The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-08-02
Ardmore, Sunday, August 2, 1914.
SUNDAY MORNING CHAT.

We want plain Sunday morning
chat with you about subject that
lies close to our hearts because we
are all interested. 1t does not matter
whether you believe prohibition better
est in what we are going to say. Every
man wants the best for his stale, but
differences arise over what is best,
that is what makes the prohibition
question always a live one.
Many of the ablest lawyers of the
state are firmly of the opinion that
the Indian Territory side of the state
has prohibition fixed upon it for 81
years, dating from statehood. That
law is in the enabling act, passed by
congress. II is in the constitution,
and its object is TO protect the In
dian, whom the government has
charge Of
If the best legal talent is right, Ok
lahoma-at least our side of the state
cannot have saloons.
Now let's get down to what we
were to talk about. There are two
candidates, as we understand, who
want to put the saloon in Oklahoma.
1t makes no difference who those
candidates are, if they could both be
elected they could not render the
state any service on that line. They
can not do one thing toward the open
ing of saloons. That power is with
the governor and the people can't
have the saloon here for 81 years.
if we are to believe cur best judges
of the law.
The effect then, of electing an anti |
prohibition governor is to put the |
prohibition law in had repute. IT.
means that it will not have the re-
spect of the officers. With prohbi-
ton repudiated and still in force
on our statute books, judges will be,
come lax in law enforcement. Joint
lists will take that to mean that they
have license to operate. Our state
will have revival of the joint Cheap
hotels and immoral resorts will sell
more than they do now. Every town
will have Just such things to happen
in them as happened in Tulsa, when n
bootlegger shot down two officers who
came to search for whiskey.
This one thing we know that men
will engage in every line of business
that there is any money in As the
hazard grows less more men will en-
cage in the business. The prohibi-
ZIONIST disikes the joint. the anti.
prohibitonist dislikes the joint, The
joint Is demorallzing, 1t is without
friends, and for this people to elect
man for governor who cannot bring
the saloon but whose election can
only multiply the joints, would be the
worst of folly and would be the worst
day Oklahoma ever spent.
We cannot spend the Sabbath in a
better way than TO think on this
question, which means so much to our
state.
There is hut one duty before the
people. That duty lies in discourag-
ing the Joint business. That duty lies
in making that business Improbable.
That duty does not lie in pursuing a
course that will invite joint-keepers
from other states to come in here.
and TO demoralize our people.
The only remedy at the ballot box
is to support man who is against
the liquor traffic. Haskell was elect.
ed the first time on a prohibition
platform: Cruce was elected the sec
ond term on the prohibition platform.
and in this. the third campaign, West
is the only prohibition candidate. and
he ought to be elected next Tuesday II