Mexico Missouri message., 1908-04-30

| Stopped at the gates TN inc tNfnNu nay
| they went through the gates and arrested
| the bookmakera, and gave notice that on
tho third day they would arrcst al w
spectator, ore. as Wen; ON ths 1hlru , SSsy
| found the gates closed and on one %
| them a notice stating that the rnce-trgck
was closed until further noticc.
| That was three years ago. ana " has
| not opened yet ana viii not be opened as
l long az ] have the power to prevent ~.
They called their arrest 'yrannical
| How sensitive lAwbrCakcrs Of high de-
/ gree ar" as 90 the manner ~ their arrest.
! but how mercilcsa they are In trampling
| the statutes Of the state beneath their
! feet The public conscience has ended
! this form Of gambling IN this state and
! o. assuiinE IL IN New YORK ana other
states who're 4 i nov per%Il,,edii NJ t M
| vice will be n thing of the past from one
| end % the country 90 the other.
Gambling, Wine. Rooms and pramshop
Laws,
| II used 20 be Faid that tho gambling
] laws. the wine-ropm acts ana IN" ~ m
shop statutes could not be- enforced In
the large cities. I say 20 you these laws
| are enforced nnd have been enforced 10
/ the letter IN the cities OF 81. Louis, ran
| ernor has the power to enforce these laws
| because he appoints the police cumtnlr-
| sionerS IN these cities and the rNclFe com
! mlSsluners ~ the city Of Sc Louis. The
! omen canning house. once 20 common. r.
| now a thing 81 the past and wine-ronms
| have been stamped out Tho law re!ulr-
I Ing saloons 20 close on SUNDAY NNu bctu
| fagrantly dlsrcgurdod IN these cities.
| ordered II enforced IN accordance with
/ the oath took when came Z" tn" n1ice
81 governor Tho on-krep"rS refused
| To- the power ~ tho law. They Insisted
! that II the Legislature were IN session
| they would have ~ repealed. There has
been n legislative session since this law
| has hcen put In force and no one dared
come forward with even a suggestion Tor
| IT, repeal. The result ~ the enforcement
srf Ia hN tffU nuFmFvhul remark
| able Crime. that IL. sunday crime. has
! been largely reduced IN these cities, Tho
| police courts that on MONDAY noInlnS Ih
| the old days were crowded with wrctched
mon and women recovering from their
SUNDAY dChaucherics. are now practically
deserted. Whatever may d" said hy the
! loon. statistics show that there has been
| less drunkenness since the enforcement OF
butcher. the baker the grocer who has no
saloon attachment and tho tradcsmau has
largely increased. Tho deposits ~ work.
! lngnen In the banks have increased and
their wages that formerly went 20 the
sunday saloon now gn to nay for food
ana clothing Tor the family, or are
saved for. rainy day. Many a Wife
many and many n mother. has written
me that they now have shmcthing 60 cat
and TO wear on Sundays and Mondays.
whereas before they We're In want one
such letter from one good woman more
than Compcnsatcs FOR the curses of
ten thousand outlaw liquor dealers. Tn"
saloon Is an evil wherever II may exist. II
r. power for good nowhere. IL ~ Only
tolerated anywhere for fear something
worse may take It's place. The question
rs TO whether the saloons shall be run
I out Of the state entirely 81 an important
! one. but "a FAR more important question ~
whether or not the saloons shall be al
l lowed 10 run the state. They have been
/ permitted 90 have too much influence In
I political Affairs and candidates whose
business u would be. n elected. TO mako
| laws. have shown too much consideration
I for this element who have been fanatical
/ awbToakors. Led on by designing poll
/ ticiaus the liquor interests have entered
| the political arena backed by millions OF
dollars. with the avowed purpose OF dom
/ mating the politics Of the state II they
| can and through politics. 20 control the
/ state. While the enforcement OF the law
/ closing saloons on Sunday has now be
! come an accepted condition, 30 that no
| CO indicate for office In this state would
/ dare openly oppose this policy. their
/ resentment against the present executive
] Tor putting the law in force against them
/ has shown no abatement. They oppose
/ rsi, and DO not want their support II
have 20 violate my oath OF office by
allowing them the privilege OF lhWless-
ness In order 90 be elected TO any other
olhce. then say Il II a price ! viii not
pay even TO hold the highest office In the
land. I prefer 10 retire TO private life
conscious Of having been true TO my con-
I Ccption 81 public duty than 20 receive the
| .ncomiums and support Of lawbreakeTs By
Icing false TO my better nature.
| The liquor interests claim that they are
I In favor Of the law being enforced. But
have they welcomed reign OF law Not
AT all on the contrary many OF them
the law until they saw defiance was use
less. Then they gave unwilling ucquies-
cence while vowing vengeance on the Of
ncials who dared consider that laws were
made for them TO obey the same as or
binary mortals. The fact that the Inv
was enforced against them was enough 10
array them against me, their theory seem
ing 20 be that they must in self defense
oppose all who want their business regu-
lated
Some Of the saloons here in st. Joseph
are fighting now. not for existence. but
| for the privilege OF lawleRsneRs from
the next administration. which they hope
viii obtain no such privilege from this ad-
will from the next. AZ long as the liquor
traffic demonstrates that IL has no respect
for law. human or divine. Just 80 long
win the sentiment against IL continue e
grow.
Other. DramShop Laws.
The governor only has power TO en-.
force the dramshop laws in the cities
where he appoints the police commission
ers and the excise commissioner, hut, ir
other portions OF the state. he has M
direct authority. ! believe there should
, be some state authority conferred 10 en-
} force the laws In every part OF the com
monwealth after local officials have neg
: iccted 20 do their duty. In this respect
2 however. the general assembly differed
D from my Views, and no authority wa,
, conferred upon ne g9ver ri, to carry gu o.,
: a dramshop law, however, was enacted a
| the extra session OF the general assem-
: | biy OF 1907. which II a great aid In en-
= forcing the law Under this act eacl
G dramshop keeper must close not only OF
. Sunday. hut from l O'Clock 10 o'clocl
each night and must give bond in tn
sum 81 s. 900 that he will obey all tn
n laws Of the state relating to dramshup
n and upon any violation any two citizen
= can Gle suit on this bond In the circul
70 court. a derelict official law was ais
h | enacted NJ the extra general assembly q
q 1901. whereby any citizen can file sui
4 in the circuit court against the prose
= cutting attorney. sheriff mayor or othe
Il official charged with the enforcement q
y the law. for neglect Of duty. and In tn
'. event II can be shown that the Offcif
q has wllfuiiy failed 10 enforce any law
> is made his duty 90 enforce such officll
Il can be OuHted from Office The proceed
a Ing II a civil one and conferH the pows
y on the citizens OF each community to u
/ - gNafa sart4.. L.. n.