Arizona republican., 1916-05-22
What Prohibition Needs


 That prohibition has been beneficial to Arizona is admitted by all. The prohibition amendment standing alone and unsupplemented by legislation which could not properly be incorporated in con stitutiona amendment has accomplished all that could have been reasonably expected of it. It has closed the saloons and has relieved of tempta- ton many who really desired to quit drinking It has made it difficult, if impossible for many others who could afford drink (and nobody can afford drink, obtain liquor, that the money they have earned has gone for the better support of themselves and their families Bills have been paid more promptly. there have been fewer headaehes and heartaches and there has been less interference with capacity for work. This much, really more. than many shrewd observers be- lleved would be achieved by the bare amendment. There been a better enforcement in most parts of the than expected, sidering the of machinery at hand for enforce ment.
 The activities of the boot-legger foreseen. They were begun in a surprisingly modest sort of way. At first a comparatively small amount of intoxicating liquor was brought into the state The earlier importations substitutes, such cider with a kick" in it. and other liquors in which in- toXicants were more or less disguised. But later when the boot-legger how easy it was bring in liquor, the few chances of detection and the probable lighness of the punishment if detected, quit fooing with cider and imported the pure stuff until the is pretty we'll saturated.
 An evil which perhaps foresaw was the wholesale distribution of intoxicating liquors mostly whiskey, among the young, both girls and boys. Hitherto liquor nearly inaccessible to them that they had little occasion to think about it. There were no boot-leggers to act purveyors Those who could drink and would drink went to the .a1n al-a6 tbair was not much liquor lying around; nobody was in- terested in it's distribution except over the bar But the boot-lesger has opened world to the young and inexperienced, for time an entranc- ing world, though it will be a wonderfully dreary and bitter later
 Without very rigid legislation the subject this condition which seriously affects the young and the homes will The boot-legger's s activities will increase Joints will be established Tn waysde resorts there are many now) and in roomng houses holes in the wall where evils worse than drinking will be practced. But all this is going on now. It will become more widespread and intense
 We have prohibition but prohibition has never prohibited and will never prohibit unless it is made to do so. It is unnecessary, and it would be foolsl now to enact any thou shalt nots" until ", take means to enforce the prohibition we now have
 '''N into the hands of a central authority the bower t enforce the law and by clothing that centra authority with responsibility for it's enforcement, This responsibility should be a garment that woul be Nessus shirt to that central authority unles he enforces the law
 Kansas found prohibition to be imperative unt It passed such laws, among them the custer law which compelled local officers to enforce prohibit tlon on pain of summary removal by the governor rom office. Then the courts must impose th seNerest penalties under the amendment for th violation of the law The punishment prescribed b the amendment is too light but it cannot be imme diateiy changed In Arkansas the penalty for sell hls or giving liquor is year in the penentiar
 We should like our prohibition frient take early action, either in the preparation of A h Tor submission to the people, in the selection candidates for the Legislature who may be counts upon to enact honest and adequate legislation do not think that 'prohibiticnists who in the environment see less of the seamy side of thing really know how bad conditions are