The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-08-07
Discussing the Liquor Question
TESTIMONY FROM
MANY SOURCES.
Union Signal.)

CONVINCING TESTIMONY FROM
MANY SOURCES.
(Union Signal.)
Very frequently of late years writ
ers, thoughtful and otherwise, have
called attention to the alraming in
crease in crime in this country. judy
ing by the following testimony, pro-
hibition will go far towards solu-
ton of this appalling problem.
These facts are brought together
from various sources, including sew
eral letters to the American Anti-Sa-
loon Press Bureau, statistics COM
piled for local papers from city rec
ords, etc.
Knoxville, Tenn, has had prohi-
bition in effect since November /,
1907. The following table of indict-
ments found at three terms of the
criminal court speaks for itself. The
first, July 1907, was of course before
the saloons were abolished, the sec
ond Just after the saloons went out,
and the third, after four months OF
prohibition.
July, Nov, Mar.
1907. 1907. 1908.
Criminal indictments 1870 100 rs
Decrease in murder in months,
Is per cent. )
Decrease in all felonies in first s
months of prohibition, AZ per cent.
The following is an extract from a
letter signed by A. L. Miller, mayor
of Macon, Ga, under date OF April
20, 1908 e.
80 far the decrease of crime in
the police court and the trial courts
has been very marked, ! am con-
vinced, too, that when the machinery
is thoroughly organized for the pre-
vention and punishment of all viola
lions of the prohibition law, this de-
crease will be even greater
This letter dated April 20, 1908,
is signed by Hugh G. Anderson, ma
yor of jackson, Tenn:
"This is only the 29th day OF our
city's history under the no-license
regime. The greatest benefit noted
is the abolition almost entirely-of
drunkenness and misdemeanors. Our
police court is virtually broken up
for lack of business. A large per cent
Of our poulation is delighted with the
change for better morals"
The report of Recorder Burrow
of Bristol, Tenn, for the month OF
May, 1908, shows 81 as the total
number of arrests. OF this number
only were made in which drunken
ness was charged.
In contrast with this showing for
a "dry" city, the police records OF
Bristol show that during May, 1907,
when saloons were in existence in the
city, there we're 20S arrests, 122 OF
which were for drunkenness.
Here is an excerpt from an ad-
dress of Judge Nash R. Broyles OF
the Atlanta (Ga) police court, given
before the Georgia State Sociology
cal Society, June, 1908:
HAS prohibition decreased drunk
enness and other crimes in Atlanta!
I refer YOU to the docket of the po-
lice court for the first four months
of 1907, when the saloons was with
us. and the first four months in 1918
when the saloons were absent.
simply give the figures. AS Danlel
Webster said of Massachusetts
'There she stands; she speaks for
herself
Number of cases tried for the first
four months of 1907, 6056.
Number Of cases tried for the first
four months of 1908, 3119.
Showing a decrease during prom,
bition of 2917.
Number of DRINKS for the first
| months of 1907, 1865.
Number of DRINKS for the first
months of 1908, All. /.
| Showing decrease during prohi
bition of 1884 cases OF drunkenness
in four months.
| Rockford, ILL.,, is one of the cities
where local prohibition went into Ell
feet May z, 1908. A Rockford dis
patch to the Chicago Daily News
says:
| At the close of the first month o
Rockford's dry rule reports showed
that arrests for drunkenness nav
been cut down to less than. one-thirt
the number in the same period las
year. The patrol wagon made les
than one-fourth as many trips ant
| the police court has been held 10
one-fifth the length of time. Chic
Bargren, who voted against local op
ton, declares that he is astonishe'
az tho remarkable way in which tn
) new rule is working out and that n
is now hard and fast convert.
IF the question were to come u
. again tomorrow for vote believ
/ that the result would be a tremen
ldous victory for local option n