Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1911-04-21
JEFFERSON TEXAS. FRIDAY April. 81, 1911


The following editorial taken
from the Birmingham tAla) Led
ger of April 10th, will explain to
Texans just what the difficulty
has been about the enforcement
of prohibition in the state named
and all other states for that
matter. 1t is most truthful
statement of the matter and it is
commended to the thoughtful con-
sideration of all readers, Texas
liquor papers have been Haunting
in the face II their readers the
official perjury that has been 60
ing on in the state as an insinu-
ating threat that such conditions
will prevail in this state when
constitutional prohibition is adop
ted. 1t will be a good thing for
the readers Of those papers to
put the question point blank to
them: When state wide prohibi-
ton is adopted in Texas, will you
insist upon the enforcement of
law, or condone lawlessness and
official perjury az some OF the AL
ALBANIA papers have dones Read
ers of these papers ought to put
this question squarely up to them
and force them to go on record
without equivocation when the
campaign is on. They won t
want to do it, but they do want
to live and will state their posi-
ton if they are compelled to do
so. BY and by we will have an
atmosphere in TIE state that will
prove the death knell of any pa
per that condOnes official lawless
ness and perjury. The day will
come none too soon. Here's the
editorial referred to:
1T is idle to talk about the eff
forts to enforce prohibition.
There have been no efforts in
this city or county, nor in Mobile
or Montgomery. There is no
sense talking about prohibition s
failure; it has never failed at any
point. Wherever the officers
have en- forced it, there has been
prohibition. Where prohibition
has been enforced by the officers
it has been effective Where
prohibition has not been effect
i've it is because the officers have
violated their oaths and have not
enforced it. 1t is a false theory
that any officer could not enforce
the law. In any Incorporated
town the officers could enforce
the law by merely sending out
word that liquor selling must
stop. That would close all the
places except very few of the
worst.
There neverwas the remotest
need to increase the police force
of cities, nor the deputy force of
the sheriffs. If the word of the
sheriff or the police chief did not
close the places, force of thou
sand men would not close them.
Increasing the force of the Off
Gals has not had the slightest
effect on suppressing the liquor
evil, because it was not intended
to have any effect
Prohibition could have been
enforced to the letter of the law
if the men who had sworn to en-
force the law had tried to enforce
it, The Ledger knows the weak
ness of humanity and recognizes
them as thinking men have done
in all ages, but it is not willing
that any man should write down
in the book that prohibition has
been tried in Alabama. 1t has
not been given a trial. In the
larger cities no effort has been
made TO enfOre the law. We Just
as we'll be honest and admit that
no serious effort has been made
by anybody TO enforce the law in
any way to stop the sale of liq.
uor. 1t could be done any day
in the year, if the officials So or
dered. Certainly some small sale
of liquor will occur sometimes,
just as some Illicit liquor will be
made; but liquor selling would
stop Just as soon as the officials
sent out word that it had to stop.
If the newlaws are going TO make
any change, we will watch it, but
we really believe in the officers
and not in the letter of the law.
All OF which means that the
recall is the only law that will
build a fire on the backs of the
official turtles.
IL O. L.. 1,