Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 58, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1920 — PEOPLE STAND BY PROHIBITION [ARTICLE]

PEOPLE STAND BY PROHIBITION

IS OPINION OF UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE COMMISSIONER. Washington, March - s.—National prohibition is clearing jails, boosting production and increasing thrift throughout the country, according to reports to the government, Daniel C. Roper, internal revenue commissioner, said today. These apparent economic benefits are converting to the dry cause many former wets, according to Federal Prohibition Commissioner Kramer. Dry leaders cited the statements of Roper and Kramer as proof that the nation is not backsliding in enforcing the resolution to be completely dry that it took when- the 18th amendment was ratified. Wet leaders, however, charge that public sentiment is changing. For proof they point to developments of the past weeks, some of which are: Wet voters won 195 towns in local option elections in Vermont and 33 in Massachusetts. — A law legalizing the sale - of beer 'has been passed in New Jersey where the legal adcoholic content was raised to 3.5 per cent. Federal prohibition officials were enjoined from interfering with manufacture of 2.5 per cent beer in Wisconsin by a Milwaukee federal judge. __ . . Rhode Island asked the United State supreme court to declare national prohibition void as an infringement of state sovereignty and New Jersey is about tp join in the plea. New York’s assembly voted to investigate the anti-saloon league. New. York democrats declared against prohibition in their state convention. Whiskey is reported to be sold openly in New York and other large cities. — , . Speculation continues throughout the-country in the sale of warehouse certificates for bonded “booze.” . Referendums have been invoked in thirteen states to disapprove the action of legislatures in ratifying the national prohibition amendment. Despite these events, it is as yet too soon to presume that public sentiment has crystallized toward prohibition, according to Comissioner Roper. . „ “But many things are occurring, said Roper, “which may be regarded as symptoms of the attitude of the people. The internal revenue bureau has received, unsolicited, scores of letters and reports from individuals indicating that prohibition is working out satisfactorily tneir communities. - ——4Business men in many localities state that workmen are reporting for work more promptly and are losing less time and that banks show a large increase in new accounts. This they attribute to the effect of prohibition. . ... “In some localities, police officials are accredited with the statement that crime has recently dnninished which they attributed to prohibition. Jails, they say, now are becoming tenantless. In one of the large cities of the country, for instance, the so-called ‘sun nse court has been practically discontinued because of a lack of cases. The commissioner of public safety m another large city recently requested a reduction in the police force because of the decreased number of arrests since prohibition became effective. , , ~ “These seem to be some of the economic and social benefits of prohibition so far.”