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Show SALOONLESS DENVER j The same Denver that In another and a wetter day rejoiced In Its reputation repu-tation of being a "wide open" town, where "everything; went," has known for three full months the aridities of a saloonless existence. John Barleycorn Bar-leycorn was made to take his sign down in that city on January 1. During Dur-ing the period immediately preceding, the pessimists had everything their own way. There would no longer lie any money in circulation. Business would go to the dogs. Tourists would cease to visit Denver. It would become be-come a "one horse" town. Taxes would go up and property values come down. All the familiar arguments argu-ments habitually advanced in every city of considerable size whenever it is proposed to close the saloon were brought forward in Denver. Just three months have past. Grass has already begun to sprout In the streets of the business section. A prosporcis and contented people Feem to thrive e'en mote abundantly than before the drouth began. Many of the restaurants and other l'nes of business are reporting the best times In years. A great many of the saloons sa-loons have been converted into food shops, where light luncheons are manufactured and soft drinks are sold. Several of the largest breweries brew-eries are engaged In the production of nonalcholic beverages. There has been no falling off in rents. We are told, "those saloons which d'd not reopen have already moved out and every desirable saloon site in the city has been snapped up for some other line of business." Viewing the problem from Its economic eco-nomic aspects exclusively, and disregarding disre-garding entirelv the moral and soci-'l Bide, we should say that 1' T A II would be vastly ndvantarei If e cry saloon In the state were to be close ' and kept closed. There is not a line of legitimate business that wouldn't be benefited, not a branch of tr-de that wouldn't show greatly iinyc.se-!, prof'ts almost from the jump. Of all the forms of economic w-isie the money spent for booze represent1-the represent1-the worst. All men and women who think clearly and look at thir.r s:re-ly s:re-ly are coming to realize that the saloons, sa-loons, viewed strictly from the dollar and cen's standpoint, :"-e brakes upon e town's nrorress ard a tre:n-n-'n'i" hurt to all lines of fade. The: hurt business and "hurt it. bad." mm |