OlIiONS.
discussing the Best Means of
Controlling the Liquor
Traffic.
1 THEY SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE
tVell-known Nebraska Merchants De-
scribe Local Conditions Under
Both Dry and Wet Regimes,
Affecting Retail Business
and Tax Rates.
Many responsible business men
throughout Nebraska have expressed
their opinions on the question of the
Brest means of controlling the liquor
traffic. Some towns have voted the
aloon out of existence, while others
cave voted for license. Quite a Dum
ber of towns have reversed their pol
icy In the matter. In cases like this,
residents of those towns -are in a po
sition to form accurate judgment re
specting the result of this experience.
IThe Merchants' and Manufacturers'
association recently sent out queries
to business men. The following replies
faave been received: .
! HOLSTEIN O. I Fischer, grain,
says: "It is true that the question of
license prevailed In our town through
the active Influence of business men
and property owners, who feared the
loss of country trade, and the estab
lishment of dives and other clandes
tine means of dispensing liquor inci
dent to a dry town. The business men
also believed that the dry policy
(would make them pay more taxes."
STERLING! C. W. Stuve, general
merchandise, says : "Our people favor
license as long as the liquor men are
(willing to run their places right Dur
ing the campaign the merchants urged
that the dry policy would drive away
the trade of farmers for miles around,
Since there are many Germans in this
locality. It was also argued that the
barring of the saloon caused mer
chants to pay hlghr taxes."
i INDIANOLA Chester W. Dow, ira
tplements, writes: "About two-thirds
of the business men of this town are
license men, and they advance the
theory that the license policy draws
trade to their stores."
FORT CALHOUN Fred H. Frahra
Says: "Every business man in town Is
In favor of high license. They argue
that there is no doubt that taxes
.would be much higher under the dry
policy. In regard to lose of trade,
that is an open question."
UTICA A grain merchant writes:
"High license was carried here in the
last election by a large majority. Most
of the people of this vicinity favor
nigh license in preference to a : dry
town, which would bring about boot
legging and other clandestine methods
Of selling liquor. If we had no saloon
here, liquor would be shipped In any
,way as long as it is made and our
merchants believe it is better to have
a saloon in order to know lust whore
the liquor is being sold."
CLARKS Campbell brothers write:
This town Is dry. Many or our busi
ness men believe the policy hurts
their business, since surrounding
towus have saloons, and' many of the
farmers are Swedish, Dutch, and Bo
hemian. The question of increased
taxes was not discussed here."
i HERMAN H. H. Herzog, lumber,
says: "With one exception, every
business man in town supported the
iwet ticket. The question of country
patronage was the principal argument
jmt up by the wets before election."
? SEWARD H. A. Graff, clothing, re
plies: "I believe the majority of tho
business men and property owners
bere favor the 'policy of license under
more strict obervance of the Slocumb
law. Our people are demanding bet
ter enforcement."
STELLA A prominent business
man writes: "There seems to have
been enough ' business men here to
carry the license ticket, I am sorry to
say, through fear of a heavier tax in
rase of the afloptlon of the dry policy.
IXirlng the campaign, the merchants
t.rgued that the taxes would be much
ieavler if the town should go dry."
KEARNEY Says a leading mer
chant: "The result of the election on
the question of license In this city,
We are inclined to think, was brought
about under the Idea that the liquor
traffic could be better controlled with
the open saloon than by supplying the
demand 'or liquor through drug stores
and bootleggers. Then again, many
business men feared the loss of trade
from the foreign element in the- coun
try; further than- this, the revenue
coming to the. town from licenses Is
$10,000 annually, which Is of material
help to the city,' as well as to the
School fund."
1 FAIRBURY D. B. Cropsey, editor,
replies: "Our business men thought
the license system was the best way
ic which to regulate the liquor busi
ness. It is true that they'feared they
would have to pay too heavy a penalty
In loss of outside patronage and In In
creased taxes as results of a dry
town."
BLUB HILL C. F. Gund, cashier,
says: "Our town is in a German com
munity, hence our merchants realize
that trade would' suffer if a dry policy
were adopted."
SILVER CREEK D. F. Davis, pub
Usher, replies: "I think I can truth
fully say that our people feared a lost
The Herald for News When it IS
of tiatronage from the farmers If the
Ufa should go dry. Of couse, there Is
a division of opinion, but the prevail
ing sentiment seems to be that the
majority o support wthe business In
terests of Silver Creek are In favor
of the wet policy, and they are, as a
rule, as fine a class of citizens as can
be found anywhere."
