The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-03-15
PROVISIONS Of NEW
PROHIBITION LAW
Measure Goes Into Effec. June 9 Next
Individual Possession of Liquors
is Limited.

Oklahoma City, Mar 15.-Under
terms of the amended prohibition law,
which does not go into effect until June
9, the amount of intoxicants one may
legally possess is limited to one gal
Ion of liquor or wine and one cask
of beer at residences and one quart
at places of business or places of
amusement
1t is specifically provided that such
liquor shall not be used for illegal pur-
poses, and while there was some criti-
cisms of any legal recognition in
amount, friends of the law believe
that by fixing a maximum the law will
strike at the bootlegger who has been
using the residence or business right
to protect him in his possession of in
toxicants.
1t is pointed out that joints in small
towns were operated under the claim
that liquor found in possession of the
jointist was not for his personal use,
notwithstanding the amounts ran into
the car load. AS drawn, the bill
sought to recognize no amount one
might possess, but in order to get the
legislation through advocates of the
measure compromised.
The legislature declined to give the
governor power he asked for to remove
county officers who refused to apply
the law, but instead gave him author
ity to employ state enforcement Off
GERS whom he may place in any county
where the law is not being applied.
Such state enforcement officers have
the powers of sheriffs in all counties
of the state. There remains the court
procedure by which a derelict officer
may be removed from office. The pro-
vision referred to was another COM
promise made by the advocates.
After three years experience, the
state and local dispensaries will be
abolished and all liquor spilled as soon
as adjudicated contraband. There is
now on hand at the state dispensary
several thousand dollars worth of con-
fiscated liquor. which the department
will dispose of for benefit of the
agency fund
When the state dispensary system
was inaugurated local agencies were
placed in all county seats. There was
submitted to the people a provision
through which it was sought to place
agencies in all towns of 1000 people
or more, but this failed, and with it the
people repealed the state agency law.
Through error of submission, how
ever, only the extension plan fell, but
public sentiment was so pronounced
against the system as a whole, the
former administration closed local
agencies where liquor could be pro
cured upon physicians prescriptions,
save where the county seat town peti-
toned for it. Under this plan the num-
Der did not exceed twenty-five, and
these dwindled to eighteen, the num-
ber today. The job of local agent was
not remunerative. The man in charge
had to make heavy bond, and then
received small per cent on the sales.
If there is anything in penalties, the
amended law will retard violations, for
it is fixed in three degrees, with the
third calling for Imprisonment in the
penitentiary from one to five years.
For the first offense it is fine of $50
to $500 and from thirty days to six
months in Jail, while for the second
the fine may be from $500 to 1000 and
from six months to twelve months in
jail. 1t is provided that the court
mist sentence the accused within ten
days after conviction, and under the
administration policy of denying pa
roles in liquor cases the only prospect
an accused may look to is laying his
time out in Jail.
The legislature gave the governor
no appropriation for enforcing terms
of the prohibition law, and if he enl-