The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1914-03-26


rigid enforcement of the law because
IL would leave vacant hundreds of
buildings and apparently would de-
moralize the business interests of the
city. However, the law was rigidly
enforced; not by a trial of cases be.
fore juries, but by injunction suits
AGAINST the property owners and upon
affidavits before Judge who granted
the injunction showing violation
After the court had adopted the plan
of enforcing Its orders by putting pad
locks on the doors of the buildings
and prohibiting the opening of the
building until the owner should give
bond that it should never again be
used for the illegal purpose, and send
ing the proprietors OF the joints to
Jail for large sentences, not on con-
victlons for the sale of liquor, under
stand, but for violating the order of
The court, there could be no jury trials
and convictions were easily obtained.
ke.er these things had been done, the
owners OF buildings gradually found
other tenants and in the course of
few months or perhaps a year, the
came business men who had protested
against the rigid enforcement of the
law, came to the assistant attorney
general and apologized. No disinter-
ested business men in the city would
now be willing to have the city return
TO the old plan. | remember Instances
whore grocerymen and other mer-
chants said that since the enforce
ment OF the law, and this was said
within a year thereafter, children
came to their stores, with five and ten
dollar bills to purchase provisions
who had, prior TO the enforcement Of
the law. never seen that much money
In their lives. that the children that
formerly came barefooted had shoes
for the first time In their lives; that
the poorer class of people were able
10 pay and paid their bills at the
stores where formerly II was difficult
10 obtain payment. or course. our
city adjoins Kansas City, Missouri,
and the first block over the line Is
known as the wet block" and IL ls
said TO contain something like dozen
or two saloons ready 10 greet the
Kansas man when he comes over. But
only those who were so addicted to
the use of liquors that ii was almost
impossible for them TO do without IT,
would In the evening take the trouble
TO go to Missouri for liquor.
The large majority OF them, and the
average man. turned and went TO his
home without having spent his money
for llquor. Prior to the enforcement
OF the law, the joints always procured
from the banks large sums of money
ON every pay day, because a very
large percentage OF the pay checks
were cashed over the bar, and OF
course. you know, and | know, that
the laborer would naturally feel call
led upon TO spend some part OF Il
under those circumstances, ana II FREE
quently happened that his wife ana
children saw but a very small part
of the poceeds All that was done
away with when the joints were cos
ed. Kansas city, Kansas, Increased
In population the first three or four
Years after the laws were enforced at
"A wonderful rate There was marked
Improvement In the prosperity OF the
merchants and the business OF the
city increased, and instead of de-
cline, there was great Increase IN
business and population. Most OF the
buildings that were formerly occupied
by joints are occupied by Legitimate
business"
In closing | desire TO say that |
favor the $1,000 exemption from taxa
tion, now befoe the people of this
state, In addition thereto | wish TO
say that feel that the people of the
state of Oreson and IN fact society
generally, rarely appreciate the debt
and obligation that they owe TO the
school teachers and instructors, from
colleges down to our district schools.
for the efficiency and the work that
they do and il should be honored
with this nomination and election, II
would be source of great pleasure
to me, in every legitimate way, to aid
and advance the different school in
terests and institutions of this state
and the material welfare of the in
structors and teachers thereof,
| also strongly favor giving aid and
all assistance that is possible, towards |
hPlning tha naonla Of eastern OragOn |