RED CLOUD A leading citizen
says: "There are many voters of this
place who favor high license because
of the experience this town once had
under no-license rule, when 'blind
tigers' ran unhindered, and the town
was disgraced beyond anything experi
enced under the license system. I do
not, believe the matter of partonage
from outside territory would enter in
to the question to any extent."
PLYMOUTH A dry goods mer
chant writes: "This town Is only
from eight to ten miles from DeWitt
and Swanton, which are both wet;
therefore our business men felt that If
Plymouth should go dry, their busi
ness would be Injured. This commun
ity does not want county option, noitn
er does Saline county, to the north of
us. The strict enforcement of the Slo
cumb law would be better for every
body, and our people are In favor of Its
better enforcement."
VALENTINE D. M. Rice, editor
Democrat, replies: "It Is true that the
business men took an active Interest
In our recent election upon the ques
tion of license. During the contest,
the merchants argued, that a dry town
would produce a loss of patropnge and
Increased tax rates. They also pre
ferred a saloon strictly regulated to a
traffic In liquor through the drug
stores, bootleggers, and 'blind tigers,'
which are peculiar to some of the dry
towns."
FALLS CITY L. J. Harris, Editor
of The Journal, writes: "One reason
for the result of the recent election in
this city was the fact that a large por
tion of the population of tlhs county
Is German. The influence of the busi
ness men was for license because of
the probability of loss of patronage In
case the town should go dry."
KEARNEY F. L. Whedon, Editor
of The Democrat, replies: "In the re
cent election upon the question of
license, business men here were gen
erally favorable to high license and
the enforcement of the law. There Is
no doubt that business men tooklto
consideration the probability that they
might suffer loss of business In case
the town should go dryi and that taxes
would bo increased. This sentiment,
of course, had Its effect."
LINCOLN A. I. Israel, Editor of
The Country Merchant, says: "In the
recent election here I believe that the
majority voted for license because the
voters believe that the so-called pro
hibition theory will not successfully
prevent traffic In liquor; also because
the elimination of liquor licenses
would Increase the tax Burden and
more than probably decrease the vol
ume of outside patronage of the city's
merchants. I am also of the opinion
that many business men feared that
the elimination of legal liquor busi
ness would result In an Increase of,
lawlessness and have a demoralizing
effect upon the community."
CLARKS William Douglas, mer
chant, writes: "This town went dry
In the recent election owing to agita
tion among those who pay little or no
tax. The majority of our business
men believe that taxes will be much
greater upon the withdrawal of license
money, and they know that trade will
be less, as a great many 6f our farm
ers have expressed themselves to that
effect. It was the expressed wish of
the best class of our taxpayers that
license should carry."
SUTTON F. M. Brown, Editor of
The Register, replies: "I regard It as
a fact that tho license issue won be
cause our business men and taxpayers
feared they would have to pay too
heavy a penalty in loss of outside
patronage and In Increased taxes as
results of a dry town."
SUTTON Henry Grosshans, farm
machinery, writes, "We had two years
of experience under the dry policy,
and I regard It as very unsatisfactory,
there being more dnunkenness than we
have had under the wet policy. Un
der the dry regime we had about fif
teen places where bad liquor was sola,
and we could not control the traffic at
all; now we have but four saloons,
which are controlled, and there Is bet
ter order in town. I am for the wet
policy and a strict enforcement of the
Slocumb license law." )
PLAINV1EW P. F. Boyens, furni
ture dealer, writes: "Your Informa
tion Is correct. Our business men and
taxpayers feared a loss of outside pat
ronage as a result of a dry policy, be
cause our neighboring towns are wet."
WAYNE W. S. Goldle, Editor of
The Democrat, replies: "The chief
reason why Wayne voted wet at the
last election was because of the ex
perience of twenty years ago, when
the town went dry. The man who has
been marshal from that time to this,
and who la one or the best officials in
the state, said publicly that he had
more trouble with drinkers during the
one year in which the town was sup
posed to be dry than he had during
several years under the license sys
tem. He has no use for the saloon.
