The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-12-31
ONE YEAR OF PROHIBITION.

effect ln Oklahoma little more than
year The enforcement measure
has been In cffoct a little less than
this period Considering the fact
however that constitutional require.
mout. were adequate to punish any
offender. 90 is not unfair TO say that
We hav, had a years test Of the law.
We have likewise had some oppor
'wi'y for observing the erect of.
IT'S operation
Turyordict OF the people upon this
question 10 it vor" possible 10 obtain
au oppression from every citizen.
would undoubtedly be- mixed Some
would say that 'ho law was % fiat
DIur. while others would Houtly
insist chat 30 was am unqualified sue
coss Opinions would naturally vary
. according TO the Viewpoint
/ Bur vr believe &C. viii bc generally
admitted that Oh, law Is not near so
successful iu its operation rs The
. friends of thr movement had hoped
/ 10 witness lu The smaller towns
/ and cities of the state the law has
worked veil destroying almost In
| toto the traffic m liquors. but in the
larger cities it has proven pretty
I much of farce. as everybody IA.
miliar with conditions bogottcn by
/ 10 will readily almit Special Eu
/ rorccmcut Attorney Fred G. Caldwell
/ whose sole business is the enforce.
mcut of the measure. comedies that
for the cwrUt year at least -
hthtion has not prohibited. lle goes
on TO say:
81 must confess that have not
been able 90 do al I hoped to,
because local sentiment largely con.
trolls The enforcement of law i'm a
community and In some localities
progress has been slow I'm getting
citizens Of influence to uphold the
officers"
This Judgment Of the operation ol
the law comedies precisely with
what the OkIahomnu anticipated and
predicted We repeatedly warned tn,
people that, In voting prohibition the,
4 were voting a law upon MS whicl
would be- enforced in some localities
and ignored in others We avail
but year TO find an acknowledge
1 ment of as much on the part of tn,
I special enforcement attorney. VIII,
% is one Of the staunchcst prohibition
lists In the state.
The difficulties besctiing Mr. Calj
T. We'll in his efforts to enforce tn
e law, as pointed out in his interview
= are the difficulties which have eve
- attended efforts to enforce the la'
I'm other states. Where public sent
mcnt sustains the officers the la,
oI will be- enforced: where this sent
'f mcnt is lacking the law will be Il
Is norcd As result We have wet
'r and dry zones In prohihltio
IS state
These are The primo reasons whic
make high license and local optic
Us preferable 10 statewide prohibition
l' Under this system We will ryaon
ir bauish the salpou 60 the commuuti.
IS whore this sentiment is lacking "
20 viii have lavIygulatcd saloons. puI
lis revenues from license fees. an
no more extensive traffic i'm liquor
* than we Nirncss under sratc.wid
J" prohibition
The Oklahoman firmly hclicy,
'S that the people of the state wi
U eventually come to this system. \
ter they have witnessed the mulit
., of all efforts 10 enforce the prohi
=. itory law in communities whcr
-, public sentiment Is opposed to /
h, ana noted the drmoruliliug effect ,
- continual law violation, they will d
49, clare for high liccus" and local O
ton the best solution of the han,
problem which mas vet been devise
HUT We would not urge this 81,
upon them go this particular tim
,u We have statewide prohibition no
rs and should concern ourselves O.,
,y means Tor lbs enforcement Thor
v| Nn hr plenty of time to inaugural
rel % movement for % change after
Is. has been ,horoughly l,moustrat,
D.