The Detroit times., 1916-08-14

states. nine OF which have become
/ so within the past year
( Most persons can remember when
bleeding Kansas was notorious
because of its criminals The state
went dry 10 stay dry and its Grim
/ inal population moved on. Next
came North Carolina with the same
experience then Tennessee, West
Virginia. Arizona. and Oklahoma,
all OF which had unenviable reputa-
tons for criminals, but finally got
rid OF them by voting out the sa-
looms
Recently Iowa, Arkansas. South
Carolina, Colorado, Alabama Idaho,
Georgia. Oregon and Washington
showed their criminal classes out
on the cold world 10 seek shelter
In any state that affords saloon pro
lection for them. Maine, Mississippi,
North Dakota and Virginia had their
share OF criminals also, but never
especially Dragged about them. They
contributed TO the aggregate seek
ing saloon protection.
Look over the list OF states and
see IL you do not agree with ne
that among them were some OF the
shining stars OF crookdom. Closing
the saloons naturally drives out all
the professionals The saloon IS the
q. nfn
knows
Naturally the entire galaxy sought
greener pastures and the fertile au.
tomobilc field of saloonridden De
troit got its full share And so.
naturally. Detroit will continue 70
get an ample supply OF them as lorS
as the saloons are maintained as
harbur Of refuge
Lax police regulation may &C
count for their staying here after
they come, but the saloons are tho
attraction that brings them here in
the first place.
4 crook hates dry town because
there is no place 10 hide. Each
year the criminal class is beinS |
driven into smaller quarters as state
after state and province after pro- I
vince in Canada drive out liquor /
dives The Canadian dry wave prob /,
ably had much 10 do with the De /
troit situation.
From the present outlook. II Is I
not improbable that four or FIVE .
states besides Michigan will vote !
dr. this fall, all OF them rich In .
criminals Texas took over large /
portion OF the criminals driven out .
of the South Atlantic states. and |
perhaps many from Oklahoma and
Arizona The Democrats there have
seen the light. due largely to the
mighty influx OF criminals from
nelghboring dry states. and have
made statewide prohibition a party
issue with very great prospect IN I
IL will carry. II Texas goes dry T.
will send a horde Of crooks into the
saloon states OF the middle west
Then there is South Dakota with
its notorious Black Hills region. al
most certain TO vote dry and give
walking papers TO its unequalcd ar
ray OF criminal talent. And Nor
tana. also. Is slated TO vote ont sa-
looms. and California. with her San
Francisco. and Nebraska with her
Omaha. all OF them fairly seething
with crime since the mountain
states went dry and drove the Grim
mails out.
When all. or a goodly part Of
those states unload their saloon
protected criminals upon the saloon
cities OF the middle west. cond.-
lions will be so much worse than
they are now as 10 beggar dcscrip-
tion. The only reason Kentucky
and Minnesota are not dry, IL be-
cause OF tho legislation machinery
that prevents he people from vot-
ing. In Wyoming and Florida the
conditions are much tho same, and
IL Is only a matter OF few years
until the saloon-protected criminal
will find safe harbor in only
few states. Will Michigan be
among the number, or will her peo-
pie be among those who will say
10 the criminal, Move on7"
Michigan has II within her pow
or 10 rid herself OF her saloon pro-
tected criminals. or she can adyer-
tise to the world that all criminals
may find safe harbor here. The
vote next November will decide the
question. IL Michigan votes dry,
the criminals will leave the state
the same as they have left every
other dry state, n Michigan votes
wet the criminals that ate now in
the state. will remain and others
will be added TO them so long as the