Cañon City record., 1907-09-26

IN OkIauOula Clly " 3theoW1O0 pFOAl-
bition than in any oother town in the
new state. The campaign there was
along the line that q dry" condition
would be disastrous to the business
of the town. Oklahoma City is fearful
of anything that might impede the
remarkable growth and prosperity of
the town. H
The committe Of busines men sent
to Kansas City, Kansas, where the law
is now enforced made this report:
Fully four-fifths of the business men
with whom we talked stated unQuali-
fiedly that general business conditions
had in no way been injured by the
enforcement of the law. and many of
them were emphatic in statements that
conditions had practically been bet
tered, and a great many Of the gentle
men making these statements were
formerly opposed to the idea of pro-
hibition in any form. Many of the
gentlemen making such reports were
not prohibitionists originally, nor have
they changed their attitude in regard
to the principles Of prohibition, but
they said that they had to admit that
from a real estate and general pros
perity standpoint they certainly were
agreeably disappointed in the outcome
in Kansas City, Kansas.
The attached report shows that
Kansas City, Kansas, has gone right
ahead in house building and other de-
velopments and not only have the old
banks larger deposits, but one new
bank has been added in the last year
tha njfx ie, in,
up with the general prosperity of the
rest of the country. Therefore, your
committee stands, without reservation,
as based upon the preponderance Of
the evidence secured. that Oklahoma
City has nothing at all to fear from a
business standpoint on account Of
coming statewide prohibition.
State wide prohibition, which ap-
pears to have been carried by a safe
majority, will be enforcible immedi-
ately upon the admission of the state.
The machinery for its enforcement
will be devised by the first state legis-
lature. 1t is probable that a majority
of the members of both houses are in
favor Of prohibition. The Rev. E. C.
nnwiddie, superintendent Of the Okla
homa anti-saloon league, who manag-
ed the state wide prohibition campaign
said that he had no positive knowl-
edge of how the legislature would
stand on the question, but was con-
fident that it will be unfriendly to the
liquor interests.
THE league did not interfere in the
election of members Of the legislature,
as it did in the election Of delegates to
the constitutional convention. We were
too greatly concerned in the campaign
for state wide prohibition. Had we
taken part actively in the campaign in
the legislative districts we would have
become embroiled in $50 fights more
or less that might have hurt state
wide prohibition.
"The league has not. fully determin-
ed what it will ask for In the way Of
legislation. A lobby will be maintain
ed at the legislature to insure the
enactment OF laws in sympathy with
the provisions Of state wide prohibi
tion as adopted in the constitution"
H. Y. Thompson, president Of a big
brewery In Oklahoma City. made this
statement showing that the brewers
will test the validity of the proposed
prohibitory law before finally yield
ing:
There Is absolutely no foundation
for any rumor or report that has for
it's object, directly or indirectly, the
creation OF the impression that the
brewers Of this country will in any
way attempt to evade or avoid the
law. But for one I may say that the
institutions here in Oklahoma City
will not accept a statement from the
prohibitionists or from any one else,
exceptin ghte courts Of the country,
as to what the law is, but when the
courts have declared the law, then It
will be observed"