The Anti-Saloon league representa
tives put up a campaign that was
somewhat disreputable, and thereby
lost many votes. I believe that this
town 1b three to one for high license
In our recent election the Anti-Saloon
league did about all the open fighting,
but they accomplished little."
SCHUYLER W. J. Hlgglns, dry
goods merchant, writes: "As a matter
of government alone, I do not think
that liquor is a benefit or help to the
town, but speaking from the stand
point of the business man, my obser
vation la that in some localities, and
particularly where a majority of ior
elgners, as It the case In this county,
reside, no doubt a dry policy would
drive such citizens away from a town,
as they go where they can get what
they want. While I am not particu
larly a drlnl.ing man, when I speak of
conditions In this local sectioi, I would
not favor a dry policy."
NELIGH J. N. Mills, of Mills &
Berry, dry goods, says: "Our experi
ence teaches us that we have better
government and less discord under the
license system. When our town is dry
and other towns wet, the dry town is
left out I do not think statutory pro
hibition Is a temperance movement.
The writer has. been in business in
this town since 1880 and has taken an
active part in tho liquor question. I
shall always vote for the license pol
icy as long as the United States con
tinues to issue licenses."
OLENV1LLE Ernest Frlsch, farm
machinery, writes: "The business
men took an active part in the recent
election. Among them there is a sen
timent that the adoption of a dry pol
icy would be detrimental to their busi
ness because of the Oerman element
in this community. Most of the tax
payers are retired farmers of the Ger
man nationality."
VALENTINE M. C. Carroll, real
estate, replies: "In the recent elec
tion most of our business men worked
hard for the old Board and for license,
for they were sure that If the town
went dry they would lose most of their
outside patronage. They also said
that in that event property would be
taxed to the full limit We have two
weekly papers here The Democrat
and The Republican and they worked
hard for the old Board and for high
license. Most of the farmers In this
neighborhood are In favor of license."
LAWRENCE D. Livingston, editor
of The Locomotive, writes: "License
won here through the support of busi
ness men who desired to please a large
country trade, and who also desired to
benefit by the payment of liquor li
cense money which would relieve their
of that much tax. Our business men
believe that the high license system
is the best way of controlling the
traffic."
SCHUYLER S. Fuhrman, dry goods,
writes: "My experience with the dry
and wet policy In this state Is that
when a town goes dry the surrounding
towns are generally wet, and the town
loses the revenue on license. The only
way to deal with the liquor traffic Is to
regulate the same by law, and enforce
the law to the letter."
SCHUYLER Henry Bolton, mer:
chant, writes: "In this particular lo
cality we are supposed to be governed
by the Slocumb liquor law. The law,
however, has not been enforced, and
my opinion is that If the Slocumb
law wero enforced It would be better
for this locality than what Is known
as the dry policy. As a law-abiding
citizen or the state of Nebraska, I be
lieve In enforcing all the laws that are
on our statutes."
GLENVILI.E D. K. Caldwell, bank
er, says: "Our business men and
property owners wished the license
syBtem to prevail. They are people
who favor personal liberty, regardless
of the question of taxes. This county
is rich. It is a German settlement oi
well-to-do and industrious people who
have been prosperous from the begin
ning of the settlement of Clay
County."
PENDER Nick Fritz, farm machin
ery, writes: "In our recent village
election, It was the concensus of opin
ion that If the town should go dry we
would lose a good deal of trade on ac
count of neighboring towns having
license, as we have a good many sub
stantial German farmers In the neigh
borhood." GRAFTON William O. Halney, gen
eral merchant, writes: "I am perfect
ly satisfied with tho Slocumb law If
enforced properly, because It does
away with 'bootlegging' In dry towns
and places the responsibility where it
belongs.. In dry towns I have noticed
this nefarious clandestine traffic car
ried on without a chance of an officer
catching the sellers, and I found It to
be true that there was little chance of
enforcing the law."
VALENTINE E. Clyde Davenport
or Davenport & Co., general mer
chants, writes: "The result or the
election was probably due to the ract
that the majority of the business meu
are of the opinion that well-regulated
saloons do no harm to a community,
and the revenue derived from them Is
very necessary toward the support of
the school and village. I thluk tho
business men were not so much afraid
of the loss ot outside business as they
were or the Increase in taxes."
