davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13

Herewith we present information obtained from the
Sheriffs of Tennessee and Georgia This information
obtained in reply to the following letter. viz:
MY Dear Mr.. Sheriff.
Il am making an investigation to the effectiveness
OF statewide prohibition and would appreciate it very
much if you will give me the following information
81. Has the statewide law IMPROVED conditions in
your County
90 Is it popular with the people as the local option
law (if you had local Option)?
3. Is it easier to enforce or is the contrary true?
"a. Has it decreased drunkenness and other crimes?
50. Could you tell me how many arrests, if any, have
been made in your County for the past year account of
drunkenness?"
The letters published this page received in
reply to this letter and should leave doubt in the mind
of who really against the whiskey traffic that
the best and sures way to fight the saloon through the
perfected local option system of Texas
Let the reader bear in mind that the letters published
here written by who have the experience gained
by earnest efforts to enforce the law No knows bet
fer than they whether the law is failure
In some cases. the letters are printed in FULL only
and can be shown to any person interested.
In each the letters from Counties where the
people had adopted local option local prohibition Be-
fore statewide prohibition the local option law well
observed and satisfactory AFTER statewide prohibition
the condition was the reverse
The reason is plain. Local option was a Law made
by the people of the several Counties and their law
The statewide law for the whole state hence the
pie of the local option Counties did not regard they
did the law made by themselves
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
MORGAN COUNTY, r.. B. AYCoCK,
SHERIFF

More drunkenness and crlme-The
very men you are trying to prohibit
from getting liquor are the ones who
get 1t from blind tigers, and these you
will find all over the country. Local
option or high license, l think, is the
proper solution of the liquor question
1t is almost impossible to enforce the
law as it now stands. Although some
of the smaller towns try to enforce the
law, the larger cities sell openly. A
friend OF mine. being in Augusta a few
weeks ago, went into what is known
as near-beer saloon. He said that
he saw several gentlemen drinking
beer and, as he wanted something
stronger, he asked IL they only sold
beer. The proprietor asked him what
he wanted. and when he replied he
wanted some rye. he got 1t. ], know
there is an increase in crime among
the negroes, murders for instance, and
ABOUT 80 per cent of them can be
traced to drink Everywhere, where
there is gathering. liquor is sure to
be sold, and being out in the country.
where there ia no police protection.
they will wind up with dead negro
and coroner's investigation. l can
not tell you how many have been ar
rested for drunkenness. but a good hot
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
There were IS first degree
murder cases during 1910 in
Memphis under prohibition, the
largest number ever known in
the history of the city.

The balance of the County was local
option until about four years ago when
the prohibition act passed. can say
that the prohibition law is the hard
est law we have to enforce. They
used to sell whiskey in the towns and
at the crossroads, but now they sell
it all over the County and nobody will
help the officers to enforce law. At
least three-fourths of the arrests we
make are caused from whiskey sold
by what we call walking bars" That
is, negroes and some white men who
go to all gatherings and sell whiskey
try to do my duty in enforcing all
laws, but 1t is hard matter to en-
force the prohibition law. think
local option is best for any state.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
CAMPBELL COUNTY, B. E. Will
KBRSON, SHERIFF.

No whlskey under local option sys-
tenn, but plenty under statewide-Pro-
hibition is complete failure in every
respect, SO decided by the best people
in my County. The judge of our
court believes it and talked so to me
several times, yet he is against whis-
key Local option law gives better
satisfaction. We had no whiskey in
my County when we had local option,
but now there are blind tigers in
every little town and blockading all
over the country. So-called good citi-
zens have drifted over into the whis-
key traffic Drunkenness and crimes
have increased in the County | can
safely say that rs per cent of the ar
rests make started from whiskey.
, People in our County would be glad to
vote for local option. The same trou-
BILE in each County adjoining ours
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
MERIwETHER COUNTY, j, B. JAR
RELL. SHERIFF..

