The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-10-15
THE LOCAL
BOOZE QUESTION


n most of the country. 1t is more
Of live question now because the
i'd is on moderately tight. A person
wishing to secure liquor now has to
be "onto the ropes" and he has
little assurance that the ropes will
not pull in two and leave him hold
ing sack. Eighty per cent of the peo-
pie of this county voted to make the
county dry, and dry it is. Uncomfort-
ably dry for the other 20 per cent,
and too dry for some of the 80 per
cent who posed as dry but who in
reality intended to be wet in point of
practice and thought they could get
it ION the side" To use the words
of the street, they expected to "get
by" with little. Some of them said,
TITS all right; vote 'er dry. I'll get
mine"
Nobody grudges them theirs" but
sometimes they get caught in tn.
drag net The officers say they are
only trying to catch the fellows who
are actually bootlegging-that is,
dealing in liquor, but certainly there
are unexpected complications and
queer surprises, and scant sympathy
is shown for the fellow with his do
nestle bottle If he is caught in the
same net with known bootlegger
who has only the same amount.
There ere rumors that the officers
are carrying matters to absurd ex
tremes; seaching the suitcases of
ladies and drummers changing cars
here; searching suit cases on the
open platform of the depot, throwing
night gowns and other wearing APP
parel out upon the sooty cement floor
and even going SO far as to show dis
pleasure and be discourteous if they
fail to find liquor. All such reports
are absolutely denied by the officers,
and diligent inquiry on our part has
failed to unearth evidence of such
acts or to disclose the names of any,
one claiming to have knowledge of
them.
1t is our belief that such stories
are started by the bootlegging ele-
ment or their customers, for double
purpose-to discredit the officers and
to discredit the existing law by maxi
ing people believe it is operating to
outrage people in usual and proper
conduct of affairs. 1t has been charg-
ed by the people themselves that Of
fcers have been linked with the boot
leggers in former years or that they
have been lukewarm about law en-
forcement, and the great cry has been
to elect somebody who would be true
and do their duty. Now the cry is
that they are going to extremes, but
the cry is coming from the bootleg
gers and from the people who have
been deceived by misinformation.
How 1t Happened
It 80 happened that the last legis-
lature enacted a most drastic mea-
sure giving power to officers to
search and seize" liquor about as
they please if they can only find
where it is. This very drastic mea-
sure was made necessary by the cum
ming of the bootleggers operating
under the most innocent appearances
with only a spoonful in sight. A
measure was framed to "get" the fell
low with that spoonful, and many
of that kind have been made to quit.
It also happened, and not without
forethought and hard fight, that
officers were elected in this county,
who are being alternately compli-
ment and cursed for enforcing the
law as it stands. Still more notable
Is the fact that during the campaign
lot of the temperance and church
people worked hard to defeat the
present officials, and, sad to say, re-
sorted to scandal, falsehood and
other political crookedness. Well in
formed citizens know why they did
it, and it will stand whitening re-
proach upon them for years to come,
as will also some of their other eff
forts for the "uplift" of people they
try to regulate. Such action throws
the balance of power towards the
medium or the other extreme and 10
local option comes to a vote again
in Bingham, the very hardest stumb-
limb block for the temperance people
to overcome will be their own cussed-
ness.
The Way To Decide 1t
A good many people who voted to
have this county dry are doubling
heir own wisdom now, and are say
ng that wide open" looks better
o them now. Reasoning on that sub
ect ought to be clear, concentrated
nd direct, and any person old
nough to vote ought to reach a firm