The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-05
THE FAILURE OF STATEWIDE
PROHIBITION.

Does prohibition prohibit2
To this question. the city OF Mem
phis. Tennessee. emphatically answers
Nor.
Statewide prohibition has been or
dained by the Tennessee Legislature,
the law having taken effect on July L.
1909 The result in Memphis has peen
that, though there We're I6S saloons
before Statewide prohibition. under
such prohibition or saloons have
cropped UP in the city and are flourish
ing and prospecting, Under the old
license law, there We're no beer joints
Now there are $50. The saloons used
to be closed on Sunday, though some
kept side and rear doors open. The
hotels sold drinks on that day VITA
great caution. To-day, under prohib!-
day when It comes to selling liquor.
The hotels are wide open. and drinks
are served to all corners. Saloons used
to be closed at midnight; now they
never close at all. Gambling in sa-
loons. Under the old regime, was pros
ecuted. when detected. now it goes on
without any pretense a secrecy. Pc
iicenen used to stay out of saloons.
now they. go in openly. Under the old
system oflicense, the greatest number
of untried murders on the court dock
cts at one time was estimated at sixty;
now there are l1s such cases. without
precedent as a condition in Memphis.
A recent investigator OF Memphis
liquor conditions says:
$50 little pretense do the saloons
make at secrecy in their trade that
many of them have electric signs bear
ing tb.e word Bar or Saloon or Buff
fet., along Main Street. the principal
thoroughfare Of the city. and through
out the downtown district. Front doors
stand invitingly open. The principal
hotels here are the Gayoso and the
Peabody. Two saloons al the Gayos1
and one al the Peabody are operated
openly, daily and Sunday. and ooth
hotels serve drinks with meals i Il
common Knowledge that these condi-
tions prevail AZ all hotels in Memphis
The liquor people say that they sell
as much as they did IN the days Of
high license. The restrictions 81
license have given way TO utter liberty
in liquor buying and selling. More
oyer, gambling and dissfpatiol haye
reached their high water mark uadel
prohibition. Vice 70 open and bold, and
4
the stories Of tbs people Who frequent
lthe saloons Of Memphis under STATE.
wide prohibition are stories ~ q rio,
tous carnival Of dabaaeEefy ara gice
The regulated sale ot ll41of haa gigef
way to the unrestrainsd sale u II pndei
the most vicious conditions, Itaaglnt
! what Richmond would DC without III.
present restricted license system an,
] under only nominal police control ant
you have hint of what Memphis l.
under the undemocratic and unjustl
fable Statewide prohibition regime.
The law is not enforced in Memphis
iMhy2 Because public sentiment
against the enforcement of The law
Attorney-General Estes has well aai
: Of the conditions in Tennessee; "Th
! state is the unit OF enactment, tn
$ county is the unit of enforcement.
: That is true Of every community wher
n prohibition is forced upon i,s psopl
I against their sovereign viii. TIC la
q is unpopular and cannot be enforce.
4 AS Mayor crump Of Memphis nv
: says u can do more good W stoppin
e gambling and closing dives than i
/ trying 10 enforce a law 10 which II
. people are opposed. This run
q communities should not be permitted
Id legislate for Memphis"
" stun more remarkable is the stat