Jurles won't convict--Statewide a
fraud-Statewide prohibition is sim
ply fraud in sections of our state.
We try to enforce the law in our Coun-
ty as best we can. There are lots of
blind tigers scattered over our Coun-
ty. Also lots OF false swearing before
our grand juries by men who would
blush at the thought of swearing at
anything else but the truth. Our
judges sometimes impose very heavy
fines, but the juries come back at
them and say I'VE won't convict any
unless you make your fines lighter"
so you see public opinion is going to
rule in a statewide state, so If 1t was
left with me, with my experience,
would say Give me local option
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
QUITMAN COUNTY, w. R. CADEN
HEAD, SHERIFF.

The statewide prohibition law has
not improved conditions in Quitman
county-The negroes and whites sell
it all over the County and it is almost
impossible to catch them as they will
not betray each other. This law is
not as popular with the people as
local option and for that reason 1t Is
harder to enforce the law, 1t has not
decreased drunkenness and other
crimes, If violator is fined. his fine
is paid by the whiskey crowd, and in
cases where they were given a sen
tence in the chain gang whiskey men
have been known to pay them wages
while there. to prevent them from be
traying others. AS whole conditions
are worse than local option.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
JEFF DAVIS COUNTY, w. H. ELLIS,
SHERIFF.

More drunkenness under statewide
than under local option-Statewide
prohibition has not improved condi-
lions in this County We had local
option in the state before statewide
prohibition, but statewide prohibition
is not as easy to enforce as local OPP
ton Under the local option law the
County was dry, but whiskey was sold
illegally then as now, and at every
saw mill and turpentine still in the
County as well as in the towns
Drunkenness and crimes have not de-
creased and, in fact, have made a
great many more arrests for drunken
ness since the adoption of the state
wide law than ever made under local
option.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
HABERS SHAM COUNTY, P. F
GRANT. SHERIFF.

Prohlbitionist says law failure
/ do not believe that the statewide
prohibition law has improved condi-
lions in our County, and it is not more
popular than the local option law.
1t is harder to enforce and crimes do
not decrease nor does drunkenness.
There have been great many arrests,
but can not tell the exact number.
am personally in favor of prohibition
when 1t prohibits, but l can not say
that the statewide prohibition law
benefits our County.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
HANCOCK COUNTY, T. B. HIGH
TOWER. SHERIFF.

Conditions far worse than under
local option--I do not think that state
wide prohibition has improved condi-
tions in our County, and in some re-
spects conditions are far worse than
under local option. The present law
is not at all popular with the people
as whole, and 1t is almost impossible
to enforce it. can not say as to the
increase or decrease of drunkenness,
but now and then it seems to be that
there is more now. The record which
have for arrests is taken from the
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
LEE COUNTY, s. B. SMITH,
SHERIFF.

People will not aid the offIcers-I
do not think that the statewide pro-
hibition law has made conditions any
better in my County, and am sure that
1t is not as popular with the people
as our former local option law was.
1t is very hard to enforce and since
the adoption of statewide prohibition,
there have been more homicides than
ever before Prohibition, as we have
it, is failure, for the people will not
aid the officers and the officers are
powerless to enforce the law.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
WALKER COUNTY, A. C. XATRoN
SHERIFF..

5oot-legger and cheap whlskey pIen-
tlful--I find statewide prohibition al
most impossible to enforce The SEN
timent of the people is rather in favor
of local option. also find bootleg
ging of whiskey, and OF a very low
quality at that, more prevalent than
under our local option laws. In this
section of the state, statewide prohibit
ton has not decreased crimes nor ar.
rests. Conditions, to my mind, are
worse, since the law is violated much
more frequently now than before the
adoption of this law. Statewide, tried
in Georgia since January l, 1908, does
not seem to improve conditlons; in
many of the larger cities they are
wide OPEN as in Savannah, Ca, etc,
simply because local sentiment there,
like in Memphis and Nashville. Tenn,
is opposed to statewide Where you
have to legislate a thing into and
upon the people and against their will.
find conditions not improved. l
should advise a common country to
hold to local option. Local option
seems to be purely democratic and a
law where the people each alike rule
their separate sections according to
the demands of separate and different
conditions. Local option is the only
just and fair solution of the problem
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
MARSHALL COUNTY, w. P. HAST
INGS, SHERIFF.

