The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1916-12-02
BANKER AND MERCHANT CALL
DRY" LAWS A FARCE
AND FAllACY
TRADE DECLINES
Business Men, Farmers and
Taxpayers Suffer From Evil
Effects Of Sumptuary Legis.
lation While Much Liquor Is
COnsumedat Enormous Prices

The detrimental effect OF prohibit.
tion upon the business man, the tax.
payer and the farmer Is shown in
newspaper interviews with two bust.
ness men of the dry" states OF Wash.
!ngton and Idaho. The Butte (MontD
Miner, which printed the interviews,
says:
Fred M. IIinkley, banker OF
Clarcketon. Wash, who has been ~
Butte on business, says tllt prohibi
tion In Washington is not only a farce,
but that it has hurt business to
remarkable degree. Property values
have deprecated, while there has
been burden OF tax"s taken from the
citizens. and the working Of the law
recently voted by tn. people of the
state Is turning out in just the same
fashion az elsewhere In soCalied dry"
territory, lie said.
Can you get drink in Washing.
TOM" Mr.. Hinkiey was asked.
Get a drink?" Uh, you can get
barrel OF the rottene9t stun in the
world and a little bit OF coed liquor
IL you want 10 pay triple the price
that ordinarily prevails, ana the price
II being paid.
- Footeegne Galore.
"Ttc working of the prohibition law
In Washington is The same as in other
stRtos, not only In the west, bat IN
tho east a5 well. Thore Ia bootieggins
galore and the situation has become
vile" continued Mr.. Il!nhey. For
instance, the man who would never
think OF taking S'me with him
quart OF liquor, VT who wo-ld lie
satisfied with drink or tNo at an
opes bsr now must get - lot q!
rot gut in quarts ana pln;s The MAJ
with money can, OF course secure
all he wants and at fair price, Jut
the working man, the lahOrer With
family who wants a little etimGlan,
after hard days work, has TO d!
dowa deep to secure personal priHi
lege.
Mot only that, In respect 10 drink
ing, but the community Is suitCr,IS
directly from the effects ot Tie Law.
A burden OF taxation viii hayo 70 be
placed to meet tie runnius expenses
OF every city, county AMI the state.
Idaho nsn Talks.
y. w. Green, n wcllknJNn business
man OF Idaho, who makes his head
quarters in Lewiston, Ida, wa. s!su
In the city yesterday and had about
the same story to tell.
He says that It Is getting almoat
impossible to secure farm and orchard
labor in his locality. for the simple
reason that men won't work in dry
territory, yet Idaho is far from being
dry.
The farmer Is suffering, the or
chardlst is suffering and the business
centers are suffering" says Mr.. Green
People who vote for prohibition
don't stop to consider all the angles
The farmer and his help, who used 10
visit at periods some business centei
find 1t unnecessary. They go there
only to get what they actually aGed
to return home with most OF tine
money they brought with them.
shIH About Business hsn7
"rhe larger cities OF Idaho are abso-
lutely :, ad. Heretofore, when man
would make trip to the city FROM his
farm, with his money to spend, he
would also take along with II littlo
relaxation. He would take a drink or
two, 60 to a show, visit his favorlts
merchants and spend his money freely
but judiciously, and return home with
q little bit OF the small amount OF
happiness doled out in this world
Now It's all changed. The man who
has to 20 to town does his 90 per cent
less business. returns to his farm or
country home as quickly as he can
and leaves the business man or mer-
chant standing sadly In the doorway.
Prohibition Is the greatest fallacy
the world has ever seen among many.
II noya, h.. ,ynrlad opa pavar will