, 1923-05-02
AS seen FROM hEW TER!M WAGON
eRa@ rozhne& akhazf &k

Iney were sitting on tn top pole OF
u corral, two "hard twists" hanging
on by their spurs and rolling"brow-
MES" while they reviewed current
events, local and national.
"Look at 'em out in California,
sending five people down to Hon
duras to bring back two prisoners
Why, Bill Loomis would a gone down
there alone and got 'em-Ol Bill
Loomis would a let 'em run around
loose half the time and still a come
with 'em.
The tone was boastful and the
statement an ~exaggeration but that
sively. Our grin was due to the fact
that a year ago this same individual
was frequently and quite c~ausually
expressing an ambition to shoot the
then sheriff ain the tummy and
leave him to wiggle hisself to DEATH"
Instead of a hard glitter, there was
a CLEAN of admiration and pride in
the speakers eyes and a ring of
something like affection in his voice
he mentioned "Ol Bill Loomis."
The conversation was significant of
the radical change in public senti-
ment which has taken place since
Sheriff Loomis went into office.
The fact is that the man from
Powell who was an unknown quantity
even to those who worked hardest
for him is more than coming up to
their hopes of him in this difficult
position.
Sheriff Loomis is proving daily
that it is possible for an officer to
do his duty and still have the liking
and esteem of the people, including
the prisoners in his custody. The
hostility which was downright hatred
that formerly existed toward the
sheriff's office is almost if not quite
a thing of the past.
Nobody questions his motives; he
is not suspected of being out to make
a record to please the Anti Saloon
or any other organization, or
of trying to "get" somebody because
they have incurred his d~ispleasure.
He is doing his duty and getting re-
suits without sacrificing the dignity
of his office; he is showing himself
to be human, considerate, understand
ing, with an equal measure of firm
ness, good sense and courage.
A Western sheriff always has been
something of a hero to the public. 1t
had confidence in him and whatever
he did was right because he did it.
Whether Sheriff Loomis could bring
back two escaped convicts from Hon
duras singlehanded, may remain a
moot question, but the belief that he
could is evidence that the old-time
admiration and respect for this office
is returning under his administration
We may say that it was a fortunate
thing for the cause of law and order
when he was elected since it is not
much of a secret that something very
like a small civil war was brewing
under the Davis regime, and things
had come to a point where it would
have been touched off with but little
provocation.
Carl Johansson who recently return
ed from a visit to Sweden, says that
prohibition lecturers from the United
States are making the unqualified
statement from the platform that
this country is dry, bone-dry, prohibit
ton a success and the question no
longer an issue in America.
The story books are always talking
about awkward moments" and we
have been thinking that it might be
one of them things if some fresh guy
should get up at the end of n OF
these lectures and read a few choice
selections from American newspapers
Among late happenings which
might awaken a doubt as to the
x~eracitv of the prohibition speakers