People prefer local option-State-
wide prohibition has not improved con
ditions in our County and is not popu-
lar with the people. as was local OPP
ton. This law is very hard to enforce
and drunkenness and crime have not
decreased any. There have been quite
number of arrests made for drunk
enness. but can not tell the exact
number.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
WARREN COUNTY, w. o. BRINK
LEY, SHERIFF.

Ship whiskey In County, am sorry
to say that statewide prohibition, in
my opinion, is a failure, and while
my County is one of the old and first
Counties in the state, yet whiskey is
shipped to this town just the same as
1t always was, and from cities in the
state of Georgia. Statewide prohibit
ton is not popular in this County, 1t
can not be forced on such Counties by
the other Counties in the state.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
RoCKDALE COUNTY. w. L. KING.
SHERIFF.

Statewide prohibition many times
harder to enforce than local option
law-The statewide law mas not i'm
proved conditions in my County, and
1t is not as popular with the people as
local option. 1t is many times harder
to enforce the law with the statewide
law than when we had local option.
There has been whiskey sold in al
most every town in Georgia. 1t is my
opinion that local option Is the only
solution of the liquor question. 1t is
absolutely impossible to keep people
from buying and drinking whiskey, as
that is the case in Georgia. su,
perior court judge of Augusta, Ca,
tried six persons for violating the pro,
hibition law, all of whom came clear.
At the end of the trials the judge dis.
missed the jury and said that the pro.
hibition law in Georgia was farce,
which is true. We have two Wholesale
whiskey houses in Augusta, Ga. WhiA
key is sold across the country to any
body in Savannah, Ca, with the doors
as wide open as they were when they
had local option Atlanta, Ca, the
capital of the state, is overrun with
clnb houses that almost anyone can
get into. Blind tigers prevail every
where. The larger cities are ashamed
to sell so-called near-beer, but so near
that it will make people drunk. 1t is
full of dope and very injurious, much
more so than whiskey. The preachers
say to give them sheriffs and judges
and they will clean up the place, but
they don't seem to stop long enough
to think that men have to be found
guilty by twelve men before judge
can relieve the situation, and will
say that the prohibition law in Geor
gia is farce.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
TALiAFERRo COUNTY, w. Y. ED
WARDS. SHERIFF..

More whiskey under statewide than
under local option--I believe local op-
ton is the solution of the liquor ques-
ton. My County was dry before the
statewide prohibition law came into
effect and in my candid opinion there
is more whiskey drank in the County
now than before the general prohibit
ton law was passed. Prohibition fails
to prohibit and blind tigers are very
numerous.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
TOWNS COUNTY, ED. P. WOOD
SHERIFF.

Conditions have not improved in
this County since the prohibition law
was passed, and 1t is not as popular
with the people as the local option law
was. 1t is very hard to enforce, there
having been about fifty arrests made
in the past year, for drunkenness.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
RICHMOND COUNTY, JNo. w.
CLARK. SHERIFF.

Law unpopular in local option coun-
ty-Statewide prohibition is not i'm
proving conditions in this County, and
is very unpopular with the people.
The law is not as easy to enforce as
was the local option law. Crimes and
drunkenness hEe not decreased since
the adoption OF this statewide law, for
two-thirds of I've arrests in the coun-
try are due to drunkenness.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
McDUFFIE COUNTY, H. T. CLARY,
SHERIFF.

