Arizona republican., 1917-01-26
The lessenlnq Liquor Traffic

The figures given by the treasury department showing the increased from whisky the past year be dscouraging to friends of prohibi- tion or raise any doubt in their minds whether they are making headway against the liquor traffic. There are two reasons why the has not fallen off, but on the contrary has increased the past year One of them by department-the closer collec- tion of the revenue The other the inadequacy prohibition laws, but generally that defect has now been removed by the operation of the Webb Kenyon preventing the importation of intoxicating liquor into states which have egslated against it.
 In our own state though the prohibition amend ment has been in force two years probably twice much whisky consumed during that period as had been used in the preceding four years. We sup pose that within the month and a half following the adoption of the last constitutional amendment more whisky carried into Arizona by railroad and eX- press companies than had been brought in in any six months period when the saloons running at full blast We have doubt that the who inn ported it drank a great deal than they would have drunk if they could have purchased it every corner.
 But we think it may be accurately predicted that comparatively little will be brought in this year the next or in any year so long as prohibition amendment is undsturbed The importation will be confined the operations of booteggers of the reckless type citizens who will risk carrying few bottles in suit The bootegging business will be a very hazardous now, the profits entirely incommensurate with the risk of detection pun ishment.
 We have been put under the operation of the Webb Kenyon law which has within the last few made applicable all other prohibition states that had struggled almost in vain against the original package" law finding that they had ceeded only abolishing the open saloon in favor the more perncious activities of the bootleggers.
 Brewers for years had complained of the apathy of distllers the warfare against prohibition they charged that the dstillers sometimes in league with the prohibtioniss that under prohibition beer and wine would suffer and in place of them, there would be a greater consumption of whisky which from the of it would be much likely to be imported than the lighter bulky volumes of beer and wine. Thus wine manufacturers and the brewers hal until recently, been forced to bear almost the whole burden of the fight against prohibition.
 This the first time the distiers had been aiding in securing prohibition legislation They fur nished powerful aid years ago securing the abolition of the army canteen it's beer and light wines with the result that immediately every army post in the country surrounded by dirty fringe of low doggeres where the vilest whisky was dispensed But the distillers. well as the brewers and the wine makers have had their more pro- longed day and think it may be safely predicted that through the rigid application of Ken yon law the report of the treasury department will show decided falling the tax on intoxicat- have now the machinery to make prohibition prohibit