Bisbee daily review., 1915-09-09
WHICH,


with what seems little less than anguish of spirit
and voicingit is fair to assume-the feeling the en-
tire community the Tucson Citizen exclaims: Let us
either be dry! Incorporated in its appeal for
better conditions is comparison of Pima county Of
cals with those Cochise county much to the credit
Of the latter It gratifying to hear words of praise
spoken for local authorities and this praise is de-
served. Modesty forbids however the acceptance of
praise for conditions which do not exist Cochise county
may not be exactly wet" but it is surely somewhat
damp" It certainly is dry" The willy bootlegger
worse luck to hm-s indeed in our midst as are his
vile pronerings But listen to the plant of suffering
Tucson:
Would that Pima County had sheriff with the
courage of Sheriff Harry Wheeler of Cochise county.
who is doing his duty and enforcing the prohibition law
in that border county against terrible odds He is being
sued for large for false arrest and harrassed by
those whom he is prosecuting but he is right on The
job and has the boouggers on the run Only Saturday
he closed up joint in Douglas, He says they win
have to put him in Jail if they to get him off the
trail Of the lawbreakers.
'If Tucson had Sheriff and other officers like
Wheeler this city would not be paradise for the boot
logger Meyer and Congress Streets would not be full
yesterday. Off
probably think that because Pima County went wet
the people here will wink at boouegging and support
them at the polls in the next election because they have
permitted awbreakng In this they are sadly mistaken
The great majority of citizens who voted wet" want
to see the law enforced as long as it is the law They
want the city to be either wet or dry Under present
conditions, the city is wet but the city and county are
receiving revenue from the business Booze is sold
at two or three times its former price if common re.
ports are correct and it is pretty bad stun at that
I'VE understand that there the best of feeling
between the ci:y and the county officers and for that
among other reasons the city authorities are putting
the enforcement Of the prohibition law up to the sheriff
At least this is of the excuses
IF the city and county officers are so helpless in this
business, let get set We have the recall and
it is getting about time here in Pima County
We paying the price of prohibition and getting slight
benefits from it long as the city remains virtually
wet
at is up the city and county authorities to enforce
the law or get out"
That Cochise county is actually wet" is due to
the COURAGEOUS and efficient work of Sheriff Wheeler
but neither he any other official could possibly
compel compliance the letter of the dry" law when
puDIc liDeIty betrayed represents force with which
unjust law is poweress to cope
We do not assume to appraise the worth of Pima
countys officials but we believe it unfair to any Off
clas to be held responsible for the enforcement of
statute conceived either in bigotry or ignorance The
determination Of Sheriff Wheeler live up to the motto
ours question why; ours but to do and die" i,
wholly praiseworthy. In doing less Pima county Off
cias may reserve censure.
To throw a kiss to Tucson for her compliments would
be graceful but genuine. Unhappily, bootleggni
exists in Cochse county and moreover it seems to b,
on the increase Like Tucson, Bsbee and every othe
sizeable community in Arizona is, believe "paynl
the price Of prohibition and getting slight benefits from
it long the city remains virtually wet" It besin
look if the State despair Of expecting sucl
help from those who proclaimed prohibition vii
prevent the return Of the saloon to Arizona Their
are not enough Harry Wheelers in Arizona to maintain
forever the unequal night against boodegging and thu
laws which breed it, Established booteggins know
no surrender except two superior forces These an
de saloon. and true temperance To which does Ar
IONA propose to assign the exalted duty OF getting RI
OF bootlegeing?