The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1916-12-16

aDsSeu z; tnn various speakers who
assured a crowded house that condi.
tions in Wos 'oolt had never been AZ
bad as then they were about TO
conclude the ?. ogIam I went to the
front OF the hall and demanded to be
heard. To my surprise was applaud.
ed. Permission was given me to speak.
| said | he'd heard their complaints
made in that public place. but had
never received n complaint from any
one OF thorq on which l could act In
my capacity as sheriff; that had ap.
pointed deputies for Westbrook with
instructions TO enforce the law strin-
gently because that was what the town
had voted for, IL having cast it, vote
against me and my platform that pro-
hibit'on is failure. wanted to siva
them what they had voted for as thor.
ough,y as | could. told them that
ary citizen among them who would
come to me with complaint and facts
on which | could act would get re-
suits as far as the law would reach.
"Nct one Of them either at that time
or at am otaCr made such complaint
or offered me any assistance in enforc.
ing the lay in Westbrook. So I say [
am reminded os the inslncerity Of
some of thn prchibitiouists.
"I say you could not stop the sala
OF l!ouor IN a place like this II you
he'd all tho money and all the men
vou could rrt at work. II simply can't
he Gc"c. You wolld not get more than
n spoonful out OF gallon. Here 10
the water front miles In extent and
hurdred5 ~ motor boats. Here ara
tho railroads Ind hore are the state
highways with the state line only tive
hours aw'c by automobile. When nd
last predecessor was trying to enforcA
the law there we're half dozen ma.
chire7 making daily runs to Porte.
mouth each bringing back gallons Of
It. I believe he caught two a2tomo-
b!les while lie was IN Office.
Nc Lets eaioons Run.
"It simply r. not in the books to stop
the traffic N the stuff They can do
what they IKE and say what they like.
! know. Nh". we have had more than
60 amendments TO the prohibition law.
trying to make Il drastic enough to
Dt''i't tlff'Ash u hs1u u never NhA
reached aHyth.ng like effectiveness. I
have IN mind ore man here who served
an aggregate OF between Ave and six
years in jail and paid fines OF not less
than an acrTo gate o: $4,000. and you
could not mako him stop. His son Ia
rur u!rg place here now.
"u" Ter my administration I permit
n certain number OF them to remain
omen whore | can see what they are
doing. They have to close at 10
O'clock every ncht. which means 10.
and not 1901. and they know Il. Sat.
uraay nig.t they have to close at 1850.
and that means 7:S0. Sunday thsy
must be closed 0Nd they must b
closed on every holiday. on election
day, ana on every other occasion
where there IL any unusual excite
mert and crowd in the city. as when
there is circus in town. When there
there was an encampment OF soldiers
here thoy were closed for 10 daya.
They obey because they know OF what
will be done to them IL they do not
In tact | can close them all inside OF
an h~'r ~ any time
= Can't Suppress Traffic.
"fhe prchibit!onists say II you can
close them for day or 10 days or ON
Sundays or holidays, that proves you
can close them for good. Il does. I
admit it, But It does not prove that
can suppress tho liquor trafic, which.
as | understand it, is the purpose Of
the prohibition law, at least In theory.
In practice | am afraid II IL used 40
the plaything OF politics more than
as real sincere, honest agency for
the suppression OF what Is admittedly
great evil against which mankind
has been and Is struggling. I know
about the evil OF it. have seen much
OF II. know that the man who comes
TO the jail to serve a sentence for
drunkenness Is not the man who buys
drink across the bar OF q saloon.
He is the bottle buyer. He drinks
diluted alcohol and he IL q steady
boarder' az the jail He and his kind
keep up the half,pint trade.
Il can say much more against the
grog shop drug store than against the
open bar where beer and ale are on
draft The saloon can close. but the
drug store is open for. business day
and night, Some OF them are At It 70
hours Gay, They sell the half pinta.
They are the worst offenders and the
hardest to convict. because they ara
permitted under the law to have liquor
on the premises. And yet. 70 advocate
ana carry out what 10 manifestly for
the best interest of the community you
have to bear the stigma OF being CALI
ed CRATER and load yourself W With
enemies I am Glad "a aav I A