The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-10-03

people or Oklahoma knew the facts
about prohibition and were informed
as to the merits of strict regulation.
they would not seriously consider
statewide prohibition, but would de-
mand conservative legislation.
Acting on this belief. ! am sub
mitting to you for publication a
brief address to the people of your
state setting forth the facts concern
ing the failure of prohibition and
suggesting a means of eleyating the
saloon to a higher plane.
Yours very respectfully,
7. NJ. GILMORE
President National Model License
League.
To the Voters of Oklahoma.
On November s you will be called
upon to decide by your ballots
question of tremendous importance
to your state, namely the question
of prohibition VS.. the legalized liquor
traflic--and as | have given this
question some twenty-seven years of
the closest study, | am sure that
you will not resent a few sugges-
tions from me as president of the
National Model License League.
Prohibition is a protest on the
part OF the people against certain
evils connected with the liquor traf-
fic, but as remedy for what is
known as the liquor problem 1t has
invariably proven to be a complete
failure, and 1t has been tried during
the last sixty years by such states
as Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode
Island, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas and
South Dakota, and during more re
cent years by Oklahoma, Georgia,
Alabama Mississippi, Tennessee and
North Carolina.
In none of these states. and in
none of the innumerable counties in
which it has been tried, has II at
any time interfered with the pur-
chase, possession or use of beer,
wine or whisky.
Where prohibition is adopted the
bootlegger, the moonshiner and the
mail order house Immediately sup
plant the legaliZed saloon or liq-
uor store, and in such communities
the supply of liquor is kept in the
residences luSlbdu vi III liN'hpN'
places. Experience shows that where
people keep a supply OF liquor at
nome instead of sending to the liq-
uor store for II as they may need
it. the consumption is very much
greater than it is IN counties and
states where the business Is licensed,
From letter received this morn
ing from an attorney in Alabama
would like to quote what ne
saws in regard to the working OF
prohibition in that state, as fol
lows:
~ have always been strong
advocate of prohibition personally,
and in the past have done what l
could to that end, but since we
have given it trial | have Deeh
forced to the conclusion that II
is not what we want, for prohlDi-
ton as 1t now exists in this state
is n stencil in the nostrils or de-
cency. Being the prosecuting attor-
ney of this county, i, perhaps, know
better than anyone else the evils
attendant upon the so-called prohi-
bition, and my judgment Is that 10
license the traffic and surround 1t
with every safeguard possible would
be a great deal better.
THE conditions of this section OF
the state now existing are de-
plorable IN the extreme, and ! am
ready to render what service can
for the benefit of existing condl-
tons So. after a careful consider
alton have come to the conclu-
sion that your plan is much better
than what we now have"
A reference to the reports OF the
Commissioner OF Internal Revenue
of the United States government
will show that during the last four
teen years-that is, during the tilP
that the Antl-Saloon League mas
been I'm eXistence-thr consumption
of distilled and fermencel ';luors
in this country has Increased lu'''
so per cent.
Fourteen years ago We we're HSihE
about GG.G00,000 gallons " disl!IcI
liuuors. but last year NC used aDo''
12S 900. 900 gallons, and while lour-
teen wears ago we used about l,llV'-
600 600 gallons of beer per annum we
used last Nedl oN'i ''''N''
gallons. 1
These figures are indisputable' ana
they show copclusively that Nhiie
the prohibitory laws that have oeeu
adopted In recent years to so grea'
an extent in this country nave de'
stroved millions of private property
and hundreds of millions Of reVn,
nues and while they have destroyed
the peace and good will that shoulu
exist in communities, have turned
father against son and son aSalls'
father. and while they have destro!-
ed that respect for law Wnich Is
the foundation Of good government
they have not arrested in the silsh,
est degree the consumption OF al
cohorc beverages, nor they nave
not brought any OF the beneiits
so eloouently and persistently prom,
isoi by the orators and writer's oil
the Anti-Saloon League.
The reason that prohibition does
not prohibit is because It docs
not forbid the purchase, possession
or use of alcoholic beverages. and
In consequence the very large ma