The copper era and Morenci leader. [volume] (Clifton, Ariz.) 1911-1929, 1915-08-06

Right" Scores County Temperance
Federation for Their Opposition to
Parole of Four First Offenders in
This County.
David Lloyd, a teetotaler, and we'll
known in this district for his work
in behalf of the churches, takes is
sue with the County Temperance Fed
Grafton and o. A. Risdon, President
of that organization, for their opposi-
ton to the application for a parole
for Tom SirriaRni, J. c.. Smith, Chas.
Chesterfield, and Ambrose Spezia,
convicted at the last term of the Su-
perior Court for violation of the pro-
hibition amendment.
Mr. Lloyd will be remembered for
the active part he took in the last
Ncampaign in opposition to the prohi-
bition amendment, basing his opposi-
tion on the drastic provision of the
amendment as regards the use of
wine for sacramental purposes and
the shipment of alcohol into the
state for medicinal purposes.
In answer to the letter written At
torney General Wiley E. Jones by o.
A. Risdon, President of the Fedora
tion, Mr.. Lloyd makes reply through
the Copper Era as follows:
Editor of Copper Era:
l find that your last issue contained
an item that interested me very much.
The result is my answer to Mr.. o. A.
Risdon, President County Temperance
Federation.
This is my first knowledge concern
ing such Federation.
Who comprises the body?
1 presume it is composed, with
few exceptions, o the members from
the different churt hes.
In the first place I'll take up the
Attorney Generals well written letter
on behalf of the Clifton and Morenci
''bootleggers," now serving their nine
ty days sentence, as a penalty for vio-
1ating the prohibition law. Mr.. Jones
stated very fully the reason why the
men should be paroled after serving
thirty days of their sentence owing to
discrimination in the penalties by the
different judges in the state, and it
would be fair thing to adjust them
to a more equitable basis. While l
don't suppose Mr.. Jones is Christian
s=or has eyen attended church service
for many long year, his letter
clearly shows that he is Christian at
heart, keeping in mind the Golden
Rule: DO unto others as you would
have them do unto you" Mr.. Jones
gains nothing by this procedure but
has the humane feeling that since it is
the bootleggers first offense that they
should be paroled and 1 quite coin
eide with his views as have contend
ed since the day of their sentence,
that 80 days, with a severe warning
for the second offense, would amply
satisfy justice for violating the prohi-
bition law.
Now my answer to President Ris-
don's letter, which for arrogance and
self deceit, goes hand in hand with
the German notes:
have the Era before me, so will
analyze President Risdon's letter as
written. He states: Prescott is
generally known throughout the state
to have very lax sentiment as re-
CARDS the enforcement of this law or
perhaps any other"
Well, well what fine condemna-
ton for the people Of Prescott to
think about. Even made after Mr.
Jones statement that there have been
twenty-five convictions with a ten
days sentence, the minimum under the
law. To my mind the Prescott peo-
pie are doing their utmost to stamp
out the bootleggers. They convict the
guilty but it is up to the judge to give
Iu6 SoAUCuC0- JuQS0 0IulCn Ol Lu0
Prescott court is known as fearless
judge and he certainly thought that
the minimum sentence of ten days
was quite sufficient for the first Of
fense otherwise he would have made
it stronger.
Why put in the ten days at all if
it is not to be taken notice of? Why
not have started the sentences from
ninety days if bootlegging was going
to be considered as a very serious Of
fense even for the very first offense.
To my mind, ample justice is fully
met in these cases with thirty days
sentence but to be followed with
thunderous severe warning that the
full limitsof two years will be given
for the second offense. But the
County Federation wants the full
ninety days to be worked out-like
Shylock's pound of flesh. Where
does the principles Of Christianity
come in with such an action? When
President Risdon and his-co-workers
met to consider Mr.. Jones letter the
first thing they should have done was
to pray for Divine guidance in their
deliberations and consider what Jesus
Christ would do under the same
circumstances, but it seems from Mr..
Risdon's letter that as soon as he
mentioned about the 'bootleggers" re-
lease, before the expiration of their
sentence, they jumped all over him
for even suggesting the matter and
these perhaps, church members at
that. 1 hardly think that Mr.. Ris-
don was hurt very much physically,
as 1 saw him few days ago looking
fine as silk so the jumping on him was
all imaginary. More in this strain:
''What?" Release those bootleggers.
Nothing doingi Let them stay
where they are. We have good
chance now to show that the Temper
ance Federation is the cream of the
citizens of Greenlee county
T1 khak