Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-05-26
WEST vlRCINIA'S EXPERIENCE.

No paper in West Virginia did more to secure
the adoption of the prohibition law, in that State,
than did the Charleston Gazette.
In its issue of Sunday, February 20, under
the head, Does 1t Prohibit?" the Gazette pub
liShed the following editorial:
One OF the officers of the State prohibition
department, the one who has in charge the enforce
ment of the Yost prohibition law, once said that
if he could drive whisky up to $3.50 a quart he
would consider that prohibition was successful.
The department has driven whisky up to such a
figure in Charleston and a few other places, but
along the borders contingent to wet territory or
even dry territory Bookkeeping is rampant, and the
only real difference between present conditions
and the former ones is that the consumer has to
pay more and gets worse wet fluids.
Any comment that is made is not an attack
or criticism OF the enforcement of the law, neither
is it a suggestion that putting prohibitory statutes
on the books is not a cure for the evils resulting
from excessive drinking, and it's accompanying
misery and woe in some cases, but is simply a
citation of facts, from which there can be no ap-
peal.
W. believe that the prohibition officers are
not SO blind as not to know the real condition, and
their efforts to enforce the law are cOmmendatory,
but only eternal vigilance and devotion to duty
will perpetuate in the State even the seni-arid
condition which now prevails.
"In some of the cities along the Ohio river
whisky can be purchased for a price little higher
than over the bar in the adjoining State. A former
attache of the House of Representatives is the au-
tnOrlty Tor the statement that IN wheeling there
are 600 speakeasies and that eighty-two purveyors
of wet goods took out government license so that
they would be exempt from Federal prosecution,
trusting that no Ohio county jury would convict
them.
"The present officials in charge of the en-
forcement Of the law could probably devote no
more faithful service than they do; the courts have
been asked for cooperation in the form of injunc-
tons; the common carriers are not permitted to
carry wet goods as baggage, when in the possession
OF an individual; many persons quietly cooperate
with the officers in giving information, and in
every way a fight for the enforcement of the law
is being made, and, if the consumption has been
reduced to the lowest point in the history of the
State, prohibition still seems to be but a poultice
on the cancer.
mo prosperity that is worth while is based
on the traffic in alcoholic drinks, and any ap-
parent prosperity in wet territory may be ficti-
tious or it may moi, but the liquor question seems
to be unsolved, because ones morals cannot be
regulated by legislation, unless, of course, human
emotions can be eliminated by the ayes and noes
of a legislative body.
$50 far as West Virginia is concerned, despite
the fidelity of the officers Of the law to their duty,
prohibition is still on trial"
When a prohibition paper makes such admis-
sions as are contained in the above editorial, the
beginning of the end is in sight.
(Adv. Paid for by Montana Commercial & Labor League, Helena
*.@*@*