, 1923-02-15
Wrestling With
Liquor Problem
Sibley Bill Providing Jail Sentence of
at Least Three Months for Moon
sinners Has Been Approved.

-
A bill providing for Jail sentence of
at least three months for every person
convicted of manufacturing whiskey in
Wyoming. and which seems to have Il
good chance to become law, threatens
30 seriously interfere with the manu-
facture Of booze in this state.
'This measure is designed to make
the law specific said its author, as
reported in the Wyoming Tribune. "If
it is passed, not only a fine win stare
the violat0r in the face, but a heavy
sentence in jail. also. A large majority
of these violators are not even citizens
of the United States. II they have the
privilege Of living in this country they
must obey the laws of the state and
nation. You can't deal with this class
of people except by drastic means"
In certain sections Of the state there
have been more violations of the liquor
laws in the past year than yer before
the youths Of Wyoming are being ru-
ined by the poison sold them the
men are being blinded, paraIyzed or
killed by the stuff in some counties
the law enforcement machinery has
suffered an almost complete break
down, and the fines assessed against
the bootleggers and moonshiners have
not prevented thom from going out and
breaking even before the close Of the
days business.
These were some Of the charges made
in the state senate Monday during the
discussion of the Sibley bill. The bill
was approved in amended form with
out a vote in the negative. If it be-
comes law, and If It does what its
hackers hope it win do. it may provide
the necessary relief from the present
conditions-conditions that. as nearly
every senator agreed, are anything but
satisfactory.
Under the existing law there is no
minimum sentence mentioned. It may
be more than a day. Sibley pro
posed to make it six months. but his
measure vas amended 90 make IL three.
the argument being that II the penalty
for first offense were too severe it
would be more difficult 10 secure con-
victions. ana that the change therefore
would cac against the very thing IL
10 accomplish
Clarence Gardner II Lincoln coun-
~ said the moonshiners apparently had
an understanding in that county. They
ruin the lives VI the young fellows.
help pay each others fines when they
are caught, and then ~ right on manu-
featuring liquor.
In Rawlins," said Senator W. W.
Daley OF Carbon county. there have
leen more gross violations of the liquor
avs than ever before. The bo~otlegger
IS allowed to deliver his stun In broad
daylight no one molests him. / can
name a dozen places in that city where
rou can 20 In, lay down 20 cents ON the
BAR, and get almost anything you want.
Il is the ommon boast Of the bootleg
sers that they can be fined 500 and
IL back hat night. n they are
such q penalty every alternate
lay they still win make nn average
4 $50 daily. n the sherins and coun-
9 attorneys do not or cannot enforce
he law. then 81 f. time 10 do some
hing 10 bring about O change. Per
laps we should strengthen the power
n the governor and the Law Enforce
department. But wo must stop
ne sale Of this~fun. II IL not liquor,
Il j. poison
In Albany county" said senator
Anderson Of Laramie. I'VE have
Permitted the practice Of letting the