The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-24
.BOOTLECCERI
THANKFUL SAYS
NEWLAW HELPS
Fraternity Unable to Lobby, But
Z Was Against Medicinal Beer
Prices Being Cut

Three hundred years ago the
Pilgrims landed on a rock strewn
coast of the new world, and not a
year has passed since without
bounteous things coming to Amer
leans to cause them to be thank
fui
In Rock Island and the remain
der of the tri-city community today
poor people partoOk of the best
in the way of food that was brougiI:
them by various organizations
and they are thankful
There is possibly no one in this
entire community that is not thank
ful for something this ThanksgiV-
ing day. Those who are thankful
for one thing and others who think
they have everything to be thank
full for, possibly do not realize the
numerous things that make differ
ent people happy and thankful
For instance:
A prominent dispenser Of booze
was asked today for what he is
thankful
81 am thankful for prohibition,
was the answer. What would the
bootlegger do without prohibition.
he continued. All bootleggers are
for legal prohibition. but not act
uaI prohibition. Few of US would
ever want to see any change in the
liquor laws. Ii took money to con-
duct a saloon business in the old
days. but now any ambitious per
son can start out with pint bottle
of hootch and a LOUNGE whisky
glass. In a short time he can find
some hole in the wall where he
car make his headquarters. There
is no license to pay and prohibition
enforcement officers are few and
far between. With city, county and
state officials there is only about
one officer to each 1000 of the
population.
Figuring the Odds.
When the man with a star is
trailing someone whom he thinks
is going to buy a drink We are ont
trying to sell aootch 10 the other
999 that the officer can not guard.
Its a great game. and like every
other has gone through some try
ing times during the present re-
construction period. Other bus--
ness sought legislation to help out,
but the bootl2gger could not ask
for such
Nevertheless. there has been
one big help from this direction.
, Congress has just killed the med
icinal beer bill.
Just think. they were going to
call beer medicine and then make
it prohibitive for a man TO take
medicine unless a doctor told him
he could. Congress evidently
saw this point and evidently desir-
ing to remain democratic. decided
/ to leave the distribution OF beer
/ TO the present system. You can
get the best of home-brew beer any
time of the day or night whether
you are sick or not, if you know
bow. The bootlegger will accom-
nodate the public either way. II
YOU are not sick and drink our beer
and get sick we will sell you more
/ because you are sick. The same
way with nootch, and we guarantee
/ that to make you sick; and you can
either have more hootch or peer
| Just as you desire.
Me? Well. am q, especially
thankful. My business has been
pretty good even of late. Some OF
the boys are having a hard time
business is falling off So
THE. cellar distllers are also W
against some troubles There is
the fellow over in Davenport VINO
had to go out and get job dig
cling in a ditch when hootch went
down to SIS a gallon because of the
ever supply, and he could not com
pete with the other makers. You
know, too, that the retail price has
gone down. Some places are now
Selling hootch at 20 cents drink
Corn has gone down and why mol
hootch? these boys say. But al
in all there is risk in the bushes:
ana l am for a higher price The
distillers are running the mos
risk.
Need a Pension System.
'If caught they face charges o.
having a still. having mash. having
liquor and possibly selling liquor
There are other charges, but these
lare the worst The retailer face:
but two charges. usually that o
having possession of liquor ant
selling the same, if the latter evi
ldence can be obtained against him
However. things are not SO baS
and could be made almost pertec
If we had an organization thai
v ould pay members q pension /
they should go broke