M'COOK John E. Kelley, real es
tate, writes: "I resided in Kansas In
1SS0 when the prohibition amendment
carried, coining to Nebraska five years
later. I have lived the last twenty
threo years In McCook. All or that
time the city has favored licensing
and regulating the traffic the annual
license tee being $1,200. I was In
Iowa both before and since the prohi
bition law was abolished, and am free
to say that I favor the Slocumb law
when properly enforced over any
means of regulation that I have ob
served. In both Iowa and Kansas It
has always been as easy to get liquor
as in Nebraska, and much more so
than it is In any Nebraska town that
does not favor license."
M'COOK P. Walsh, president M
Cook National bank, "replies: "I am
unalterably opposed to prohibition so
called, because the policy has proven
to be detrimental to business inter
ests wherever it has been tried. I be
lieve that Nebraska at this time has
better laws for regulating the sale of
liquor than any other state."
A real estate man of McCook writes
that he is "In favor of a strict en
forcement of the Slocumb high license
liquor law in order that the revenues
from the traffic may niako city taxes
low enough so that eastern Investors
will not shun , Nebraska." He sajn
prohibition only Jakes away the reft
Due and does not stop the sale.
ARAPAHOE R. J. Finch, mer
chant, writes: "The country tributary
to Arapahoe hag large foreign popu
lation and the town has always had
saloons until the last year. At the
election this spring all -hinged on the
question of license or no license and a
majority of the business men seemed
to fear a loss of business if the town
continued dry; also, that the taxes
would be heavily Increased If no li
cense money was had."
OKLAHOMA TOOK IT BACK
After Adopting Prohibition at the
Polls the People Reversed the Policy.
Last fall the paid agents of the Anti
Saloon league went into Oklahoma and
Induced the constitutional convention
to adopt an article prohibiting the man
ufacture and sale of Intoxicating bev
erages. The proposition was submit
ted to the people last fall and carried,
the law going into effect at once. It
was a great victory for the league.
In spite of earnest efforts to enforce
the new provision. It proved a dismal
failure, and the business men of the
new state demanded a change. This
they had a right to do under another
article of the constitution, which em
powered the legislature to establish
state dispensaries for the sale of liquor
if It proved to be impossible to enforce
prohibition. The state was overrun by
bootleggers and the clandestine sale
of liquor was carried on In utter de
fiance and contempt of law.
Responding to the call or the busi
ness men the legislature provided for
state dispensaries by a law which was
approved by the governor late in
March. Dispensaries are established
in counties and towns for the sale of
liquor by the state at a profit. An
Omaha distiller has just sold a car
load of alcohol to the state of Okla
homa to be retailed through the dis
pensaries. This Is a complete reversal or the
state's policy in respect to control of
the liquor traffic. Judge Strang of
Guthrie decided- a case May 4, writ
ing an opinion in which he held: "The
dispensary law'is'an act regulating the
sale of liquor, not one to prohibit."
Oklahoma is the last state to repu
diate the policy of state-wide prohi
bition. LICENSE SYSTEM PREVAILS.
Many States Have Discarded Prohi
bition and Adopted License System.
Agents of the Anfl-Saloon league
are traversing Nebraska telling the
people thnt there is a wave of prohi
bition sentiment sweeping the coun
try and that now Is the time to get
into their county option water wagon.
They do not care to admit that the
area of dry territory has been extend
ed almost wholly in states having
local option laws like that of Nebras
ka. To do so would be to commend
the provisions of the Slocumb high
license, local option law a thing
agents of the Anti-Saloon league could
not do without admitting there was no
need of their presence in Nebraska.
It is true that there is a growth of
sentiment In favor of a more temper
ate use of beverages, but that senti
ment has been mado in high license
states and not In prohibition states.
In an article in the Review of Reviews
for April occurs this statement:, "Up
to a year ago, of thi eighteen states
that had tried the experiment of pro
hibition1, only three Maine, Kausas
and North Dakota remained in the
ranks." Incidentally it should be said
that last rail Oklahoma adopted state
wide prohibition, only to discard It
last March, because it had failed. It
is necessary to say also that Georgia
became a prohibition state in January,
1908."
Thus it is seen that there are but
four prohibition states in the union.
The advocates of prohibition are claim
ing large gains, but they do not tell
their hearers that nearly every state
has enacted local option license lawB
for the control of the liquor traffic.
