The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1923-05-18
Page Two

WIN ~ biliS nSlu On dCNouni VI lhs
fact that VIC are limited greatly as tc
financial help falls far short of whar
it should be- The American Issue
Illinois Edition, is read by about one
hundred thousand people over The
state regularly. Other pieces Of
literature and information totalling ur
into the millions have been distributed
over the state. More than 800 meet.
ings in the interest OF the State and
National Leagues and the World
League Against Alcoholism have been
held this year throughout the state.
National and World League Co.
Operation
The Anti Saloon League OF Illinois
has kept in close touch with our
legislative department at Washington
and has co-operated faithfully with
both the National and World Leagues.
Few other states if any have given
greater cooperation with these dc
partments of our League work than
has the Illinois League. We consider
the National and World League as
much a part OF our own program as
that OF our own state and have divided
our activities accordingly
Work of Enforcement Department
In the enforcement field VIC have
maintained legal department with
Attorneys ]. H. Collier and Jas Il.
Danskin; Attorney Collier heading
this department. He has furnished
briefs for states attorneys over the
state, has given legal assistance i'll the
gathering of evidence and has been
called upon by the states attorneys
in the prosecution OF violations of the
prohibition law. He has given legal
advice to all the different departments
OF the state work. Attorney Dams
kin is specializing in bringing about
enforcement OF law by the county and
local officials and in the work is act
ing as field attorney, going into places
where the law is not enforced, secur-
ing for the states attorneys the CO.
operation of the Board of Supervisors
having them appropriate money for
states attorneys, aiding them thereby
in the enforcement of the law in a
large number Of counties over the
state. All these appropriations have
brought back into the county fund
financial profits and at the same time
have been the means OF better law en-
forcement.
Enforcement Mayors Elected
Among the encouraging things in
the law enforcement field is the TACT
that number of cities over the state
have elected mayors i'll the recent
elections nominated to a program OF
rigid enforcement OF the prohibition
laws. Probably the most marked
victories in these fields are the ones
in the -four cities OF Quincy, Danvillc
Decatur. and Springfield In Quincy.
. member of the official Board OF the
Methodist church was elected by a
majority of something like two thou
sand, running as the minority party
candidate and committed openly to
law. enforcement, In Danvillc
minister was elected mayor. In
Decatur an active church man defeat
ed the candidate who had repeatedly
received the support OF the vets.
Springfield Wet Machine Defeated
No better indication OF the trend OF
the times can be found than in the
experience OF Springfield, the city in
which we meet. When gave up
my pastorate twelve years ago and
came TO Springfield to begin work as
district superintendent OF the Anti
Saloon League | found the most cor
rupt political organization in control
OF this city that have seen anywhere
either within or without the state of
Illinois, and | lived ten years in Penn
sylvania in the days OF Quay and Pen
rose When the wet and dry cleo
tons were he'd this political organiza-
tion which gained much of its revenue
from the protection of vice and from
the open saloon was pitted against the
dry forces OF Springfield. Finally
with the help of the womcns votes
tho two hundred and ten saloons were
closed. Immediately following this
election this same political organizs-
ton began to protect the bootlegger
and the outlawed liquor traffic, and
there have been times when the con-
tention OF the liquor people that there
Is more liquor sold in dry territory
than wet has not been far from the
true situation in Springfield. The
county political organization was wet.
The states attorney and sheriff were
n part OF the organization, consequent
Iy no enforcement OF the law was pos