The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-19
F|NOlAY SATISFIED
WITH PROHIBITION
Her Stores Are Doing More Business,
Taxes Are Lowest In Ohio-Policc
Record Shows Well.

Findlay Ohio, May 1s-woe be-
tide the spell-binder who should come
here and seek by tale of financial and
other disasters Detailing those munic-
qualities which have ousted saloons
to induce Findlay to return to her old
days of licensed liquor selling! e.
He would be, as the saying Is,
Talking to a stranger" For Findlay
and Hancock County are thoroughly
dry and are satisfied.
This city which is the capital of
I Hancock County, makes the boast
that 1t Is the driest munich ality in
Ohio. A few other cities might con-
test that claim, but Findlay would ,ie-
mand to be shown. She also insists
that she Is as prosperous as any othe,
city of her size, wet or dry, and Is
prepared to prove her greatest pros
perity has come since she has been
without saloons.
While wet cities which receive large
sums from saloon revenue are issu-
ing bonds, piling up huge indebted
ness and growing gray trying to make
ends, meet, Findlay goes right along
making business improvements. in
creasing her volume of business and
building business rooms and resi-.
dences, and even at that cannot
keep up with the demand If any,
BODY Is hurting work and hoping he
Will not find 1t, he should keep away
from Findlay, for there Is work Tor
all.
Has Low Tux Rate.
And with it all, Findlay has the
lowest tax rate of any city in the
state, and has not had liquor revenue
Tor more than seven years.
This summer Findlay is prenarinp
70 pave fifteen streets at an estimat I'd
expense of $4,000 Last wear
WE'VE streets were paved at cost of
Sl57.55S. This is good showing for
city of $4,000 population.
For the year ending March a11fefs
building permits were issued totalinr
s44o, 900. The permits for last month
totaled s9S650, as against sos.fD0 for
April of last year
The receipts of the Findlay post
office have increased right along and
Tor the year ending March 81. ware
SlO. 900 in excess Of the previous year.
when Hancock County first voted
dry, Ffndlay had number of vacant
storerooms and many vacant resi-
dences. New business rooms havs
been added year by year, and scores
OF new homes have been built, but
vacant property cannot be found and
families moving into the city find IL
homes,
Moral Tone Improved.
The difference in the moral tone of
the city may be noted from a com
parison OF the police records now
with the records of twenty-five wears
ago.-ln- March of this wear the num-
Der of arrests for all causes was nine
teen. In March, twenty-five years ago,
there were 141 arrests for all causes
"a
Findlay, while in 1890 the number
was 1,644
When Findlay knocked out saloons
the old liquor gang disappeared and
the vice interests hunted new pas
lures, Findlay insists she is one of
the cleanest cities In the country
Occasionally drunk is arrested, but
| the chances are he loaded up on Fos-
toria or North Baltimore booze.
Hancock County first voted dry in
the fall of 1908. At that time the
dry majority was 1897. In the sec
ond county election the drys had
l.467 majority. The county gave
1,S4l majority for Statewide prohi-
bition In 1914 and 2,264 majority for
Statewide prohibition last year.
In both county option elections the
city of Findlay returned wet major
tiles In the Statewide campaign of
1914 the city gave a dry majority of
1877. Following the adoption of the
home-rule amendment. F,indlay voted
under the Beal law and piled up al
ma jority OF 500 against home rule
saloons Last fall on the Statewide
vote the city increased her dry ma
jority 10 SPA
Pleasing To Judge Kerns.
While business and moral condi-
tons under prohibition are most
gratifying 10 citizens generally. they
are especially pleasing to Judge A.
F. Kerns, past chancellor of the
Knights of Pythias of Ohio. who
managed not only the two county
option campaigns but headed the dry
organization in the county in both
Statewide campaigns. Probably no
other county manager In Ohio has
had an experience covering so many
campaigns, and with all Difference to-
other county managers none has been
more successful.
Through all of these campaigns
Judge Kerns has had the utmost con-
fidence Of the dry forces and the re-
spect of the vets. He has proved a.
superb leader, and his directing gem
i,is has had much to do In winning
the big dry victories In not one Of
these campaigns could Judge kerns
be prevailed upon to accept none
tary consideration for his services.
but on the other hand, he not only
gave his time. but was also generous
with his contributions He has his
reward in the good will of all classes
of citizens who are profiting by The
excellent conditions which obtain un-
der prohibition, which Judge Kerns
did so much to bring about,