More whiskey sold under statewide
prohibition law than under local OPP
toni do not think that the state
wide prohibition law is better for our
County than local option, for l think
there is more whiskey sold and drank
than before the adoption of the state
wide law, and under local option.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
CHARLTON COUNTY, w. H.
MIZELL. SHERIFF..

do not think that the statewide
prohibition is best for the state, as
there 10 lots of money going from
Georgia to Florida for whlskey, and
we are getting no revenue whatever
from the money which Is spent for
whiskey.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
GEORGIA.
CALHOUN COUNTY, L. H. DAVIS
SHERIFF.

CALHOUN COUNTY, L. H. DAVIS,
SHERIFF.
Dry under local option, but very wet
under statewide prohlbltlon-State-
wide prohibition mas not improved
conditions in my County and is not as
popular with the people as was local
option. 1t is not as easy to enforce
as was local option and drunkenness
has increased, for at least so per cent
OF thefarrests make are caused either
directly or indirectly from drunken
ness. This increase in drunkenness
is most noticeable among boys and
minors just under 81. and among
young men. Statewide prohibition is
an absolute failure. Under the local
option, law we had a dry County, but
under the statewide prohibition law
we have very wet County.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
TAYLOR COUNTY. BY THE SHEER
IEE

The statewide prohibition law has
not improved conditions in our Coun-
ty. Nor is it as popular with the peo-
pie as the local option law. This state
wide law is hard to enforce and drunk
enness or crimes have not decreased
any under this law. The majority of
arrests made are caused from drunk
enness.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, JAMES
HESTER, SHERIFF..

Does not improve conditions In local
option County, do not think that
the statewide prohibition law has i'm
proved conditions in this County. 1t
is not as popular with the people as
the local law was. This law Is harder
to enforce and crimes and drunken
ness do not Stem to have decreased,
there being Just as many arrests as
before -
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
TENNESSEE.

The following are from Counties in
Tennessee which had local prohibi'
ton, known as the four-mile law.
when statewide went into effect.
NOTE THE DIFFERENCE.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
CRAWFORD COUNTY.

Conditions are not improved in this
County under the statewide prohibit
ton law. nor is the law popular with
the people. 1t is hard law to en-
force and drunkenness and crime have
not decreased since its adoption.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
CRISP COUNTY, ]. H. WARD
SHERIFF.

Conditions not lmproved-No, the
statewide law has not improved condi-
tions in my County. 1t is not as pop
ular with the people as local option
and is much harder to enforce. Crimes
and drunkenness have not decreased
under this law and i have made a
great many arrests for crimes trace
able to whiskey.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
RANDOLPH COUNTY, W. /. MAT
TOX, SHERIFF.

Jails will not stop boot-ieggers-The
statewide prohibition law is failure
in this County and adjoining Counties.
The courts, even by fines and impris-
onment, do not seem to stop the blind
tigers from selling. The law is VIC
lated and we can not help it as it
stands.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
LAURENS COUNTY, ]. j. FLANLUS
SHERIFF.

Does not decrease crime and drunk
enness--No, statewide prohibition has
not improved conditions in Laurens
County; this County was local option
for years, and the statewide law has
not proven as popular with the people
as did local option Besides, it is
harder to enforce and crimes and
drunkenness do not seem to decrease
under it.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
TIFF COUNTY, e. d. BRANCH
SHERIFF.

Several million dollars sent out Of
the state for whiskey and nothing to
pay costs of the crimes liquor causes
/ can not see that the statewide pro-
hibition law has improved conditions
in my County, which had been local
option for years. Nor is the law as
popular with the people as the local
option law 1t is harder to enforce
and in some communities, especially
in the larger cities, violations are open
and practically unrestricted. Drunk
enness has not decreased, in fact, If
anything. drunkenness has increased
greatly in this County. Our state law
against drunkenness is little enforced.
think from Georgia's experience that
careful and thorough regulation is
better than prohibition. law, which is
not enforced and in some instances
it can not be enforced. find that by
this law several millions of dollars go
out OF the state yearly for liquor and
leave nothing for the officers to use
to defray the costs of the crimes
caused by this liquor.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13

increased, about two.thirds Of the ar
rests made being caused BY drink.
There is Just as much drunkenness
now as when we had whiskey sold
here.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
GRAY COUNTY, c. E. ROBERTS,
SHERIFF.

