Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-10

another friend OF mine that there was
running. hotel now that the DRINKS
with their attendant vices were. put
out .
, Tourist Business Increases
Another hotel which threatened to
close up if it could not sell liquor.
is now drawing plans for doubling its
size which would make il include
whole city block In fact, the tourist
business of Denver is tremendously
increased since the city went dry,
and know OF some men who have
moved 10 our town from wet states
because they wanted the advantages
! which Colorado now offers in raising
their families.
LAS a matter of fact, every line
! of business seems to have been
| helped.
Many saloon keepers and liquor
men who have gone into other bust
ness are throwing up their hats for it.
( Taxes Now Reduced
"Denver's taxes have been constant
! ly increasing in line with other cities
for a number OF years, but | got
my tax bills day or two before
left for Honolulu, and the tax rate is
| considerably reduced. In fact, we
! are carrying over large cash bal
ance, while under the old regime We
had a deficit.
One of my friends who has
! large drygoods store tells me that his
: business Immediately increased when
lar oh
+ his sales of babies saoes increased
over fifty per cent within ninety days
Real Estate Helped
The effect on real estate has been
remarkable, too, because not only
were the places where liquor was
sold quickly rented t. legitimate bus.
ness, thereby increasing the value OF
the surrounding property, but our
real estate dealers report a general
! Improvement. -..s. 49,.
Il visited our city Jail shortly be.
| fore 4 left and was surprised to find
such large portion of the jail closeG
! up and empty. The chief of police
told me that there were not half as
many people there as formerly and
| that in spite of the fact that they
were making very rigid arrest OF
every man who showed signs of in
toxication, while formerly they were
compelled to let those who could get
home by themselves go free.
Poverty Is Reduced
II have two friends who look after
the poor and unfortunate men of our
town. One of them gives meal tick
cts to those who cannot afford
place to sleep, and Two years ago in
single month he gave kout some
thing like six hundred free tickets
for beds. But in the same month last
year, supplying alls applicants who
needed it.. he only found something
over one hundred needy ones. When
asked the other friend of mine why
he Gid not asAAmegfor money like he
used to. to help i4digent families, he
said that with the coming of dry
Denver that kind of poverty was
almost unknown. -..
City and Town Finances Improved
The firm of which / am member
deals in bonds of municipalities and
counties all over the state OF Colo
RADIO. One of the Serious questions
was as to where the revenues would
come from to pay interest on bonds
and other Indebtedness. One town
came to us two years ago and asked
| if we would not allow them to de-
fault on their securities because they
did not have the money to pay inter
est-and this was coal mining town,
too In less than six months after
the state went dry not only was their
interest paid in full, but they brought
in five thousand dollars which they
had saved and asked us if we would
not try to buy in some improvement
bonds not yet due with the surplus
money <.@
Effect on Politics = ill.,.
THE truth is that the elimination
of the liquor interest and its inter
est in politics tends to bring in a so
much cleaner type of government that
public affairs are managed in more
business-like way.
Il know of two large department
stores in Denver that sold great
deal of liquor. One was a drygoods
department store and the other a
general merchandise store. Both of
these stores report very much in
creased business without their liquor
departments. ..
in fact, we are so satisfied in
Colorado with our experiment that a
few months ago when the liquor in
terests tried to get the. right to sell
only beer, the suggestion was over
whelmingly turned down by larger
majority than the original vote.
Good Investment for Hawaii -.
IF you people on the Islands knew
what a good business investment it
was to have dry territory, how
much better the quality of labor
how much more money. went into
regular channels-how business con-
! ditions were improved, and what a
splendid effect it had on the entire