Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-11-14

generally, as to where he stood with
reference to the prohibitory law OF
Georgia. Said he in this connection
l understand that the collector of
internal revenue in Atlanta seeks to
defeat the state law in the state
courts by refusing to disclose from the
records of his Office facts which might
enable the grand juries of the state
court to bring to the bar of public JUS
tiee the men who are violating the
state law in defiance of the state pol
icy. If this is true, his action is ut
terly without authority of law, and
would not in my judgment be tolerat-
ed for a moment by the great men at
the head of this government.
One thing is true, it will not be toll
Grated in this court If it is necessary
for the purpose of judicial investiga-
lions here to ascertain who are the
men who have paid the special tax of
the United States for carrying on the
business of retail liquor dealers, the
proper process will be issued and the
collector of internal revenue will prob
ably obey it. Our government when
properly informed will never exercise
any of its powers to defeat the valid
laws for the protection of the people
properly enacted by the government of
the states.
Not content with this assurance to
the law abiding and law supporting
portions of the public of Georgia,
Judge Speer continued further
fafy &c, Wi 20
who in your absence is perhaps unpro-
tected, who is awaiting your coming
and whose eyes will grow brighter
when you come; what safety for the
little daughters as they are tripping
along the unprotected country roads to
school; what is to become of your son
who you would have to grow up a
manly and noble man, self-respecting
his own manhood, guided and guarded
by the principles of virtue, a man an
mated by the public spirit, by integ
rity and patriotism; is such growth
probable if the youth of the country is
degraded by the Illicit product of the
country still? Fortunately it is not so
difficult to catch the gentry in the
country districts, whether they operate
distilleries or blind tigers.
In the towns where the law-break-
err is rendered more astute, he be-
comes wise in his day and generation
but we never fail to find that the
blind tiger" no matter how blind with
regard to the state laws, can carefully
see the laws of the United States, and
ne always pays the internal revenue
I tax, and in obedience to the statute
conspicuously posts his tax receipt
not his license-for the tax imposed
by the United States lay upon retail
dealers in liquor.
This indeed, gentlemen, is another
evidence of the respect accorded the
United States laws and the respect ac-
corded the efficacy of the United States
courts. This is in part ascribable to
the fact no doubt that the courts of the
United States have announced theiI
purpose to respect the prohibition law
and wherever proper to insist in its
enforcement. If it should become nee.
| essary for the performance of youl
| duty to obtain a list of those persons
who have been so ScrupulouS in re.
gard to their duty toward the govern.
| ment of the United States, the sub.
peona of this court is at your disposal
1t is needless to say thak Judge
Speer's position is apt to send cole
chills down the spines of those violat
ing the state law in cities in which hi
presides. The fact that he is willing
and in readiness to use the powers o
his court to assist the state authorities
in breaking up Illicit liquor selling i!
very apt to act as deterrent OF
many who might otherwise be inclined
to try their chances in the profitabl,
business of open blind tigering.
From the beginning Judge Speer's pc
sition has been that Federal judge
should render every assistance pos
sible to the state in it's efforts to breal
down defiance of it's prohibitory laws
and secure proper respect for ant
obedience to it's statues with reference
to the sale of intoxicants.