Here Is a list of local option license
states, as published In the New York
'World Almanac for 1908:
Alabama Local option, fee $175
$350. Arizona Local option, quarterly fee,
United States license $25 annually.
County and territorial $300 annually.
Arkansas Local option, fee $800.
California Local option, fee by au
thorities. Colorado Local option, fee $500 up.
Connecticut Local option, fee $150
$450. Delaware License by courts, fee
$200-$300.
District of Columbia License by ex
cise board on the written consent of
the majority of the owners of real es
tate, fee $S00.
Florida Local option, fee $1,250.
Idaho Annual license by author
ities, fee $750.
Illinois Local option license by city
council or village or county board, fee
not less than $500.
Indiana License by county commis
sion, fee $100-$250.
Iowa-License by petition of voters,
ree $600.
Kentucky License by majority or
voters, ree $100 $150.
Louisiana State and local licence,
$100 up.
Maryland Local option, fee $18
$450. Massachusetts Local option, fee not
less than $1,000; number limited one
to 1,000 Inhabitants; in Boston, one to
600.
Michigan Local option, fee $500
$800. Minnesota License fee $500-$1,000.
Mississippi Local option, fee $600
$1,200. Missouri The counties may, by ma
jority vote, pass the local option law,
and it this is not done, the comity
courts may grant a license and fix s
tax of not lets than $200, nor mors
than $400 per year for state and not
less than $500, nor more than $800 for
county purposes. j
Montana Local option, semi-annual, '
fee $150-$30O.
Nebraska Local option, fee $500
$1,000. I
Nevada State license $50 per an
num; wholesale, $100 per annum; re
tail drug store, $12 per annum.
New Hampshire License by ma
jority of voters, fees based on popula
tion, maximum $1,200. j
New Jersey Local option, fee $100-
$300. ;
New Mexico License by county
commissioners, fee $I00-$400. j
New York Local option in towns,
fee $1GO-$1,200, according to popula
tion, j
North Carolina Local option, semi
annual fee of $50-$40O.
Ohio Local option, fee $1,000.
Oklahoma State dispensary.
Oregon Local option, fee $400.
Pennsylvania License under control
of courts, fee $75-$l,000.
Rhode Island Local option, fee $200
(1,000. South Carolina State regulation.
South Dakota License by local au
thorities, fee $400-$60O.
Tennessee License issued by local
authorities, fee $150-$200.
Texas License issued by county
clerk, fee $300.
Utah License granted by local au
thorities, fee $40O-$l,20O.
Vermont License local option act
took effect March 3, 1903.
Virginia Control of local courts,
fee $175-1350, local option provided
for.
Washington License issued by lo
cal authorities, fee $300-$1,000.
West Virginia License by courts
and local authorities, fee retail, $600;
wholesale, $750.
Wisconsin Local option, fee $100
$200, with power in voters to Increase
from $200-$500.
Wyoming License Issued by local
authorities, fee $100-$ 300.
' Thus It will be seen that the pre
ponderance of popular opinion Is over
whelmingly for local option, high li
cense. REPUDIATED COUNTY OPTION
How Many Counties in Canada Stamp
ed Out an Unwise Law.
When the business men or Nebraska
get a full understanding of so-called
county option they will consign It to
oblivion. It la used by agents or the
Anti-Saloon league as a means to an
end it is simply a method by which
they expect to attain prohibition. This
fact they assert everywhere their ul
timate aim Is state prohibition. They
are not content to let each town man
age Its own affairs, but send paid
agents into Nebraska towns to array
the non-tax-paying voters against local
property owners in efforts to deprive
the latter of the right to control the
policy of the town whose expenses
they are taxed to pay. These paid In
terlopers are getting voters to sign pe
titions to the legislature to pass a law
which would give all the voters of a
county a right to dictate to any town
in the county as to what it must do in
respect to a matter which involves
thousands of dollars in loss or gain of
business or of license fees.
The Idea of county option was taken
from Canada and transplanted into
some of the southern states. Agents
ot the Anti-Saloon league found it to
be an attractive method in localities
where it had not been tried. They are
careful not to say that in many Cana
dian counties it wm? long ago repudi
ated and stamped out Here la what
'Prof. Goldwln Smith of the Toronto
University wrote about it in one of hla
well-known essays, some years ago:
"In 1878 the Canadian Parliament
passed the Canadian Temperance Act,
more commonly called the Scott Act.
