The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-11-20
CHANGES WROUGHT BY STATE
HOOD.

T1OOCs
The third anniversary of state
hood for Oklahoma sees many
chances from the old days when we
were governed at the other end of
the telegraph line in Washington
City.
There were no schools in those
days, and today every neighborhood
has its school.
There were no roads in those
days, and today the roadways have
been laid out, many of them have
been worked and thousands of dol
lars have been spent for bridges.
Churches and Sunday schools
have been organized where none
existed, and the moral atmosphere
of the state has been improved
wonderfully in the past three years.
Under the old federal rule the
people did not have great deal
of regard for the laws created by
some one else. and a general dis
regard for the territory laws was
the result.
Since statehood the people have
made their own laws, they have en-
forced their own laws, the iuries
have been more in harmony with
law enforcement, the county attor-
ney has had the moral support of
the people. whore the old United
States district attorneys did not
have it, and today there are fewer
law-breakers in the state than be-
fore.
lmmel el.lately following statehood
in many towns there was a lawlcss
element that ATTEMPTED to run things
in their own way In those days.
when the prohibitory law was in
its infancy, and the people were
having a hard time to put the joints
out of their towns, the whiskcy sell
crs organized and offered a reward
w any 'AA' Nlb N'HlN lillNllll lIl'lll
of any person who gave evidence
against them before the grand jury
The penalty to be paid by the man
who told the truth was a severe
beating. Witnesses were intImidatcd
and laWlossncss held sway for scy
eral months.
Every attempt to put Gown law
lessness met stubborn opposition
ana while enthusiastic men worked
for awhile, they soon tired and the
joints would go back to their places
Of business again.
After the prohibition question haC
been passed upon by the people o
the state the second time and pro
hihition carried, a wonderful sen
iment sprang mp against the Joints
Fully seyenty-five per cent of tn,
people who voted for the amend
ment for local option and high Ii
cense did SO because they wer,
opposed to the joints, where boy
couN enter and buy whiskey, wher,
in many instances boys were sell
ing it, The state of affairs whicl
existed was nauseating to every goo.
citizen of the state and il wa
especially nauseating to men an,
women who are rearing children.
1t was just one week ago toda,
that the Ardmoreite said the peop,
had spoken twice that Oklahom;
laws made the majority the ruler
of the minority, and that prohibition
meant TO stop the sale and barte
and advertising of whiskey. and O.
fered our vigorous moral suppor
TO the county and city officials il
shutting down he whiskey traffic
our support was quickly accepted
and all hands became busy. The cit,
put on two extra men for the pur
pose Of enforcing the law agafns
the sale of liquor. Chief Garret
and Police Commissioner Owens
made the rounds OF every suspecte,
jointist and warned him to clos,
his doors at once. County Attorney
Mathers gave every property owner
who is renting to jointists notice tc
put their tenants out or condemna
tion proceedings would be brought
against their brick buildings. 1t is