Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1915-01-28
GOVERNOR HATFIELD DE-
CLARfsSs FOR ENFORCE
MENT OF YOST LAW.
Urges Larger Appropriation to Care
For Enforcement and Making
Law Efficient.


Governor Hatfield left no doubt as to
his position on the prohibition ques-
ton when he sent message to the
legislature. He devoted portion of
that document to discussing prohibit
ton conditions. The expressions of
the governor upon the condition fol-
lows:
The State Tax Commissioner, who
is ex-officio Commissioner of Prohibi-
ton, and his force, as well as all
other departments of the administra-
ton have worked diligently in the
matter of bringing about rigid en-
forcement of the Prohibition law. A
number of cases involving different
points of law, some attacking the con-
stitutionality of the act, others rails
ing questions of definition, have come
up, and all these contentious have
been met by the Commissioner him
self. Untiring diligence has marked
his every effort in the many problems
which have been presented to him for
solution in connection with the duties
imposed upon him by the last Legis-
lature.
Taking into consideration the
meager appropriation Of money made
for the enforcement of this law, great
results have been obtained. We have
been much handicapped by the small
ness of the appropriation, being I'M
able to employ the number of field
agents necessary to the most rigid
enforcement. 1t is earnestly hoped
that the Legislature will give an APP
preparation which will guarantee a
force sufficiently large. With this
relief, together with few important
amendments to the law, we will have
law easy of enforcement, compare
lively speaking, from which can be
obtained the best possible results.
The general results thus far in the
matter of prohibition have been most
satisfactory, and the cooperative
spirit of the majority of our people
has been most pleasing and of the
greatest benefit in bringing about this
result The law has been effective only
since July, 1, 1914. The results for
good have been throughout our Com
monwealth, and many who were act
ually against the adoption of the pro-
hibition amendment originally and
voted against it, have repeatedly said
to me that if an opportunity presented
itself in the future they would reverse
their former action and favor prohibi-
ton.
am sure it will be of interest to
you to hear the opinions of some of
the States leading business men on
this subject which have received in
communications from time to time.
The first quotation is from gentle
man who has in his employ great
many men:
81 am just in receipt of your favor
Of the oath, and want to say, since
prohibition went into effect we have
had comparatively no trouble regard
ing our men laying off from work,
fighting, etc. There is not family
who were so unfortunate as to have q
father or sons that were drinking but
what has been taken better care of
and is very perceptably more prosper
Gus. 1t has saved the operators many
dollars. We are troubled little by
bootleggers, but | assure you there is
not one pint used now to gallons be-
fore prohibition went into effect If
our officers will do their duty the good
that will come to West Virginia, it is
impossible to estimate"
This gentleman has the manage
ment of TWO of the largest and best
colleries iii the state.
The second letter is from one of our
best judges, who has had long and
varied experience in the enforcement
of the law, and who informs me that
his court has decided decrease in
criminal cases, but an increase in
Bookkeeping cases, and that his in
1 formation is that at the next session
O. The court there viii be a still great
er falling off Of felony cases. And he
makes the further assertion that
"there is no question but what the
commission of felony crimes has ma
terially decreased in my jurisdiction
since the going into effect of prohibi-
| ton"
Another letter comes from one Of
States best business men, who has
been large employer of labor for the
past twenty years, and is connected
with three of the largest mines in the
(, State. He says:
!, "The efficiency Of the men since the