The purport of this Act may be de
scribed as county option. It enables
any county adopting it by a simple ma
jority of the electors to prohibit the
sale of any liquor within the county
for local consumption under penalty of
a fine of fifty dollars for the first of
fense, a hundred for the second, and
two months' imprisonment for the
third.
In the province of Ontario there are
forty-two counties. Twenty-eight coun
ties adopted the Act, most of them In
1884 and 1885. In 1888 ten counties,
nine of them at once, repealed It; and
in the following year the remaining
Scott Act 'counties also returned to
license law. The majorities for repeal
were overwhelming. In Ontario the
Scott Act is generally regarded as im
possible of resuscitation, and the ad
vocates of prohibition legislation are
turning their minda to other measures.
This is a genuine verdict or the peo
ple. The liquor trade had exhausted
Its power ot opposition in the early
part or the contest; In fact it hardly
appeared in the field without doing
mischief to its own cause."
Townspeople repudiated the law be
cause It enabled' outsiders to dabble j
into local matters in which they had J
no moral right to interfere. It is a
thing of the past. I
BUSINESS MEN ARE ORGANIZING
To Protect the Material Interests of
Taxpayers Against Unwise
Legislation.
Hundreds of tho best business hous
es of Omaha have joined an organiza
tion styled the Merchants' and Man
ufacturers' association, which is rap
idly growing in strength and Influence.
Its avowed object is to protect the ma
terial interests of taxpayers against
any movement known to be detriment
al to them. Just now the association
Is giving its attention to the quiet but
vigorous campaign being carried on in
Nebraska by the paid agents of the
Anti-Saloon league, who are seeking to
foist statutory prohibition upon the
people through a subterfuge which
they call "county option." In other
States where they have operated they
openly declared that "the object of the
league Is statutory prohibition;" that
"county option is a natural step to pro
hibition." The Merchants' and Manufacturers'
association stands for a strict enforce
ment of the Slocumb high license law,
nnder which any village or town may,
by popular vote, decide to license the
sale of liquor or not. Under this law
over 450 Nebraska towns have gone
cry. It affords the greatest possible
degree of home rule, not interfering
with the right of a community to man
age its own affairs. Under its provis
ions, outsiders cannot dictate to the
people of a town or village what they
must do in the matter of regulating
the liquor traffic. Every state In the
Union, save four, long ago adopted the
license system, and nearly two dozen
states have abandoned statutory prohi
bition In order to adopt the license
Bystem. Experience has proved that
the local license system is the only
practical means of regulating and con
trolling the sale of liquor. '
The new association of business
men holds to the conviction that the
Slocumb high license law has been of
great benefit to Nebraska since its en
actment in 1887, and therfore the law
must bo defended from attack. They
are convinced' that business prosperity
Is possible under the license system,
whereas it is easy to see that statu
tory prohibition injures business by
causing outside capital to shun a state
l"aving that policy. They are con
vinced that county option means pro
hibition in the end, and for that reason
is a menace to the business Interests
of the s(ate. Their appeal is made to
the merchants and taxpayers of the
whole state, knowing that if the latter
can be shown the true inwardness of
the movement for county option, they
will soon be able to effect an organiza
tion in every county strong enough to
destroy the work of the imported, sal
aried agents or the Anti-Saloon league.
Hundreds of business men have
joined the association under the fol
lowing conditions:
" "As business men and taxpayers we
favor the movement to form an Asso
ciation of Merchants and Manufactur
ers for the purpose of adopting meas
ures to bring about a better enforce
ment of the Slocumb liquor license
law throughout the state a law mak
ing It optional with the people of a
town or city to ssy whether or not
liquor shall be sold. We believe the
said' law has been of great benefit to
the state and that there can be no
better means for regulating the sale of
intoxicants. We stand for Its strict
enforcement. We join this association
with the understanding that no dis
tiller, brewer, liquor dealer or saloon
keeper Is eligible to membership. Our
object Is to protect property interests
from the ill effects of unwise legisla
tion." WOULD DESTROY HOME RULE
County Option is Radically Different
from Nebraska Local Option. v
There is a great difference between
local option as defined by the Nebras
ka law, and county option as defined
by the Anti-Saloon league. Local op
tion guarantees home rule and pre
vents outsiders from dictating to
townsmen as to what policy they shall
pursue. On the contrary, county op
tion would give to voters in country
precincts and invlllages the right to
Bay what another town must do in, re
Bpect to regulating or abolishing the
liquor traffic. County option would
destroy the principle of home rule,
whereas local option sustains that
principle. The one is antagonistic to
the other.
