The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-08-21
"wHOLEsALE" TEMPERANCE RE
RORM

We are OF those who believe in 4 strong
temperance sentiment backed by strin-
gent temperance law thoroughly enforced,
as among the most efficient preventiyes Of
the evils OF intemDerauce. To build up
and keep up healthy public sentiment
In Emporia, we have constantly Iabored,
and from the date OF the first settlement
here down TO the present, there never has
been n moment when that sentiment has
not been largely in favor OF a thorough
enforcement OF the law against dram shops
in all their forms. 1t is not worth while
to review the causes that led 10 the sys-
] tematic and successful defiance OF both
statute and sentiment during three years.
SuHice II 10 say that last spring every OBJ
staele In the way OF an enforcement gave
way, and the promise OF practical ten
perance reform was never so bright. IL
indeed seemed for a few weeks as though
the riddance was TO be complete. In their
rejoicing over what seemed to be 4 reaIi.
cation OF consumatIon long wished for,
the people Of the city were disposed to
overlook and excuse the inordInaEe van
ity or one whom they had dressed In lit
tie brief authority as Mayor, his high
heeled antics, andthe extravaganza which |
he and the Council which he controlled, |
INDUCED in. The cry of temperance" |
covered 4 multitude OF transgressions;
and Will they put the screws to the al.
ready overburdened taxpayers, they
were forgiven on account OF what they as
sumed on behalf OF temperance.
But the discovery is now made that the
cry OF temperance on the part of the
Reform Mayor ana Council was nothing
but mere sham. While they keep Vol
mer In duranee vile on a conviction had n
year ago, they have hot suppressed a sin
gle dram shop. The same number are in
operation now that were going when the
Reform Mayor aud Council came into
power. For few days the business was
done on the sly until certain preIimina-
ries could be arranged, when, presto, by
a unanimous vote the Council passed an
ordinance licensing Wholesale dealers, 4
and fixing pint as the minimum amount
10 be sold by them, and allowing any per- ,
ION TO obtain the license by paying u
nominal sum! The whisky traffic is back
upon its old footing in Emporia by the .
affirmative act OF temperance col
Mayor and Council, except that 1t pays
but about half the tax il did formerly.
Whisky ought TO be cheaper, and there is
10 doubt as much drank as ever. A
Mayor who regulates the price OF license
~ the price OF job-printing may not see s
he incongruitles OF his position-but how
he few tried temperance men in the -,
;ouncil can reconcile their temperance
principles with the granting OF whole
ale licenses, and especially such as are
lirectly calculated to work an evasion Of q
he very idea OF wholesaling, is more than {
We can understand. The idea Of the sale /
4 PINT being q wholesale transaction! 4
rhe disguise is too thin. Some corrupt Y
influence has been at work. Volmer in Z
all, and three establishments doing his r
work openly, and yet what blow about :
cmporia being temperance city. Taxes
doubled in the name of such "temper-
nee" as is shown by these licensed dram a
hops. man in Jail for selling gill;
hree other men treading the streets with Is
eads erect, and the city's license in their u
ockets to sell pint, furnish an impress RI
I've contrast! The bigger the sin the m
reater the federation. That's the way
Owadays, and 1t is too much, perhaps,
, expect that the Mayor and Council Of 4,
Ity Of the second class should be enough nj
bove the average mot to follow suit. n