The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1916-12-16
BANKER AND MERCHANT CALL SH
"DRY" LAWS A FARCE
AND FAllACY
TRADE DECL|NESK0D|ES FIND THE BUSINESS PROFITABLE
Business Men, Farmers and
Taxpayers Suffer From Evil
Effects Of Sumptuary Legis-
lation While Much Liquor Is
Consumed at E Enormous Prices

{
The detrimental eject OF prohibi.
tion upon the business man, the tax.
payer and the farmer IL shown I'm
newspaper interviews with two bust.
ness men OF the dry" states of Wash.
ington and Idaho. The Butte (Mont.)
Miner, which printed the interviews.
says:
Fred M. Hinklsy, a banker OF
Butte on business, says that prohibi.
tion in Washington is not only farce,
but that 1t has hurt business to
remarkable degree. Property values
have deprecated, while there has
been burden of taxes taken from the
sitizens, and the working OF the law
recently voted by the people OF the
state is turning out in just the same
fashion as elsewhere in so,alled dry"
territory, he said.
Can you get a drink In Washing
tom" Mr.. Hinkley was asked.
Got a drink?" u, you can got
barrel OF the rottencst stuff in the
world and lille bit OF good liquor
II you want TO pay triple the price
that ordinarily prevails. and tie price
10 being paid.
~ Eootlegulno Galore.
"rhe working OF the prohibition Law
In Washington Is the same as in other
states, not only In the west. but in
the east as well. Thore IL bootleggiI,
galore and tie situation has Become
vile." continued Mr.. Hinkley. For
instance, the man who woIId never
think OF taking u ne with him a
quart OF liquor, Sit who would Ec
sati3fed with drink or two at al
opCi bar. now must get q lot Of
rot gut in quarts and pints. The mln
with money can, OF course, secure
all he wants and at fair price, but
the wording man. the laborer with a
family, who wants a little gtimUlart
after a hard days work. has To d.g
down deep to secure personal privi
lege.
Not only that. in respect TO drink
inE, but the community is suffering
directly from the effects OF the laT.
A burden OF taxation will have to lie
placed to meet the running expenses
Of every city, county and the state.
Idaho Man Talks.
=. w. Green, a wellknown busir esq
man of Idaho, who makes his head
quarter, in Lewiston, Ida, was also
In the city yesterday and had about
the same story to tell.
lie says that It is getting almost
impossible TO secure farm and orchard
labor In his locality. for the simple
reason that men wont work in dry
territory. yet Idaho 10 far from being
dry.
THE farmer Is suffering the or
chardist Is suffering and the business
centors are suffering" says Mr.. Green
People who vote for prohibition
don't stop to consider all the anSleS
The farmer and his help, who used 70
visit at periods some business cente'
! ind II unnecessary. They 60 there
only to get what they actually need
r to return home with most OF tho
money they brought with them.
TH.w About Business Manf
"The larger cities OF Idaho are abso
lutely :, ad. Heretofore, when a man
, would make a trip to the city from his
, farm, with his money to spend. he
would also take along with II a little
/, relaxation. He would take q drink OF
two, 10 to q show, visit his favorits
/. merchants and spend his money freely
but judieiously, and return home viii
, q little bit Of the small amount oi
, happiness dolsd out in this world
Now it's al changed. The man who
!. has to go to town does his 90 per cent
, less business. returns to his farm oi
! country homo a. quickly as he car
, 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
!. Il never has worked and never will.