Statewide law is faiIure-State-
wide prohibition has not improved
conditions in our County and it is not
popular with the people. This law is
very hard to enforce There are too
many blind tigers throughout the
state, therefore think that, the state
wide prohibition law is a failure.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
COBB COUNTY, BY THE SHERIFF.

Law harder to enforce-Statewide
prohibition has not improved condi-
tons in my County and is not as pop
ular with the people as local option.
AS to enforcing the statewide law, it
is much harder to enforce than the
local option law, and there have been
great many arrests made for drunk
enness.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
HEARD COUNTY, H. L. TAYLOR
SHERIFF..

Some better, some worse-Take the
question all around, and can not see
much difference. Some things are bet
ter, while others are worse, and the
people stand about half and half.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
UNION COUNTY.
SHERIFF.
McTARvEY,

Statewide prohibition has not i'm
proved conditions in this County.
really do not know whether 1t is as
popular with the people as local OPP
ton.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
DOUGLAS COUNTY, DAVID KICKS
TON, SHERIFF

Two-thirds of arrests drink-Condi-
tons in this County have not i'm
proved under the statewide prohibition
law, and although we have never had
local option, conditions as they now
exist are not satisfactory. This law
is very hard to enforce, drunkenness
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13

Just before the so-cailed pro-
hlbitlon law went into effect
there we're 763 salons in Mem
phls.. March the 31st, 1911, I'M
der prohibition there were over
1900 whlskey and beer places In
Memphis.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
PAULDING COUNTY, ALoNzo
FERR, SHERIFF,

Greater respect for the local option
Iaw-I want to say that I regard the
statewide law as failure. We have
1t in this state and. in my judgment,
there is as much or more drinking
now than before the law went into eff
feet. The court dockets are full of
cases for illegal selling of liquor, blind
tigers abound and the law is very un-
popular with the people They re-
gard the local option law as much
the best and have greater respect
for 1t.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13

In Nashville before prohibition
there were 1853 saloons, none Of
which were in the residence dis
trict. After prohibition there
were $50 liquor dealers, many
OF whom were running beer
dives In the residence dlstrlets.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13

Jail books, which show 70 cases locked
up for the year 1902, SO for the year
1910 and AZ up to May 10, 1911.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13

supper always winds up with dead
negro.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
LIBERTY COUNTY, ]. D. STAT
FORD. SHERIFF

do not consider prohibition as gooe
as local option In Liberty County.
Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1911-07-13
CHATTANoOcHEE COUNTY, R. ]
BARBAREE, SHERIFF.

District dry forty years, now wills.
key sold all over County. No one will
help officers enforce the law--My dis
trict has been dry for forty years.
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1911-08-24
EVIDENTLY SHE WAS ANNOYED
Good WIfe's Punishment, Intended for
Husband, Poor Compensation
to Reviyaiist.

A popular revivalist had been hold.
ing services at town In Mississippi
when heavy rain came on, and he
accepted an invitation to pass the
night at the house of one Of the
townsmen Observing the preachers
drenched clothing, the host brought
out suit OF his own and sent his
guest upstairs to don it.
The good man had made the change
and was on his way back to the sit
ting room, when the woman of the
house came out Of another room, hold
ing In her hands the big family Bible,
out OF which the minister was to be
invited to hear chapter before the
family went to bed.
She was not, however, In very
amiable frame Of mind, for careful
housewives are likely to be put out
Of sorts by the advent of unexpected
company. Seeing the revivalist In his
borrowed garments, she mistook him
for her husband, and as he passed In
front OF her she lifted the book and
brought 1t down sharply on his head.
There!" she exclaimed. Take
that for asking him to stay all night
night !-Lippincott's Magazine.