF JANUARY HAS THAT
QUESTION BEEN PRESENTED TO
ME.