The producers news., 1926-10-22

proposes the repeal of all the laws on the stat
ute books of Montana governing the manufac-
ture, transportation and sale of Intoxicating liq-
uors in this state.
Young ayes on this measure means voting for
the repeals of these laws, voting no means the
keeping of the laws as they are now.
If the measure carries, it does not mean the
return OF the saloon nor the legalizing of the
liquor traffic
The national dry laws would still be in effect
and the present prohibition regulations still pre-
vail, but the matter of the enforcement of these
laws would be in the hands of the United States
Government entirely-the local officers, the
mayors Of the cities, the county attorneys, the
sheriffs, and the local courts would have nothing
to do with it they do now.
In the United States we have dual government:
the national government and the state govern
ment Both governments have passed prohibi-
tion laws. So both state and federal authori
ties are charged with the enforcement of laws
This condition leads to confusions and cross
purposes, between these two sets of officers. And
because of this, and the expense involved on the
part of the local taxpayers in the enforcement
of the laws, many men believe that it would be
best for the state to repeal its liquor laws, and
thus put the whole matter in the hands of the
federal government, and let the federal authori-
ties attend to the whole liquor law enforcement
business These people believe that these laws
would be more satisfactorily enforced in this wav
for several reasons.
First the National Government knowing that
the enforcement of the prohibition laws was up
to it, would proceed in a serious and systematic
method to do it, and not be depending upon the
local authorities
The federal officers do not reside in the local
communities do not know the offenders, and are
not influenced by politics nor local friendships
while those charged with the violation of these
laws do not stand trial in the local courts before
jury of their friends who are quite likely to
turn them loose. Experience has proved that
the national government can handle the matter
much better than local authorities AS it is
now the federal authorities pass the chuck" to
the local authorities, the local authorities pass it
to the federal; the mayors of the cities pass it to
the sheriff and the sheriff passes it back to the
mayors; the state authorities pass it to the coun-
ty and the county authorities pass it back to the
state-and in the end there is no enforcement
It's the old story of "too many cooks spelling
the BROTH"
The repeal of the state laws will take law en-
forcement which is always a fake issue, out of
state, county and city politics and make one au-
thority entirely responsible with the usual re-
suit, when the responsibility is placed in one
place, that the persons so charged with authority
will get busy and do something
large number of those most experienced in
government and politics, believe that we will Sc
cure much more effective enforcement if the state
laws are repealed.
The repeal of these laws will surely save the
local taxpayers lot of money.
There are others, however, who believe that
the repeal of the state prohibition laws is only
step towards the repeal of all prohibition laws.
1t is our opinion that these people are over
anxious in this regard. For, it seems to US that
the day of the open saloon is gone forever: it
will never come back. There may be some change
in the prohibition laws, but we think the changes
will be in the way of an Improvement, and not
of retrogression.
The question of how the voter shall vote on this
is question for each individual to de-
eide in the light of his own experience and opin-
ion. Prohibition is a thing considerable akin to
religion in that it is largely a personal matter
We have our own opinion ON the subject but
feel that they are after all private matter, so
we do not outside of stating the facts as they
appear to US, presume to advise anyone as to
how they ought to vote.
If you think that it is for the best to keep
the enforcement of prohibition in local and state
politics you will vote against the measure: while
if you think that it should be placed in the hands
Of the national authorities entirely, you will vote
for it.
The Producers News nor the Farmer-Labor
party have no position on the subject.