Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-06

White. Coored. Iotal:
January. 1903: $1,000. $1,000. ios 30 22a
February. 1908. 2oI :l5 slS
Total for two WON months. 1905. s4s ''i
Total for two months, 1909. 519.
Falling OF in Arrests.
The chief Of police. who has never been
q supporter Of prohibition legislation, adj
mits that a large falling Off in the number
of arrests has been due in a great meas
ure to prohibition, but not entirely to
that cause.
THE number OF arrests for drunkenness
and disorderly conduct began to fall on
when people were thrown out of employ
ment by the panic In the latter part OF
1907. because they did not have the money
to buy whisky" he said. 'There has al
ways been less drinking and less disorder
in hard times than In nush times. But
1t is also true that there Is less disorder
passed. because the men who usually ere
ate disorder cannot get the liquor. and
those who can get It are not disturbers
Of the peace"
a single arrest for the unlawful sale of
liquor since the law was passed" IL
that because there are no blind tigers in
Mobile?' asked.
sly" said the chief. ''but we cannot catch
anybody at it. The patrolmen have their
orders, but they have not brought in any
cases and there has been no complaint
from outsiders. II any person should
make an afidavit that we could act on.
or il any patrolman should see vio-
lation Of the law, there would be an I'M
mediate arrest and prosecution. We al
ways try to find out where men ar
rested for drunkenness get the whisky,
but they are always persistent In protect
ing the men who sold or gave 1t to them"
Has Prohibition Done Goode
s'Has prohibition done any good in Mo-
bile?"
1T has been a mighty good thing for
the colored people. 1t has broken up the
low dives that were freqaented by young
colored men and has kept them away
from temptation. The poor man finds
it very difficult to get whisky. and the
rich man has to pay high for 1t. No
doubt q great deal Is expressed in to
private parties. and no doubt a good deal
is sold under the name Of other drinks.
but no complaint has been made to us
and the police have seen no violations OF
the law.
Another important effect of prohibition
lis to protect the unsophisticated colored
man who comes in from the country
with his savings in his pocket to buy
something. or to pay his board until ne
can get work. Formerly such men were
the victims OF vicious fellows who en-
drunk and took their money away from
them. Now that cannot be done any
longer. 1t is mighty hard for g. colored
man to get drunk these days.
lis public sentiment in favor of a strict
enforcement of the law at Mobile?'
II can hardly say as to that, but I
think that everybody is in favor of clos
ing the negro dives and every other
means OF keeping liquor away from the
negro. I reckon the white people are
NOT nQrficn10p hOnt fhemSplVoa
Taking Care of Habits.
Mobile voted "wet" The members of
the legislature from this city did every
thing they could to prevent the passage
Of the prohibition law, and there Is no
moral support for its enforcement in this
city except on the color line. Any means
or measure that will keep whisky away
from the negroes will be earnestly sup
ported in this city, but public opinion
would permit the white people to take
care Of their own morals and habits
There is difference of opinion as to
the effect of prohibition upon trade. Both
wholesale and retail business has been
dull for the last eighteen months, but
there has been a decided improvement
since the list OF January, when the pro-
hibition law went into effect. A few
people contend that the revival of activ-
ity is due to prohibition, but the great
majority contend that 1t has had no in
duence whatever upon trade. Several re-
tail merchants. Of whom l inquired at
random without explaining my motive.
told me that the working people were
were paying cash. They had also noticed
an Improvement In the payment Of bills
rendered on pay day. which they con-
slider evidence that more OF the wages
are being spent for the necessaries of
life and less for the vices. Others said
that they had noted no difference.
Liquor Shipped in State.
shipped into the state from New Orleans.
The express companies do a large busi-
ness. The newspapers contain display
advertisements OF liquor houses in that
y-"distributers." they call themselves
delivery by express. The express COM
panies will handle one bottle of whisky,
but not less than a case of beer. Any
body can obtain q supply Of any kind
and it is an uncontradicted fact that
there is more private drinking at the
homes Of the white people than formerly
Families that never kept liquor in the
of hospitality require them to order a
case of whisky and have a bottle within
reach OF their neighbors who are in the
habit OF drinking. Young men who sell
dom II ever went into q saloon buy liquor
now by the quantity and offer it to
their friends. This Is considered manly
by q certain class OF gilded youth, and
has become q fashion. Champagne and
other wines are served at public ban
quets as we'll as at private dinners. Just
as before the law was passed.
Tho prohibition leaders have obtained
a promise from the governor to call a
special session of the legislature to
tighten up the law 80 as to prohibit these
evasions and to devise some means to
compel the authorities to enforce It in
Mobile and other cities where public SEN
timent tolerates its evasion. Whether
this can be done is a question. No DO
lice can long enforce a law that is not
approved by a majority Of the people.