Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-02-22
POOR PROHIBITION
SAYS DR. BROUGHTON
Atlanta Preacher Makes
Scathing Arrangement of
Police and Courts

Ia sermon at Tue bdpllSl
Tabernacle church in this city sunday
night. Rev. l. C. Broughton took occa-
sion TO excoriate and scarify the state
revenue officials, courts of law and the
police for countenanceing what he
brands as open and fragrant violations
OF the Georgia prohibition laws.
DIR. Broughton's subject was an APT
one, Law and Order" and an immense
congregation was assembled TO hear his
discourse Backing his accusations by
the records in the office of the collec-
tor of internal revenue, DIR. Broughton
read a list of 263 names of persons in
Atlanta who hold licensees to sell In
toxicants Of one sort or another. While
these are government licenses, the
preacher argued, that the fact that they
are held is, is in itself, prima facie
evidence of intent to violate the laws
of the state which prohibit the selling
of intoxicating liquors.
Atlanta and Macon came in for the
major share of scathing denunciaticn
and criticism. this city coming off
slightly better than Macon in the ar
raignment He pointed out that in the
list of licenses there appears but one
wholesale license for Atlanta as against
six for Macon, and ~ retail licenses
against Macon's 100. He said that in
Macon the name of a city detective APP
pears as holder of a retail liquor r.
cense.
STATE Is NEGLIGENT.
The state revenue officials, the courts
of law and the police all were targets
for his sweeping accusations, and the
city criminal court came in for an un-
usual amount of criticism and publicity.
The preacher showed that the records
of the United States revenue office here
are open 20 all who desire to read them,
and that ii is an easy matter for any
officer desiring TO find out who hold
federal licenses to sell liquor to do so.
The long list which DR.. Broughton read
were near beer saloons, drug stores,
brewries, disorderly houses and holders
OF straight retail liquor licenses.
He also charged that the railroads run
blind tigers"
che immediate effect Of DIR. Broughton's
powerful sermon was to overwhelm the
offices of The Journal with telephone calls
early Monday morning from druggists CT
standing in the city whose names appear
in the list of license holders. All these
gentlemen said that they desired the pub
lie to know why they hold license to sell
liquor.
The fact Of the matter is this. Every
compromising druggist who mixes medi-
cines that have alcohol in them-and the
list of such medicines as contain alcohol
in some quantity is very long-must have
federal license to retail liquor. This
means that not a single drug store in
Atlanta could operate under permission OF
the local collector OF internal revenue I'M
less the government license were properly
held. None of the druggists make any
secret of the fact that they hold these
Iicaus.sz and do so merely that thew NAV
comply with the revenue laws OF the
United States.
The government revenue officers of At
Ianta say that their is no intention to
connive in any way at the violation of the
Georgia prohibition laws. Their records
are open that any private citizen or Of
ficer OF the law may see who has taken
out license to handle liquor I'm any form.
AS reported by The Journal some time
ago, the revenue officers keep close watch
these days upon the shipments received
here. and when they find that a man Is
receiving too much liquor they face him
with the choice of taking out license or
going to prison. If he takes out the IL
cense, they say, it is then up to the state
to enforce the local prohibition laws.
A revenue officer explained, at the time
The Journal printed the article referred
TO. the close watch that is being kept
upon liquor shipments and upon the rail-
roads and express companies AS a re-
suit OF the federal law that went into
effect it is impossible for c. o. d. liquor
business to be done, and in addition,
every package containing liquor must be
so labeled and destined for a bona fide
person. The federal authorities think DIR.
Broughton puts # up to the state authori-
ties.