Arizona republican., 1921-10-06
THURSDAY MORNING. OCTOBER $. 1921
Everything great is not alaoays good but al good things are great.
 -Demosthenes.
An Injuriou. Order

We think that the state corporation commission n the promulgaton of General Order No. 7s-I. pro- hibting insurance companies from covering "hazard or risk of confscation of forfeiture on all wagons |buggies and automobiles, etc, which may |be used in the unlawful transportation of liquor, has committed serious and has laid fatal handicap upon the automobile selling busniess of Arizona which has become of the most impor- tant in the state
 The Republican yields in it's desire for 1.-the strict enforcement of prohibition. If by this 3order enforcement could be effected materially (aided should favor it. though it imposed nndeserved burden upon the automobile sales agency. But 1t is evident that the only effect of the order can be to make 1t little difficult for the hess wealthy prohibition violators find of transportation. And at what an expense to the agencies! It entirely the only insurance the agencies have that automobile sold by them on the instalment plan. and practically every auto mobile is sold, that it will be paid for. Not one car in thousand sold on the installment plan ever identified with the unlawful transpor tation of liquor. But and of sold for. and applied only to lawful not paid Tor in full by the purchasers that the sellers Indemnifed by the surety companies.
 This order must presume that all purchasers of cars on the installment plan intend use them in the bootleeging business: that the automobile deal ers and the surety companies understand that and therefore, iedSued 1eggers. hoping that they will not get caught.
 We do not suppose that any respectable selling agency would sell a the installment plan if ft suspected that it be used in the unlawful Transportation of liquor Certainly no surety pany would undertake to guarantee payment such ' car. This would be business which would be prof. table neither to the the surety company.
 As to the confiscation of vehicles used in viola fion of prohibition The Republican strongly Dor that It advocated the first confiscation law passed by an Arizona legislature and opposed amendment to the act which. it later transpired, H>rendered it invalid.
 Confiscation should be most rgidly enforced re- xardless of any claims against found in unlaw ul use but claimants should not be deprived of their constitutional right to protect themselves through against loss by confscation. any more than they might be deprived of their right to protect against by theft embezzle ment fire.
 There are few sautomobile selling agencies in Arizona which could exist against the enforcement of General order 7s-1. Its enforcement would leave vacant nine-tenhs of the offices and salesrooms of ~Automobre Row in Phoenix
 And what toward the enforcement of prohibition would have been accomplished? The profits of the bootegging business such that most bootleggers who need automobiles would buy them for cash. The bootleeging business would become little more concentrated in stronger hands.
 The automobile insurance business. we are told has not been very profitable in this state. Two ruretv companies within the last two weeks have
 withdrawn from the state. If the others are now to be deprived of the business that comes through the .a,ez agencies it is predicted all will withdra and automobile selling will be reduced strctl. casb bass There are few businesses in Arizona oi elsewhere which could exist such restricted basis.