The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-10-01
PROHIBITION
IN OKLAHOMA
Governor Cruce Tells How the
Policy Has Succeeded
., in that State
WORKED WONDERFULLY WELL
mo Good Argument Can Be Used to
Overthrow Prohibition" Asserts
His ExceIiency, Who knows
What He Is Talking
About.
LBy Lee Cruee. Governor OF ollahomal

lBy Lee Cruce, Governor OF Oklahoma
don't know that could give YOU
the best possible argument favorable
TO statewide prohibition. This is a
tremendous question, and the aIgu-
ment | might think most favorable
some other man might consider Of Sec
ondary Importance.
We have had this question before
the people Of Oklahoma for a number
or years. 1t was one OF the leading
questions at the time the Constitution
was adopted, and at the time the prop
osition was submitted to our people in
the form OF a Constitutional provision
providing fer statewide prohibition.
lie people Of Oklahoma, by a mp ,or-
ity OF about 1900 votes, adopted that
provision as part of the Constitution
II the state.
OF course, tho local option element
In the state and the open-saloon Gle
ment continued hostile to the prohibi-
ton law ana did all they could TO rem
der its enforcement Objectionable to
the people of the state and as little eff
fectiyc rs possible.
Acting under a provision OF our Con
stitution which permits the people to
invoke the Initiative, an amendment
was prepared and initiated by the neo-
pie of the state who favored open sa.
looms, asking for a repeal Of the pro.
hiDition provision of the Constitution.
This proposition was submitted 10 the
people at the last general election held
| In
that time the people again. by a ma
jority OF more than $4,000, declared
In favor of statewide prohibition
The law in this state hiss worked
wonderfully well. and while there are
plenty of people here who make the
! bold assertion that It has been a fail.
ure yet when you investigate their an.
tecedents you VIII find that In every
/ case they are men who have fought
prohibition from the beginning.
think that / am not at all extrava-
CANT when say that not one-third as
much whisky is consumed i'm Okla
homa under our present law as would
be consumed I'm this state If we had
open saloons. That the law is violated.
no one Will deny, and so is every 9th.
or law that we have upon the statute
/ books Of oklahoma When you con.
slider the fact that there are thousands
Of people I'm the state who were VIC.
lently opposed 10 the enactment of the
law, it is remarkable that there are
not more violations OF the prohibition
/ law than occur I'm this state
The law, upon the whole, is as wen
enforced as any other law upon the
statute books which deals with sim.
| liar situation 10 is much better en-.
forced than the law against gambling
In This state. 10 is a desirable law
from every standpoint Looking at it
I from fhe moral viewpoint, it tends 90
better citizenship and better govern
ment From The economical stand.
I point 81 is clearly demonstrated that
/ So means better homes. better food and
better clothing for thousands OF WON.
cn and children in this state.
There Us absolutely mo- GOOD argu.
ment that can be- used to- overthrow
prohibition The usual plea behind
which lts opponents hide is that. o. is
"a umptuar lsv and therefor,
/ American. 10 more ar