The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-06-10

hcadway. Violations are increasing,
rather than declining. anc in some
communities the unlawful sale of in.
toxicants has become more or less
systematized Municipal officers in
a number OF the towns, convinced
apparently that 1t is impossible Who'll
ly to suppress the traffic in con.
traband liquors, are imposing II.
censes Of 500 month each on
so-called soft" drink resorts. and
in that way derive revenue from
law.breakers.
These soft drink resorts nomi
nally are supposed not to sell al
coholic beverages, yet the payment
of 500 a month for the privilege
of selling soda pop. lemonade and
such drinks arouses suspicion that
the transaction is not on the square.
Charles West, state attorney general,
said lately that he would urge the
prosecution of officials that made
deals of this kind with bootleggers
and ioint-keepers.
The state maintains department
for the enforcement OF the prohib-
itory laws, the enforcement attorney
being +. S. Caldwell. whose s'nccri-
~ in the prosecution of law.brcak.
ers has not been questioned, but
whose time and energy have not
been sufficient TO restrain percept-
IDLY the operations of bootleggers.
The last legislature gave $4,000 a
year to Caldwell for his department
which is not believed TO be suffi.
cient for close espionage of the
state Caldwell says that his great.
est handicap Is the incompetency
or the corruption of county and
city officials. If all such officials
were honest and in sympathy with
/ the enforcement of the prohibitory
laws he would be able to make
a far better showing. and in time
would make It difficult for bootleg
gers and ioint-keepers to do bust.
ness in Oklahoma.
placed responsibility for the enforce
ment of prohibition upon the citi.
zens of the different communities
in his proclamation ro-opening the
state dfspensaries.
In number of the larger towns
of the state, liquors OF all kinds
may be purchased openly at bars
just as they were in the days Of
open, licensed saloons. There are
few hotels in the larger towns where
the bell boys, upon showing a guest
10 his room. do not say:
"Nothin' else tonight. boss"
Nothing that | think off"
Are you right sure, boss, you
don't want something else?"
This insistence makes plain 10
the guest that beer or whisky are
at hand, and direct question 10
the bell boy brings the reply that
the guest can get all he wants by
giving his order TO the bell boy
or by telephoning to certain mum.
Der in the hotel The difference be.
tween the present arrangement and
the former open bar in the hotel
{ Is mainly one OF convenience.
The fact has developed with Ger
, tainty that one brewery company IN
an outside state is enjoying a mo
, nopoly in many towns in the sale
of it's products. Just how this mo
nopoly is maintained is unknown
; When bootlegers are asked why
> they do not sell rival beers they
reply that so long as they handl,
only the particular brand they arr
seldom molested. but always get in
: to trouble when they begin sellinl
u the prescribed beer.
: There Is complaint in many com
- munities over the heavy expenditure
of public funds in the prosecution
of bootleggers. In some counties thi
litigation amounts TO thousands o
, dollars year, without driving tn
; bootleggers out of business or clos
ing the joints. Persons of an ecc
:. nomical turn add TO this expenditur
II the loss of license fees receive
4 when saloons were in operation
n and complain that in time prohib
II tion viii bankrupt their countie,
n On this point Caldwell said lately
Vigorous enforcement of law /
each community could be mad
, to show a profit rather than a los
There is no reason why law violi
. tors should not be fined heavil
and the fines collected in cash, a