The Dermott news., 1918-02-28
PROhIsITIONlSTS SAY SPECIAL
SESSION NECESSARY TO AMEND
BONE DRY LAW.
SAYS CRIME IS INCREASING
Claims Young Men Whose Habits Are
Not Permanently Fixed Will Become
So Demoralzed as To Render
Them Useless To Society.
Helena.


The following petition Is being cir
culated throughout Phillips county,
and copies sent TO every other county
In the state for circulation:
ITO His Excellency, Charles II.
Brough. Governor of Arkansas:
The undersigned. your petitioners.
would respectfully represent and show
that they are citizens and residents Of
-- County. in the state of Ark
ansas. That since the enactment OF
what is commonly known as the Bone
Dry Law by the General Assembly of
this state, drunkenness and it's kin.
dred crimes, owing TO the vigilance
and untiring efforts of the courts and
its officers. had almost ceased until
such law was construed by the STU
preme Court in recent opinion hand
ed down by that tribunal. That I'M
mediately thereafter the bootleggers
and their travelling messengers began
to flood the community with whisky
brought in in suitcaSes and divers 9TH
ep receptacles until now the condi-
lioHS nave btNtlHt stillIoSt dblt.
That unless some remedy is applied
and that speedily. your petitioners are
of the opinion that the decentralization
resulting from this traffic will cause
great and irreparable loss to the com
munity. both financially and morally.
young men whose habits are not per-
manently fixed will become so demon
allied as TO render them useless mem
bers OF society. when at this partieu-
lar timA the best efforts of all classes
OF people should be directed along
some line OF usefulness conducive and
in aid of the military establishment
and the feeding and clothing OF our
soldiers engaged in the war.
They therefore respectfully peti.
ton your eNcellency to convene the
General Assembly in extraordinary
session Mt the earliest moment posi-
BILE. 10 the end that such n law may
be enacted rs Will cover all defects
pointed out by the courts in the pres
ent act known as the Bone Dry Law
and for such other relief as may be
necessary ana proper.
Accompanying the petition Is the
following letter prepared by the com
mittee having the matter in charge:
I'VE are taking The liberty of send.
ing TO you n form OF petition TO Gov
Brough, requesting him to convene
the General Assembly in eXtraordi-
nary session for the purpose OF amend
ing the bone dry law to the end that
the defects in the present law pointed
out BY the recent decision OF the SUI
preme Court may be cured The petit
ton is self-eXplanatory. No doubt you
realize the Importance of this. and
We respectfully urge that you have a
similar petition circulated in your
county at once. and after the sigma
lures OF the citizens have been secur-
ed. that the petition be sent to Green
field Quarles of Helena, Ark. to the
end that the same. together with 9TH
er petitions. may be presented to the
governor. We respectfully ask that
all the petitions be In the hands OF
Greenfield Quarles on or before the
18th day OF March. 1918.
"All OF the law-abiding citizens Of
this county are signing the petition
when presented to them and We be-
ieve that every good citizen in this
state will sign II given an opportun-
ity. Hundreds OF people are going
zach day to Louisiana and other wet
states, and are returning with large
quantities OF whisky We are told
that one man brought in 30 suit cases
packed full. We are sure that you
can readily see the Importance OF this
matter. and in the event you are not
able TO give the same your personal
attention. we have TO ask that you
place the same in charge OF some re-
liable person who will give II his
time and attention"