The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-01-18
PROHIBITION AN
IRRIDESCENTDR DREAM


bors, who believe that compulsory pro
hibitlon means total abstinence, are
now sitting up nights rejoicing over
the hope that we are at last going to
nave real simon-pure, dyed-in-the-wool
prohibition here in Vinita. They say
that now every man, woman and child
In Ninita, shall-when the pipes thaw
out-drink nothing but water They
appear TO think that when we reach
ssais goal of perfect prohibition, We
will have found the real, genuine
Uetopia at last; we will then eonsti-
. tute the truly blessed of this world;
ma though we have not as yet seen
Paradise, we feel that when we put
our fnger IN the map of the Indian
Territory part Of Oklahoma We have
touched the next thing to Paradise.
But in sober earnest, is this true?
Does common, compulsory prohibition
work all these wonders? My own per-
sonal experience answers, NO l
have lived in a county in Kansas,
where, after twenty years of hard la
Dor, we secured the absolute enforce
ment of the state prohibitory law. No
poor laborer or mechanic can buy one
glass of beer in that county now; in
fact, he has no money to buy it with.
The wealthier people, of course, still
buy it by the barrel, as they did in
the old boot-legger days. In these
twenty years the little county lost
5.400 in population $4,000 of these mov-
ID to Oklahoma, then license state)
and the county seat lost about 20 per
sent. The county seat town is forty
Fears old, and today it has far labor
employing manufactures, one corn
mill. which is run only on Saturdays,
and Is run by the miller's wife; the
mill owner having to work as a farm
hand. to earn a living for his family.
There is not enough work in the town
10 support one laborer's family the en-
Tire year.
Ali the time our courts were prose-
cutting bootleggers, our court officers
we're busy assuring the taxpayers that
he immense fines collected paid all
lne expense Of prosecuting the cases.
doubted this, SO | went to the county
records, and took, as a sample, the five
years when we had a very honest and
conservative county attorney (now
assistant attorney general of Kansas) !,
man who would not grand stand or
Dersecute poor, ignorant paupers, in
the name of the prohibition law; nor
would he enter a case unless he felt
reasonably sure of securing convic-
tion. collected, and published, an
exact, itemized statement of what it
had cost that little county to prosecute
liquor cases in these five years. found
that the county had paid for court costs
md boarding liquor prisoners, $6,95S
md had collected only $500 in fines;
less than ten per cent of the cost of
prosecuting.
So now, when | read of the magnifi-
sent fines, (they read like a First Ma
.ional Bank statement) assessed
against Craig county bootleggers, it
makes me feel good until l stop to
think about the vast difference there
is between the big fine, assessed, and
the littl amount collected from Craig
county bootleggers Then when | be-
gin to rejoice over the good roads
work we are getting out of the bootleg
prisoners: the Blueiacket newspaper
comes out with an item stating that
the county is paying house rent there,
- - for two hired guards, to work one
little prisoner.
In the old territory days the male
citizens were divided in three nearly
eoual classes; one third bought liquor,
and another third sold it to them;
while the last third (the present bul-
wark of the G. o. P. in the Indian Ter
ritory) were employed 10 arrest ana
prosecute the liquor sellers. Then
Uncle Sam paid all expenses, made
money plenty, and we were all happy.
Now the expenses are paid by the far
mers' who raised no oats or wheat, and
but little corn last year, money is
scarce, and all are complaining of
nigh taxes.
Before concluding will give you an
example of real estate values in this
prohibition Kansas county, spoke OF.
IN one town in the county situated on
main line of the Santa Fe railroad,
IN a fine farming community, | bought
for $40 store building and lot on
The business street. The building was
Il good order; size 16 by S6 feet with
14-foot ceiling; and II foot paving in
front. It had been for sale for n'ne
wears. but | was the first sucker to
- a,,o xroor lo+ar cnTf If ar pDgt