The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1917-01-13
SHERIFF TELLS DETROIT NEWS STAFF CORRESPONDENT
OF PROHIBITIONS FAILURE IN MAINE, THE
ORIGINAL DRY" STATE
K|DD|Es FIND THE BUSINESS PROFITABLE:
kc. As Spos LootoYts and Liquor Carriers "Kcen Bars
Are Favori,e Resorts Officials poweross to Curb Illicit
Traffic Which Debauches Young and Old


assured a crowded house that eonll-
tions in WectH-ook had never bscn a.
bad as thea. - they werp about t.
conclude the program | won't to Ne
front OF tie hall and demanded - b
heard. To my surprise WAS applaud
ed. Permission was given me 10 speak.
sail | had heard their cemD.a.nts
made In that public place. but had
never received complaint from ~
one OF them on which / esuld aSe -
my capa city as sheriff: that I Ia -
pointed deputies for Westbrsek WA
Instructions TO enforce the law strin-
gently because that was what the tovn
had voted for, 1t having cast its vote
against me and my platform that pre-
hibltion is a failure. wanted to give
them what they had voted for as thor
ouchly as | could. | told them that
any citizen among them who would
como t. me with a complaint and facts
on which I could act would get re-
suits ga far as the law would reach.
Not one of them either at that timo
or ct any other made such complaint
Ing the 'aNs in Westbrook So say I
am reminded OF the insincerity Of
sor'e of tho prohibition,sts.
II say you could not stop the sale
OF liquor IN a place like this II you
had all the money and all the men
you could set at work. II simply can't
be done. You would not get more than
spoonful out OF a gallon. Here 10
the water front miles in extent and
hundreds nf motor boats. here are
the railroads. aud here are the state
highways with the state line only tyD
hours aw"v by automobile. When ny
last predecessor was trying to spfsrS3
tho law there were half q dozsn "a.
chimes making daily runs 10 Psrts-
mouth each bringing back gallons Of
H. believe he caught two automo.
b!les while he was In Office. |,
Hc Let's Saloons Run. !!
at imply IS net In the books to stop
the traffic in TIE stuff. Thoy can do
what they like and say what they like.
know WHY, we have had more than
s. Tmcndmcrts 20 the prohibition law.
trying TO make Il drastic enough to
become effective, and II mover has
reached anything like effectiveness. I
Rave IN mind one man here who served
an aggregate of between FIVE and six
years in Jail and paid fines OF not less
than an aggregate of $4,000. and ysu
could not make him stop. His SON 10
running n place here now.
Under my administration permit
q certain number OF them to remain
o1en whore l can. sec what they are
doing. They have to close at 10
o'clock every night, which means 10.
aud not 10:Ol. and they know 1t. Sat.
urday night thoy have to close at 7:30.
and that means 1880. Sunday they
r'ust be closed md they must 10
closed on every holiday, on election
Day, and on every other occasion
where there is any unusual excite
ment and crowd in the city, as whom
there Is circus in town. When there
there was an encampment OF soldiers
here they were closed for 10 days.
They obey because they know OF what
will be done TO them II they DO not
In fact | can close them all inside Of
an l-'r at any time.
Y Can't Suppress Traffic.
"The prchibitionists say II you can
close them for day or 10 days or on
Sundays or holidays, that proves you
can close them for good. 1t does.
admit 1t. But ii does not prove that
! can suppress the liquor traffic, which.
as ] understand II. is the purpose OF
the prohibition law, at least In theory.
In practice ! am afraid II 10 used a.
the plaything OF politics more than
as a real sincere, honest agency for
the suppression OF what Is admittedly
great evil against which mankind
has been and is struggling. I know
about the evil of II. have seen much
OF II. know that the man who comes
to the jail to serve a sentence for
drunkenness is not the man who buys
a drink across the bar OF a saloon.
He is the bottle buyer. He drinks
diluted alcohol and he Is q steady
boarder' at the Jail. He and his kiud
keep up the half.pint trade.
Il can say much more against the
grog shop drug store than against ths
open bar where beer and ale are on
draft. The saloon can close, but the
drug store is open for. business day
and night. Some OF them are at II 30
hours day. They sell the half pints.
Tiey are the worst offenders aad the
hardest to convict, because they are
permitted under the law to have liq,Ds
on the premises. And yet. - slvscatl
and carry out what 10 manieostk fos
the best interest OF the oo1aunitt ysu
have to bear the stigma 0f bsing oall
ed q CRATER and load yourself up with
enemies ] am slsd TO say ! -