New Britain herald., 1930-01-25

City.
 Dear Sir:
 I have been much interested in the communications Of Mr. White and Mayor Paonessa in regard 10 the question of the value of the prohibition amendment as it affects the United States and more parti- cularly New Britain. I have not at tempted to confirm the statements of MT. White regarding arrests and criminal activities of the period be- fore prohibition and since, but l have had a definite interest in the financial side of the question, as ] recall very clearly our attempts in 'oe and 93 for local prohibition, or as 1t was then termed mo license"
 In the year 1992 New Britain went no license for the first time. This vas under state provision, that each town had the right 10 determine for itself whether it would allow licenses for the sale of liquor to be issued. h 1892 the population in New Britain was about lS,000, at least the census of 1890 showed a population Of l6.500. Previous 10 the election Of 1893 very deter mined effort was made on the part Of the temperance people, assisted by the manufacturers. to renew the mo license" that had been in force in 1892, and l was one of those. which included practically all the manufacturers Of the town. who tried to continue the no-license plan. Judge Chamberlain and I were the speakers at the final mass meeting held at the Center church to urge the continuance of no-li- ccnsc. At that time I made up the figures for 1891 of what it had cost New Britain 10 support the saloons and l remember making the state ment at the meeting that the sum Of s60n,00o had been deposited by the saloon keepers from their sales Of 1891. 1 said that it was fair 10 assume that this was after the pay nlent Of the expenses of the saloon men. which would considerably in crease, possibly by 50 per cent, the amount actually received for liquor sales during 1891.
 By the census of 1890 New Brit ain had a population Of lG,jO0 and it had not materially increased dur ing the next year in fact, did not i increase until after the results of the panic Of '9S had been overcome. The increase in population of New 1 Britain at present is estimated at between four and one-half and five times the population of 1890, and ] if liquor were sold on the same basis as in 1891 the sale would amount 10 something over three million dollars, as the foreign ! population has increased much more rapidly than in tho nmetics. No one will attempt to claim that , anything like three million or three hundred thousand dollars was spent for liqnor during the last year.
 In addition 10 that. the savings deposits. since prohibition went into effect 10 years ago, have increased from about II million and half to between G5 and 36 million dollars. ' to say nothing Of the money that | has been spent for automobiles and that has been withdrawn from say incs banks and put into buildings.
 In 1895 we lost the election for 1894. The chief reason, in my jude- mcnt and that of others at that made by those in favor of license of the fact that we lost between s3S, 900 and 43O,0O0 Of fees paid for ! licenses which nearly offset the cN- pcnscs Of the schools, which accord ing to the town reports that have While ] have never in principle beeu prohibitionist yet have al ways been practically q total ab- stainer. The one reason why l was
 not a prohibitionist in the old days was because there were just enough
 prohibitionists in town in 1892 and
 previous years to defeat the repub-
 lican party at the polls and the
 democrats carried the town in 1S9.
 by TOO majority and we had wha'
 was known as the Wilson tariff bil
 which was practically tariff for
 revenue only under the Cleveland
 second administration and business
 and the factories during the perioC
 were practically at 8 standstlll.
 recall distinctly that one factory
 which or course was very nucl
 smaller than at present, could hlrt
 all the mon they wanted a' dolla'
 a day. and they filled their factory
 fUll Of goods SO that after the Me
 knlcy campaign they were ahl" tt show * splendid profit m Inc two
 succeeding years.
 To summarize. l would say tha
 in my judgment the 18th amend I hren greatest hin,