For Instance, say that the taxpayers
of a town had voted for license while
other towns In a county had voted
themselves dryi the policy of county
option. If adopted by the legislature,
would enable the voters or the dry
towns and country precincts to com
bine and force the "wet town dry. In
other words, outsiders could rn a
town regardless of the will or the resi
dent taxpayers. The state would of
course retain the power to tax the
property of townsmen while at the
same time depriving them of the right
to control the policy of the town gov
ernment which they are taxed to main
tain. Voters outside the limits of the
town, whether they be taxpayers or
not, would, under county option, have
the right t vote upon a question con
cerning only the people of the town,
which would be radically unjust, de
structive of the principle of home rule
and wholly unamerlcan.
There is no argument that can be
offered in support of county option
which cannot be met and overcome by
those In defense of the right of a com
munity to manage its own affairs.
One reason why prohibition failed In
Oklahoma was because the bootleg
gers swarmed Into the new state, en
abling the negro to get all the booze
he could drink. The prime object of
the dispensary law Is to prevent the
j negro from getting whisky.
j Agents of the Anti-Saloon league are
telling ot the prohibition wave said to
be sweeping the country, but they fail
' to say that the extension or dry terri-
tory In the north has been wholly un
der state laws providing for the high
, license, local option system.
! Sentiment for statutory prohibition
has made headway in the south only,
although two southern states sell
liquor as beverages and all save Geor
gia have high license laws. There is a
growth of temperance sentiment, but
it is not for statutory prohibition. The
agitation in the south is based upon a
desire to keep liquor out of the reach
of colored men.
News
CHICAGO.
Tlie usual Index of activity reflects
slow recovery In business generally, but
confidence In the future' gains strength
and oM'i'u tiona- Indicate a steadier basis.
Weather conditions this week were less
of a drag in distributive branches. Some
extension is nocu in construction and out
door work, sad a better tone Is discerned
in iron and steel, the absorption of pig
Iron being wider and finislicd steel shapes
In good request, although rails and equip
ment are yet quiet. Factory production
shows a slight gain and more bauds em
ployed in farm implements, foundry and
woodworking. The local demand Is good
for building material, lumber and sani
tary supplies, and there are seasonable
outputs in the leather trades, orders re
maining satisfactory for footwear, sad
dlery and novelties.
Bank clearings, $227,430,132, are 9.7
fjer cent under those of corresponding
week in 100",
Failures reported In the Chicago dis
trict number 28, against 24 Inst week and
14 a year ago. Those with liabilities over
$5,000 number 7, against 7 in last week
nd 4 in 1007. Dun's Review of Trade.
NEW YORK.
Mixed conditions prevailing In the crop,
trade and industrial situation prevent
generalization, except to say that crops
as a whole are In rather better shape
than a week ago; there is a better tone
in some lines of wholesale trade, and re
tail business has been benefited in some
sections by better weather. Still, as a
whole, business is quiet beyond the nor
mal, and industry is still slack.
Best reports as to retail trade come
from the Southwest and Northwest.
Wholesale trade in a few lines, notably
dry goods, has a better tone, cotton goods
are firmer, there Is more doing in staple
lines for fall, and some large secial
sales at auction or at cut prices, notpbly
at New York, Chicago and St. Louis,
have distributed large quantities of goods
and brought buyers more in evidence than
for moVths past.
Business failures In the United States
for the week ending May 21 number 284,
against 2S1 last week, 103 in the like
week of 1907, 170 in 1000, 179 in 1005
and 184 in 1004. Business failures in
Canada for the week number 39, against
22 last week and 19 in this week of 1907.
Bradstreet's Commorciul Report.
