The Springfield herald., 1912-11-01
DOES PROHIBITION PROHIBIT2
(Continued from last week.
By G. G. Wilkinson.

We have laws against murder,
against theft and robbery,
against counterfeiting, against
vice and immortality of various
kinds. Yet they are all violated
Shall we argue that because they
are violated, and to that extent
fail to prohibit the crimes which
they are supposed to prevent,
therefore they are failure and
should be repealed and we should
have no such laws? 1t is as log
ical to do so as to argue that we
should have no prohibitory law
because such law is more or
less violated. But l raise the
question at this point; If our pro
hibitory laws are broken, who
are the violators? Who is it that
breaks them? The liquor men.
They are self-confessed set of
law breakers, and, instead of re-
pealing the law, it should be
more rigidly enforced and they
should be treated as all other vio-
lators of law are treated, put
where they can break it no more.
My fourth argument is that
the whole history of prohibition
refutes this scare cry of the liq
uor forces that prohibition is a
failure and that it can not be en-
forced. AS with other great re-
forms, it has had it's set-backs
and temporary defeats. But it's
history for the last twenty five
years shows steady and victor
ious advance. Its history for
half century in grand old
Maine refutes this false cry of
the liquor men. Its history in
Kansas and North Dakota re
flutes it. Its history in much OF
our glorious southland refutes il.
Wherever prohibition has had a
fair trial it refutes this puppy
dog whine that it is failure and
cannot be enforced. Let US hear
what some of the leading men
say about it.
Governor Stubbs of Kansas
says: "The prohibitory law in
Kansas is as we'll enforced and
as easily enforced as other Grim
inal statutes.'
Congressman Hanna of North
Dakota says: 'North Dakota has
had constitutional prohibition
since statehood, ana year by
year the law has been better and
better enforced all over the
state"
Governor Cruce of Oklahoma
says: Since the closing of the
saloons the banks have more
money, the stores are selling
more goods, real estate is worth
more, and the whole state is more
prosperous. The overwhelming
verdict of our home-loving, law
abiding citizen ship is in favor OF
our law providing for statewide
prohibitions
Governor Brewer of MISSISSIPPI
pi says: THE contention that as
much liquor is sold in prohibi-
ton state as in one that is wide
open has not enough truth in it
to deserve any consideration.
This law in our state is enforced
as well as any law of d similar
kind could be where there is not
a unanimous sentiment support
ing it,"
Governor Kitchin of Nor th
Carolina says: Under prohibition
there has been a marked dimin u
ton in crime, business has in
creased, and politics and gover
ment have been relieved of one
of their most corrupting influ-
ences.
Judge Littlejohn of Georgia
SAYS: That this law is violated is
nquestienably true, but that it
has proved a failure is absolutely
untrue. tbs observed as well as
many other good and wholesome
laws that are upon our statute
books
This list of testimonials could
be multiplied many times, but
the above is sufficient to show
what leading men in prohibition
states think of the working OF