New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-05
PROHIBITION IN PRACTICE
Arizona Warning to All Advo-
Gates of Temperance.
To tho Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: As Arizona was the first state 70
attempt shutting out liquor completely, her
experience is Of more than ordinary interest
TO those watching the liquor situation gen
orally. Where other so-called prohibition
states (evcn Maine. after sixty years OF pro
hibition. and Kansas, after thirty allow
shipment from other states for personal use,
merely forbdding the local snle Arizona
tried to make a clean sweep with her amend
ment. providing that liquor should mot be
manufactured in or introduced into the state
Of Arizona under any circumstances De
spite protests, even of some Of the prohibi-
ton leaders instrumental in having the
amendment adopted Arizona officials have
barred liquor intended for personal use, as
well as that for sacramental and medicinal
purposes A legislative session failed TO lift
the bars. as was expected, so that theoretical
~ Arizona should be the "dryest' state in the
Union.
The amendment. in effect for one year
now. IL, however, declared fiat failure by
the editor OF THE Bisbee (Ariz) Review
who worked TO obtain its adoption. In re-
viewing it's operations over twelve months,
he says in his issue Of January ,, 1876
ARIZONA is dry state in name only. ArI-
IONA is. in fact, an Incorporate state.
Enough Of hypocrisy! Arizona is
contributing to false pretenccs when she
permits her name TO be heralded broadcast
as being among the standard bearers of tenn
perance. Prohibition IN Arizona has not been
prohibtivo." Further along he observes
"Only the most incomplete statistics arc al
hand Of a year under so-called prohibition
rule in Arizona But taking several Of the
most important communities az examples, -
would seem that tho record is damnable.'
lie then quotes from a news dispatch and
from newspapers al other points in Arizona
10 show the wrctched conditions "a 10 intern
perancc. In the view Of "Thc Bisbee Re
views editor the weak point Of the Arizona
law is it's failure TO allow liquor 20 be
shipped in for personal use and FOR medici-
nal and sacramento purposes. He says:
with the exception Of Idaho. Arizona IS the
only one of the states on the new roster OF
vrohibition) which ignores personal liberty
And Idaho permits the use Of liquors for
medicinal and sacramentsl purposes. Ar-
IONA stands in a class by herself as victim
Of legislative ,tupidty.'
To the outside observer II seems 70 me-.
Arizonas case should be instructive. Here
is a state with the nearest approach TO abso-
lutte prohibition where after a year intern
perancc is greater than ever. The Reviews
editor has theory that conditions would be
better IL liquor were allowed for persona
use II real prohibition doesn't reduce in
temperance, but on the other hand makes
conditions worse. he figures that allowing
legal supply from outside the state would cut
down the sales Of the bootleGger. But isn't
this confession OF the failure OF prOhiOi-
ton TO prohibit and OF its inability 10 DO so?
And II liquor shipped in for personal use re
duces the bootleggers vile business, why
would not sale within the state, under proper
regulation by the state. do even more as the
liquor man argues to hold within bounds the
evils of intemperance?
Statewide prohibition confscates property
o. citizens without compensation, takes
away the living of many thousands, abolshes
large revenues of the state. all with the idea
that il increases temperance, and then does
not Arizona should be warning even as is
Maine or Kansas. I. VI. GlLMORE.
President National Model License League.
New York. Jan. 81, 1915.