Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-03-22
"When A State Goes Dry"

Fred o. Blue, former State Tax Com
missioner and ex-officio Commissioner OF
Prohibition in West Virginia. whose term
of office expired on the last day OF Febru-
ary, has written book entitled. "When
A State Goes Dry" which has just come
from the press and which is a most in
teresting volume. We are obligated to
Mr.. Blue, our friend for number OF
years, for an autographed copy OF his
genuinely good book
In the publication Mr.. Blue has set
forth many OF his experiences in inaugu-
rating prohibition in West Virginia under
the constitutional amendment and the
Yost law and in enforcing it after it had
been inaugurated-a much more difficult
proceeding The book not only is very
interesting as matter of content, but is
written in a most readable style. Short,
crisp sentences, short paragraphs and
even short chapters lend to the excellen-
cy OF its diction.
Mr.. Blue not only deals in his book
with some OF the actual experiences he
has had as administrative head of the pro-
hibition department but interprets definite
policy for the enforcement OF prohibitory
and all other laws.
Following the foreword in the intro
ductory chapter Mr.. Blue gives his sec
ond chapter TO describing the wreckage
which every State that goes into the dry
column must inherit from the open opera
ton of the saloon in the commonwealth.
This wreckage he enumerates in part as
"inebriates, criminals, degenerates, slaves
to drink, morally stunted citizens, graft
ers, some Indifferent public officials"
"The State cannot clear away such
wreckage in day nor in a month nor in
a year. Indeed, to do so iSa process re-
quiring time, patience and effort, in which
process law enforcement and education
are two great factors"
To illustrate what he means by the
wreckage left by the saloon, Mr.. Blue re-
lates an incident which is still familiar in
the minds of all West Virginia people.
While he gives no names, the incident
was that of the hanging OF Mat FARRELL, OF
ESkdale.
"ln the summer OF 1915" Mr.. Blue
says, "at the West Virginia penitentiary,
a young man paid the death penalty for
taking the life OF another. His poor old
gray-haired mother, bowed under many
weary years and great sorrow, came to
carry home the body Of her boy. De-
voted TO him in life, she loved him in
deatIl-as only mother could. In her
great anguish she sobbed: He was good
boy. He was always so good TO me.
And now that he is gone am lett all alone
in this world, and everything will be so
lonely. wish that could have gone
with him. He never gave ME harsh
word in his life, and if il had not been for
the saloon that taught him 10 drink, and
if il had not been for the liquor that he
got the day he shot the man, he never
would have done it.
"The young man had learned to drink
when the State permitted the saloon. He
was its product. A dealer outside the
State had furnished him intoxicating Ii
quor on the day the fatal shot was fired.
A widowed mother passes her days in
her lonely home, and now and then lays
A wreath ofmountain flowers on the grave
OF her boy"
Relating some OF the difficulties OF en-
forcing the law, Mr.. Blue declares that
"there is class of respectable citizens
who do not comprehend or will not COM
prehend. the ultimate end OF legislative
purpose in prohibition statutes. Persons
of this class approve prosecution OF boot
leggers and dlve-keepers and do not
patronize them, yet the persons OF this
class are more responsible for the boot
logger and the divekeeper than persons
of any other class. Here is an anomaly
that should be aIalyzed. This class in
sists that it should be exempt from the
ult nate end OF the lad, but that the weak,
the inebriate, the drunkard, the vicious
and the impecunious, as well as the COM
munity, should be protected against the
evils and suffering arising from intoxica-
ting beverages.
Therefore this class insists that il must
not be denied intoxicating liquors as
beverages nor any easy and convenient
way to procure the same. The influence
OF this class is reflected partly in the COM
promise OF legislation Now the weak,
the inebriate, the drunkard, the vicious
and the impecunious do not and cannot
see the distinction sought 10 be made by
the class referred to, Tor, to their minds,
il any one class il the community has The
right to procure intoxicating liquors for
beverage purposes, then all classes OF
persons Should have the same right.
"How do the bootegger and the dive
keeper procure Intoxicating liquors il
dry State ? In the same way provided
by law Tor the respectable class mentioned
TO obtain intoxicants. For what purpose
do the bootlegger and the dive-keeper
claim they have and possess intoxicating
liquors ? For the same purpose claimed
by the class referred to. The so-called
respectable class is the screen behind
which hide the bootlegger and the dive
keeper"
Cnnf;nnah Ahcanra