The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-07-07
MINISTERS TALK OF
MORAL CONDITIONS
IN A RDMOR RE AN D
CA RTER COUN TY

sssShaSh oohdhg night " kliC
terial expose of moral conditions in
Ardmore and Carter county. The fire.
quent hearty applause proved that the
big crowd was in sympathy with what
the preachers were trying to accom-.
plish.
1t is understood that this is simp-
ly the first of series of such meet
ings which will continue through
July and August The Broadway Meth
odist. the First Presbyterian and tho
First Christian church will unite In
these Sunday evening meetings. The
preachers handled the subject without
gloves and without apology. Each one
spoke 20 minutes.
Talk BY DIR. Brooks
Crayton S. Brooks, pastor of the
First Christian church, was the frs
on the program and spoke in part
as follows:
at is not pleasant task to admit
the sad moral state of affairs exist
ing in Ardmore and Carter county.
want 1t distinctly understood that
| have no personal i'll feeling toward
any officer Of the law whose indir-
ference or cupidity may be respon-
sible for these conditions. Personally
i have the kindest regards for all
OF them. But the fact is that Car
ter county Is notoriously wide open
and corrupt. Everybody knows 1t. Any
well Informed citizen will tell YOU
that intoxicating liquors may be
bought on Main street and other
streets in Ardmore. Illicit stills arc
running in Carter county. Citizens say
corn whiskey was never so easily OBJ
tained since Oklahoma became a state.
Nor was II ever so cheap. Drunks
may be seen on the streets every day.
Autos full of drunken men and women
the other night in front of the F1rs,
Christian church. Gambling flourish IS
unmolested. A wide open JOIN. where
both drinking and gambling are the
chief attractions has been running, II
is said, just in the rear of the FRS,
National Bank. A sixteen-year old Lao
recently told his father he knew OF
six gambling places in town.
Conditions in County
"A minister in the employ of the
Inter Church World Movement re-
Gently made a survey of the county.
AS an illustration, he describes Il
gambling place in Dillard running
wide open. And then another. He Sc
cured the names of the employees, the
owners and the owner of the land oh
which the joints are operated. Also
house Of prostitution. where a man
stood in the street and openly So
licited business for the inmates. On
entering he found the women were
children IA and Is years old. Much
other information of a similar char
acter has been gathered by this
gentleman and others working in this
open field.
Scores Chief of Police
1T is currently reported that the
king of the dope sellers was arrested
by a Pinkerton man and constable
and the offender is soon at liberty.
His bond is signed by the chief o,
police. Joseph Folk says that every
time there is open violation of the law
there is stream of gold flowing into
the Golfers Of officials.
How Long Will Ii Last?
The property may not always be
in the names Of the, real owners. Sub
terfIge is easy. 1t is impossible to
believe that the officers know less
about crime than the children in tho
street. Prostitution flourishes right in
our midst. 1t would be hard to con-
vince the public that the law breakers
are not paying for protection. Every
body believes it. How long will the
good people Of Carter county permit
these conditions to continue?
Methodist Minister Talks
Rev. r. L. Jackson, assistant pas
tor Of Broadway Methodist church,
who followed DR.. Crayton S. Brooks,
on the program said in part:
While i am a new man here to
AN extent, yet I have met with in
dications to show that Ardmore Is
very open in liquor traffic apd vices.
In walking down one of the streets
Saturday afternoon in the space OF
one block / met three men so drunk
that they staggered against the build
ings. One can pass some of the
buildings and smell the odors as
strongly as If open saloons were run
in them. 1 appeal to the officers and
citizens to stop the traffic Vice run
ming rampant, as 1t is, will be brought
TO some of our homes by some OF
our young men being lured by such
temptations. America was established
on the basis of pure homes, and any
thing that interferes in giving the
right atmosphere for pure homes
should be stopped. Surely no pla,c
needs to call halt more than Ard
more and Carter county"
Dir. c. c. Weiths Talk
Rev. r. l.. Jackson was followed |
by DR.. G. c. Weith He stated in |
part as follows:
"Only righteousness exalteth ma.
ton" Law itself is merely scrap
OF paper. To be really affective 1t
must be written upon the hearts OF |
the citizens. If our constitution and
laws were transferred to Mexico, 1t |
would not make Mexico n civilized |
and progressive people. SO our own
law. to be Of value, must be obeyed. |
Need Law.Abiding Spirit
I'VE need law.abiding spirit |
in our country. We must have con-
fidence in our fellow citizens and our
officers. Laws are made to protect
the honest citizen. TO permit illegal
and disreputable business to thrive
in neighborhood, means destruc-
tion Of value to the honest citizen
xeho will not rent hia building for