The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-05-01
ECONOMIC RESULTS
OF PROHIBITION

the federal prohibition amendment is
causing state and county officials to
turn their minds to the problem of
how to dispose of these institutions.
Down in Louisville, Kentucky says
the Boston Herald, where accom-
modations are likely TO be overtaxed
the coming season, the authorities
have hit upon a new plan for re-
Loving their difficulties. 1t Is an
nounced that cells in the Jefferson
county jail, from which most of the
prisoners have vanished since the ad-
vent of prohibition, viii be rented at
the modest rate of one dollar per day
to visitors who find themselves un-
able to procure rooms elsewhere. No
one can complain that the jailer's
tariff bears any indication of
profiteering proclivity. and guests are
assured that they will be given am
pie protection
1T is not every cit ythat can look
for spring influx so considerable as
that which annually comes to the
Blue Grass region nor indeed would
every city have the courage to well
come its guests to this particular
brand of hospitality. But why not?
Jail, accommodation has become a
drug on the market. The per capita
Ni'Nl VI fIld III Ia LllflB lEiCIti mas SOdI ti
skyward. The Jail mattress is not
made Of eiderdown. but it Is at all
events good deal softer than
park bench. And the assurance of
ample protection is not altogether to
be despised by men who carry a large
part of their earthly possessions in
a fat wallet"
Prohibition has been an important
factor i'll bringing about an increasing
economy in the operation of Massa
chusetts penal institutions, of which
the closing of Camp Randall in SHEER
born is but one of many evidences. &C
cording to Edward c. r. Bagley,
deputy director of prisons in Massa-
chusetts, who says that prohibition.
probation and an abundance of high
wage jobs caused the population in
all Massachusetts, penal institutions
TO decrease from about $500 years
ago to 2,414, April first. 1920.
Mr. Bagby then explained the econ
omy in this way. that SO long as the
state or county employed the same
number of men and institutions to
care for small groups of prisoners as
1t did formerly for the large groups.
there Is little economy excepting in
the amount of food and clothing re-
quired by prisoners The economy
'o'4tIS "iittt StOQP Oh REiSoUtIE
dwindles TO such an extent as to al
low the dropping of many of the en-
ployes and when institutions can be
entirely closed up as has been done
in four Massachusetts cities.
Camp Randall is being closed Mr.
bagley states, because its population
has been reduced to nine ment, where
as it was accustomed to have thirty
five or forty in former years. This
camp like the other two in the state,
is where prisoners from houses of
correction in different counties in the
commonwealth where transferred on
good behavior, so they might have the
privilege of outdoor work during the
latter part of their sentences.
As further indication of the bene-
mt OF prohibition, Mr.. Bagley said that
July first. 1919, there were 49e prison
ers at the State Farm. the place
where most drunkenness cases are
sent while on April first 1920. there
were 247.
Pennington, N. J., April ea.-Jury
life in Hunterdon county under ma
tional prohibition promises 10 become
a dull affair. Not only is the county
Jail empty most of the time. but
there is prospect that only a small
percentage OF the jurors will be
called to sit on criminal cases The
new grand jury had found only two
minor indictments. Court statisti-
clans have figured out that the new
situation means a saving of from
3'00d to 5000 working hours each
term TO jurymen alone. Lawyers
dependent on criminal cases are said
to be looking up other business lines.
Ossining, n. Y. April e9.-Tf1e
economic effects of prohibition have
been so pronounced and so generally
recognized that a recent straw vote
conducted here by local daily news
paper gave 399 votes for prohibition
with l6f opposing and Is blanks.
Replying to it's query as to public
opinion regarding the saloon. of the
$40 votes cast. 43l were opposed 1874
in favor and II votes blank. Three
years ago Ossining voted on local
option and went wet BY a large
majority. Leading citizens believe the
straw vote indicates change Of SEN
timent in favor of prohibition since
the eighteenth amendment became
law
London, Ontario, April 29.-The
fire department OF this city has ad-
yanced an important economic areu-
ment in favor OF prohibition. The
chief states that the percentage of
false alarms has decreased consid-
erahly since liquor was banished. II
used to be a common thing in former
days to answer a false alarm rung in
by some person who was under the
influence OF liquor.
You are invited to at
tend the auction sale of
IVY ID @.