El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-20

THE WAR takes precedence over everything and en-
cages most of our thoughts, but aside fEm the war,
fewer public developments of direct interest
than Azonas struggle maintain the state of prohbi-
ton into which she voted herself is Of direct interest
merely because the Arizona people neghbors
but because the prohibition against liquor now In force IN
Arizona will later to New Mexico and Texas
It is bound to come The only question is the time Then
might as well be observing the difficulties Arizona
peencng in enforcing the law and the successes and fall
uTes achieved.
There is no use attempting to cover up the fact that
Arizona Is having hard time making prohibition prohibit
of of the state favor prohibition but too
many want their drinks to make enforcement Of the law an
easy matter Besides liquor is too conveniently at hand
An Arzonan has only to his automobile over INTO New
Mexico California to get it at ordinary prices He real
zes that in Arizona various citizens with thrsts not
quenched but only shapened by prohibition waiting to
pay him profit of several hundred percent his pur
chase. The temptation to become what is known as
bootegger is great It is an easy way 10 make lot OF
money The temptation heightened by the fact that Ar
IONA is country of wide distances good roads and near
the borders few inhabitants 1t is impossible for peace
officers to watch every road constantly for bootlegges
There many chances for coneeamen The ODDS are
all against the officials trying to enforce the law.
On top of all is the fact that ures in Arizona some Of
them least have been too lenient with known offenders
It said some Jurors refuse to convict where guilt
has been clearly proved maintaining that the offence is Of
consequence and that likely not more people favor
Of liquor than opposed to It, despite the prohibition
vote.
Acquttas in many such and very light sentences
In others have had two effects They have dishearened
officers of the who have hard work and sleepeSS
nights and arrests that required degree Of daring in
decided the enforcement of the law not worth while
As matter of fact however the officers have tried very
diligently both to make arrests and to all necessary
evidence for conviction The other effect of acqutas and
light fines has encourage booeggers their traffic
If an illicit trader in liquor can be sure of an acquittal
OF moderate fine short term in jail there is every
incentive for him keep up the business for its profits are
so great that he %ork" Oneha even onethird
of the time he will be well repaid financially for the labor
and trouble connected with booteggng and for the time
lost while imprisonment Only few days ago officers
dug Up big cache of liquor ranchman's premises and
on uther investigation found the book in which he had
recorded his liquor transactions Its entries showed he had
been averaging about $1,000 month profit.
All this detail is set down here for the purpose of
stimulating the business of bootleggng by giving further
publicity to the profit side of the illicit traffic and thus ap
peang to the cupdy of those who do not srupe at law
breaking show against what odds officers of the law
have had to contend
The result been recent increase in drunkenness In
Arizona owing to the greater activity Of the booteggers
The Arizona Republican commenting on this condition,
says Men various stages of drunkenness be seen
the streets almost any street and In almost any block
on almost any evening" This only that many law
vioators are at work widely distributing liquor In consd
cradle quantities
But there are signs that the people of the state who
supported the campaign for prohibition preparing to
line I'D with the state and county officials for much
rigid enforcement of the law Newspapers throughout the
beginning to take active interest In correcting the
present evils and nsstent that booteggers must be
properly punished One judge has responded to the appeal
by refusing fines to convicted boOeggers Every convicted