The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-01-17
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After ID wook OF careful Investigation and
wutchnl waiting The special enforcement
sauad commissioned by sheriff Mccullough at
the iusugauon Of the citizens committee reports
that conditions ln Tulsa county are not noniy
as black na painted. which is a reminder NJ
tho Oft abllahod fact that things are mover
as bad az they are rcputcd to be.
These special deputies. composed ot tho bc@
available men--mon satisfactory to the cltl1ons
COMMITTEES. the sheriff and tho county commits
sioners-afcr "a week OF duty succeeded In np-
pretending number OF citizens who were rc-
turning from tho stills Of an adjoining county
with more or lees corn whisky IN their pos
session.
But no Tulsa county stills werc discovered
and the law enforcement officers report that
most OF the liquor which finds its way into
Tulsa is concoctcd In adjacent counties that
Tulsa county is fairly clean Of law violations
I'm this respect etc. These special officers are
further quoted az asserting that many Of those
who have been loudost In thtr complaints
against lax law enforcement are themselves
vloiators Of the law In that they imbbo liquors
aud have liquors in their possession.
sooner or later the practical facts concern
hng prohibition enforcement must Impress them
selves upon the public gcneally one of those
practical facts IL that the human mind In the ag-
grcgate refuses to consider n crime that which
humanity has been doing legally ever since the
dawn of history and before. Another II that
comparatively few OF those who make pretense
OF wanting rigid enforcement of the liquor
law but mentally make clear reservation mat
1t must not be enforced against them or the'r
friends
Tho demand sooms to be universal that tho
law shall be enforced against the professional
vendor of Intoxicating liquor; the man VINO
makes IL and distributes It for profit to those
who use It az a Jimulont for the purpose OF
committing crime, But there Is very general
disposition to except the otherwise low-ablding
citizen who merely desires It Tor use.!n his own
home among cultured people and friends
No additional evidence is required to prove
that the many stills operating in oklahoma are
not kept busy by the itlnerant class from which
springs the petty criminals, This class does not
afford sufficient capital to support an Industry
so widespread as the dIstillery business Il re-
ported to be. The adequate support for this In
dustry. which makes It profitable comes from
very different class and with a distinct i'm
provement in the quality OF the product Dthi'
support will substantially increase,
II is simply begging the question to affirm
that thia class Of citizens should suffer IN,
pcneIties OF the law without the slightest dis
tlnction being made In their favor That o
course But not one jury In 20 would impos
the penalty OF the law ON them IL they wer
brought to trial. and not ,ono academic prohi
bulonist In 20 would 30 vote II he or she wa
indeed a member Of the trial jury.
We assert that as a fact In the class unde
discussion are prominent churohmen, profes
sIonal men, merchants, bankcrs-ln fact tn
very best citizens in the city or state; men-an
women too-who have eutrec into the best 50
cial circles, who are Identified with all goo
movements Human nature must change an
change wonderfully when a jury viii mako
criminal out OF such men for doing what Gu
turcd people have always been permitted to d
until a very recent datel
We are presenting some very unpaatabl
facts without intruding single viow OF ot
cwn we offer these facts an explanation
why the liquor law is not and viii not be er
forced In the way some very worthy cti2cr
want It enforced, "A law which IS contrary
the nature Of things does moro mischief tina
good" And the law which says that citizt
In a criminal because ho uses stimulants in h
homo Is contrary TO the nature Of things--col
trary to human nature. Men who would II
stantly ana zeolousy movo oranst the violate
OF womanhood. the murderer, the fire bug, n
thief. the hlEhWayman, the deliberate tre
passer. etc, feel no urge at an to move In SUI
port OF such a law BECAUSE TT Is co,
TRARY TO THE NATURE or THINGS AN
CONTRARY TO HUMAN NATURE.
N IS with some knowledge OF existing cond
lions throughout the length and breadth
America that we assert the perfect enforceme
OF the prohibitory law Tor 10 days would I
s,lt IN such sensational developments as won
force abolition Instantly The well known pr
hibition congressman reputed 10 ho among t
most fanatical In favor 90 a hono-dry law "
was found to have a cellar filled with II