The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-12-27
BOOTLEGGERS DON'T
Go UNMOLESTED
MAYOR GIBSON BELIEVED LIQUOR
LAWS ARE ENFORCED BETTER
HERE THAN IN MAJORITY OF
TOWNS
He Urges People to Give Officers Any
Information They Have Indicating
That Violations Occur

The identity of P. ]. Newman, who
in letter to the Spokesman recently,
charged that a favored few in Mos
COW were allowed to sell liquor un-
molested in violation of law, is not
known here, but Mayor Gibson has
issued him standing invitation to
give to the city officials any informa-
tion he may have which may warrant
such statements as are made in his
letter, which follows:
"When Spokane goes dry January 1
the conditions there will be just as
they are here in Moscow, where the
laws are much more stringent. There
are parties here who sell liquor all
the time and are never molested.
Others bring it in by the suitcase full
and are shielded rather than humiliat-
ed.
''It is going to be the same way in
Spokane The favored few will do a
rushing business, but the common
person, or those without pull, will be
shadowed and bounded without mercy.
have noticed conditions here since
the town was voted dry nearly eight
years ago and, as I have stated some
are always offending and are never
bothered, while others can not make
the least little misstep, but the law
is on hand to do its duty
Commenting on the matter, Mayor
Gibson said today, 81 believe that the
liquor laws are as we'll enforced in
Moscow as in any other city of the
Inland Empire, and that they are bet
jority of the cities and towns of this
section. The officers of Moscow intend
to do their utmost to enforce the IL
quor laws, as well as other ordinances
of the city.
Liquor laws cannot be enforced
any further than the people want
them enforced. A man cannot be
prosecuted upon supposition. We
must have the evidence. The city of
Moscow has not failed to prosecute
any person, since / have been the
mayor, when evidence has been fur
nished.
Here is the trouble about enforc-
ing liquor law. People come and
tell us that a certain person Of GER
tain persons are violating the law.
We ask them for the evidence. Some
have no evidence. Others have it,
as say they have, but they won't swear
% a complaint, and they ask to kept
out Evidence of the violation of a
liquor ordinance is very difficult to
procure. 1t is the duty of every
good citizen to furnish the officers
With evidence, when they have any
mo one in Moscow has the protec-
ion of the officers in violating the
aw. There is no favored few No
me is shielded by the officers. At any
ime that | am convinced that any Of
icer is shielding any person in the |
Tiolation of any law, such officer will !
,e removed from office
There are too many people like p. |
T. Newman. They talk loud under an I
ssumed name. They make state /
nents that they are not willing to
ack up. Mr.. P. j. Newman is urgent
y requested to come to my office at
ny time and give me the evidence
pom which he bases his conclusions.
When he so furnishes. sufficient evil
ence, the person violating the law
Till be prosecuted. 1t is very difficult
D stamp out the liquor traffic, but
re intend to rid the community of
his traffic if possible. To do this, we
lust have the open and unrestrained
id and cooperation of the good cit
,ens of Moscow"