The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-05-18
FOCUS HoTEL LICENSES.

II TPON one point The Evening Herald is in agreement with Sheriff
- ment o. law m this county. Ne agree with his contention that
the hotel licenses held by persons who use them 20 protect immortality,
vice and crime should be revoked and that the reyocstions should
he prompt and final. Whether responsibility for initiating the action
rests with the sheriff. the district attorney, the county commissioners
or whoever mnst act under the law. II should be possible to get the
facts regarding these bogus hotel licenses before the district court
without much delay. II the facts are as the sheriff, the county com
missioners the district attorney, the mounted police and pretty much
every one else who has looked into the Old Town situation believe
them 20 be we have the utmost confidence in the result to be obtained
from the court.
We do not agree with the sheriff that revocation Of the hotel
license is the only way by which vice can be eurbed in Old Albu-
qnerque. Discussing the Saturday night raid on gambling games
conducted by Captain Sena Of the mounted police The sheriff said
thar the hotel licenses held by certain resorts in Old Albuquerque
RADIO and the Combs hotels in this city.
But were such : thing possible as Psguicseerns s their man
doubts for am instant that the homogeneous would be under arrest
plcss ciO ~ .eT The i ssusns n If a = ho stol' ls.p psss dses s y conie% = y
is use 70 cloak gambling or prostitution and i canEot be so used
We wish to respect what has been said before that those who
charge that The Herald has siguuled our Sheriff Garcia for attack
are wrong, We are not attacking the sheriff We are attacking
8 condition that is wrong and that needs correction
We have brought the matter direct 70 the sheriff because he is
the officer charged with enforcement q the law. We have made
no charge aganst the sheriff, except that he is not enforcing the
que as il has been shown that II Is permitted 70 operate in the Old
q the sh i f9 # Police aiss With 1Hss de "a a. that Il do = his y duty Sys Or q quit
II il were shown that houses OF prostitution aud designation were per
mitted ofunanchecked in this city we would take the fight tOthe.
same place. The sheriff owes it TO himself as well as TO the people
: get action, and II OF when, ne gets II The Herald will take the lead
Sheriff Garcia said to a Herald representative Yesterday that
~ TWO things were done he could enforce the law and check vice m
this county and that he would guarantee to do il. One thing he re-
auires Is the revocation Of the hotel licenses that are being nisused
They should be revoked. The other Is a special deputy for all night
duty. If his present force IS not adequate the extra man or men. be
il two or twenty, should be allowed. We believe IL possible that
the sheriff pay not have realized before the seriousness of the sit
uation in his jurisdiction and for which he is bound TO be held re-
sponsible We believe it possible that he now realizes il. What is
wanted Is results. To that end we believe the sheriff should be given
every form Of cooperation he asks even 10 the point OF unreasonable
requirements in special men and expense funds There is absolutely
no question as TO the necessity for revoking a hotel license that Is be-
ing deliberately used as a cloak for crime.
Captain Seua has given u a startling contrast between results
obtained from the game Of passing the buck and direct action by a
competent officer Having learned that results are possible it should
be easy TO 60 the whole route in reaning up Old Albuquerque of the
resorts and practices thai are an offense against It's vast majority
Of law abidlhg people and an unwarranted reflection and imposition
upon them.