The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1921-01-28

time,. and the people must become
gradually accustomed to this change
The results which have been attained
during this first year, greatly exceed
the expectations OF the most optimis-
tic, ! believe, and the results of the
coming years, under this law, will
justify the course of those who have
so faithfully fought for so many years
toward this end.
"As to whether or not I would IA
vor the return of the licensed saloon
let me say. emphatically, No. In my
judgment the licensed saloon was one
OF the most destructive agencies the
civilizing forces of this country has
ever had to fight. We may build our
churches and school houses in every
block, but so long as there flourishes
the open or licensed saloon, just that
long will the great influence of these
two things, the church and the school,
be greatly hindered. The licensed sa-
loon is now thing of history and will
remain so, for even those who favor
the return of the liquor are not in
favor OF the licensed saloon.
And as to the last question: there
have been chief benefits and chief dis
advantages OF Constitutional Prohibi-
ton, among which the following
stand out as the chief benefits: the
Punishment OF the open or licensed
saloon and its destructive influence,
the diminution OF intoxicaton; and
also the commission of crimes under
the influence OF Intoxicating liquor
have decreased, the great lessening Of
the old drunk and disorderly' cases
which used to fill the police courts,
the decrease OF prisoners who use 10
fill the city jails, for the commission
OF petty crimes, and many varied and
beneficial are the results which are
directly traeeable to constitutional
Prohibition. But on the other hand,
there have been and are now, chief
disadvantages which grow out of this
law, and among them are found, the
increased incentive to 'moonshiue' be-
cause OF the increased price of intoxi-
eating liquor, the tendency and the
desire to corrupt officials charged
with the enforcement of this law, the
banding together more closely of
those who violate the liquor laws,
and their apparent determination to
drink the liquor and damn the law,
the tendency OF the judges to be lenl-
cnt with the violators OF this law, and
the lack of determined cooperation
between the municipal authorities and
the operatives of the government, and
the lack of cooperation between
those who prosecute these violations
and those who administer the penal
ties, for the violations 1t is an AK
ION of the law that the ignorance
thereof excuses no one, yet when the
proof is positive that the law has been
deliberately violated, there is too
much of tendency to let them off
light And too, Abe law sand those
charged with its enforcement are SO
interviewer with politics, that, too
often, political pull operates to get the
offender off with a light sentence and
sometimes they go free under small
bond. The sooner the law violator
learns that the law will be promptly
and vigorously enforced, and the full
penalty exacted, just that much
sooner will the tendency to violate it
be lessened.
81 realize that we can not expect
too much of this law at once, and it
means that the country will have to
gradually adjust itself to the great
change in conditions brought about
by this law. With the passage of the
law the work has just begun, for it is
worthless unless it is enforced, and
those who are inclined to violate it
must be taught that they must obey
it. So taking into consideration the
great benefits to be derived from this
law, and the necessity of it gradu-
ally working out to the best interests
OF all, | can not help but feel that,
although sometimes we may feel it is
not producing the results we desire,
yet the results thus far are all we can
reasonably expect of it, and as time
goes on it will fulfill our expectations
and bring about the desired results.
VERY truly yours,
"Chas. E. Jones,
Estates Atty, Crawford Co."