Owens-Illinois now employing many men making beer bottles

VOTERS TO DECIDE ISSUE TUESDAY

REGARDING REPEAL 18TH AMENDMENT

Citizens of State Will Not Be Likely to Stop

Wheels of Progress Which Are Beginning

to Run So Smoothly — Factories

Getting Busy.

CITY WILL RECEIVE $5,912.55;

AS ITS SHARE OF LEGALIZED BEER

Thousands of Men Given Chance to Earn

A Living — Many Taken From Poor

Relief Fund, Owing to Improved Conditions

— Vote Wet June 6.

Next Tuesday, June 6th, will tell the story in Indiana as to whether this state favors repeal of the 18th amendment to the national Constitution or prefers the attempt of enforcing bone dry legislation. A number of states have already voted for ratification of the 21st amendment which would legalize the manufacture and sale of beer and wines together with medicinal liquors. No state has as yet voted to keep and enforce the national prohibition act and Indiana is expected to ask for the ratification of the new beer act passed by Congress last March.

Business conditions have been greatly improved by the operation of breweries and the manufacture of beer and medicinal whiskey. The City of Muncie; has been an important benefactor from this action since the sale of beer requires the manufacturing of bottles.

The Owens-Illinois Glass Co., formerly the Hemingray Glass Co. of this city is now furnishing employment to many men who have been without jobs for months due to the manufacture of beverage bottles. The Ball Brothers industry was able to increase their number of employees because of contracts to make glass bottles.

Increased Orders.

The several gear companies of Muncie have increased orders from automobile and truck manufacturtug concerns simply because the legalized liquor traffic has demanded transportation. The revenue derived from the sale of beer, wines and medicinal liquors aid tremendously in the securing of necessary funds with which to operate government. The City of Muncie will receive in a few days a check from the State of Indiana totaling $5,912.55 which is our distribution from seven weeks collection of taxes and license fees from the manuacture and sale of beer within this state.

The consumption of 3.2 beer has failed to injure the health of anyone and in fact has been proven to be nutritious and healthful. The revenue collected from the sale of beer will and has aided the states and municipalities as well as the federal government to pay operating costs without levying increased taxation on real estate and property owners. The increasing of employment has relieved the poor relief funds of cities and counties and has afforded thousands of men to earn an honest living for their families. Certainly these acts are deserving of unlimited consideration within the minds of all citizens whether they do or do not drink beer.

Something To Think About.

Perhaps, insu_ _ient [sic] insufficient thought has been given to the failure of complete dry enforcement and the political "club" that has been made from the prohibition enforcement agencies under the Department Justice such as has been so ridiculously demonstrated within the city of Muncie. The mayor of Muncie and eight of his police officers were forcibly insulted and unduly treated by a few half-witted federal agents who made their arrests and refused bonds but carted them off to Indianapolis after midnight through very inclement weather only to shove them in jail. Arrests were made after a federal grand jury had taken the perjured statements of underworld characters who sought the destruction of a reputable administration and succeeded in returning indictmentsn on a widely framed-up liquor conspiracy charge.

A trial followed the indictments and from the same lying testimony from the same group of hoodlums together with the prejudice of a Republican district attorney and bench, a conviction was obtained which now stands appealed in the Circuit Court of Appeals at Chicago. The huge costs of [spell:moey:money] forced upon these Muncie public officers in acquiring bonds, paying attorney fees, expenses of court procedure and appealing from an uncalled for conviction on a complete frameup by prohibition enforcement officers who were guided by political advisers and personal enemies. Not only in Muncie but in various cities throughout Indiana was the word passed down from higher up politicians to agents paid by the government to enforce prohibition to "get" this mayor or that public officer who might be serving his community well and gaining prominence for administering efficient goverment democratcally.

Experiments of this local situation in jeopardinzing [sic] jeopardizing the freedom and character of honest public officers by dry enforcement agents who steal and drink their own confiscated liquors should be enough for any thinking citizen to vote for correction of such hazardous condtiions. A vote for ratification of the 21st amendment and the repeal of the 18th amendment will not bring back the olden day saloon but will grant the freedom of our citizenship to drink beverages which are palatable to many and harmful to none.

The bootleggers that have reaped fortunes from the illegal sale of liquors are indeed opposed to ratification but let us hope that there are not enough bootleggers and hypocritical voters to keep Indiana and Delaware county from supporting a national issue which has the full approval of a President, who does things.

The sinking fund received no funds during May and disbursed none and the aviation fund, likewise had no receipts nor expenditures but the aviation fund balance was transferred to the general fund except $20.00. The bonded indebtedness of the civil city on June 1st was $235,485.01 and this amount will be reduced an additional $28,000 throughout the balance of this year. Due to the 35 per cent decrease in the assessed valuation of taxable properties in the city of Muncie and also due to the non-payment of indebtedness to the city by the cemetery board, the sinking fund commission has been forced to request an $18,000 temporary loan.

As was stated last week in the Post Democrat, there will come due throughout the balance of this year, $33,460.08 on bonds and interest of the civil city bonded in debtedness. The amount of money available to meet these obligations at maturity will total approximately $15,600 which will require an $18,000 temporary loan in order to avoid defaulting payment. The cemetery board now owes the city of Muncie $5,030 and by payment of $1,950 of cemetary indebtedness yet to come due this year will increase the cemetery debt to the city at $6,980.00. This amount when paid by the cemetery board together with the December settlement of tax collections to the sinking fund will be sufficient to pay off the $18,000 temporary loan.