-.fi.4toiii.ff JeV
Chicago Cattle, common to prime
$4.(K) to $7.30; hogs, prime heavy, $4.00
to .$5.50; sheep, fair to choice, $3.00
to $5.00; wheat, No. 2, $1.01 to $1.02;
corn, No. 2, 73c to 74c; oats, standard,
53e to 54c; rye,. No. 2, 82c to 84e; hay.
timothy, $9.50 t $15.50; prairie, $S.(io
to $13.00; butter, choice creamery, 17c
to 22c; eggs, fresh, 12c to 17c; potatoes,
new, per bushel, 80c to SOc. '
Indianapolis Cattle, shipping, $3.00
to $7.00; hogs, good to choice heavy,
$3.50 to $5.80; sheep, common to prime,
$3.00 to $4.75; wheat, Xo. 2, 09c to
$1.00; corn, No. 2 white, 03c to C5c; oats,
No. 2 w hite, 5lc to 52c.
St. Louis Cattle, $4.50 to $7.15 ; hogs.
$4.00 to $5.40; sheep, $3.00 to $5.00;
wheat, No. 2, $1.01 to $1.02; corn. No. 2,
71c to 72c; oats. No. 2, 51c to 53c; iye,
No. 2, SOc to 82c.
Cincinnati Cattle. $4.00 to $0.50;
hogs, $4.00 to $5.75; .sheep, $3.00 to
$5.00; wheat. No. 2, $1.00 to $1.01 ; corn,
No. 2 mixed, 74c to 75c; oats, No. 2
mixed, 53c to 54c; rye, No. 2. 84c to 80c.
Detroit Cattle, $4.00 to $li.00 ; hugs,
$4.00 to $5.00; sheep, $2.50 to $4.50;
wheat, No. 2, 08e to 99c; corn. No. 3
yellow, 75c to 70e; oats. No. 3 white,
54c to 50c; rye. No. 2, S3c to S4c.
Milwaukee Wheat, No. 2 northern.
$1.08 to $1.10; corn, No. 3, 73c to 74c;
oats, standard, 54c to 55c ; rye, No. L
83c to 84c; barley, No. 2, 71c to 72c;
pork, ' mess! 1 3.72.
Buffalo turtle, choice shipping steers.
$4.00 to $7.05; hogs, fair to choice, $l..iO
to $5.85 ; sheep, common to good mixed,
$4.00 to $5.31); lambs, fair to choice,
$5.00 to $0.00.
New York Cattle, $4.00 to $0.05;
hogs, $3.50 to $0.00; sheep, $3.Nt to
$5.00; wheat, No. 2 red, 99c to $l.O0;
corn. No. 2, 74c to 70c; oats, natural
white, 57c to 59c; butter, creamery 21c
to 2!e; eggs western 13c to 17c.
Toledo Wheat No. 2 mixed 90e to
9Se; corn. No. 2 mixd, 73o to 74c;
oats, Xo. 2 mixed, 53c to 54c; rye, Xo.
2, 81c to 83c; clover seed, prime, $13.00.
FACTS FOR FARMERS.
.Drouth in parts of Texas has resulted
in the loss of hundreds of cattle.
Teachers In' Illinois hereafter, will l
required to make the study of agricul
ture part of their work.
Several of the Western States are plan
ning to hold a national corn exposition
next December at Omnjia, Neb.
Two business men of Illinois recently
purchased a 025-aere ranch in Iowa for
$25 au acre. It will be used as a stock
farm.
The Southern Cotton Association has
mnje arrangements with the Farmers'
Union for holding what remains of the
cotton crop in order to stimulate better
prices.
A hearty meal of greens prepared from
the tops of rbxltirb plant resulted in the
I'eatu of a woman in Iowa receutly. She
was attacked with a violent case of acute
gastritis.
One hundred and seventeen, thousand
acres of luinl in Washington State art
devoted to apples, pears, plums, peaches
and cherries and a full crop is worth
millions of dollars.
W. J. Gillette of Wisconsin, owner ot
Colantha IV. Johanna, the champion but
ter cow of the world, owns a cow that
ha Just completed a thirty-day test, pro
ducing 154 pounds of butter.
The first unit ot the Sun river immi
gration project of the national govern
ment, consisting of 17,000 acres of Mon
tana land, has been thrown open to set
tlement, and 15,000 acres la the Iearlom
tract, near the Sua river, bis been placed
on the market, under the Carey land net.
In otder to safeguard the city against
the ravages of tuberculosis, the Mason
City, Iowa, council has ordered the in
spection ot all the dairy herds, which sun
ply the city with milk. As a result of the
examination of ninety-seven head, setea
were found with positive case of tubercu
losis, while three were questionable. The
diseased animals were slaughter 1.