The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-10-29
CONSTITUTIONAL PROHIBITION.
Twelve Reasons Why Kansas should
Pass Constitutional Amendment
By REV. JOSEPH COOK.

By REV JOSEPH COOK
i. 1t would effect an important reduc-
ton of taxes. Governor ST. John has
shown that Kansas pays 50, 600 600 more
annually to her whisky shops than for
ali the expenses of her state government.
2. The whisky ring is a leech, fatten-
Ing on every other trade and occupation,
and itself producing nothing useful in
return. The liquor tax in Maine is
three cents annually on each member of
the population; in license New Jersey
II is So 40.
g. Eight-tenths of the crimes commit
ted in the state are produced by intoxi-
eating beverages directly or indirectly,
and the business which makes Grimm
ais is itself criminal.
4. Science, by showing that alcohol
has local affinity for the brain, and that
b Ibits of drinking necessarily manufac-
ture paupers and madmen, demonstrates
the right of government in selfprotec-
tion to interfere by prohibitory legisla-
| ton with the sale of intoxicating liQour
| as beverage.
8. Prohibitory laws have stood for
| twenty-three consecutive years on the
statute books of Maine. and have effect
ed so much in the reduction of taxes and
| in the improvement of the government
| of cities and in the amelioration of the
l ~ NoSsOA24S "a bA1C tCSPiCs tA4oL ~ 40
| notorious that no political party in
Maine dares now to oppose the prohibi.
ton.
6. Great cities are likely to rule the
Republican Republic; they will also
ruin it, If they are governed by the whis.
/ ky ring, as they have been in q majority
| of cases thus far in our history. The
| predominant political influence of the
whisky ring in great and corrupt cities
is incompatible with the success of
American institutions, or with safety of
life and property under universal sutf
rage in mismanaged municipal les.
Z. These facts being fully appreciated
on the eastern seaboard OF the United
States, where the people have suffered
| much from the mismanagement of cities
the most crowded part of the nation is
anxiously watching Kansas in her exper
iment with constitutional prohibition,
and all friends of temperance and of so
cial order wish her success.
8. 1t is now or never with Kansas; fol
if constitutional prohibition fails, bel
cities may grow in size so as 10 prevent
its future adoption. Kansas, at present
has no very large cities, and can carry
the amendment in spite of the utmost
opposition of the whisky ring.
8. a constitutional amendment is su
perior to a prohibitory law, for it is les
easily repealed. A vote of the legisla
ture and a vote ofthe people are required
to pass or repeal an amendment. A
prohIbitory law would be the act of
legislature only, but an amendment il
the act of the whole people, of all par
ties. Organic law is intended to be per
manent. 1t can not be repealed by on
p tcked | gis'a.ure. 1t is difficult or I'm
y, ssible To corrupt the whole OF the pee
. IL.
TO- The Citizens Protective Union We
hemently opposes the proposed amend
, ment, and they prove that the whisk,
, ring do not expect it to be imperative.
y II. The supreme court of the state ant
the state officers, and, it is claimed a ms
jority of from 10000 to $1,000 of tn
+ male voters of the state, to say nothin
of the wives and mothers and minor:
whose interests, among those of others
it is sought to protect, are in favor of tn
, proposed amendment.
s 10. To prohibit one thing and excep
q second, does not destroy the power 9
the legislature to regulate the second
and so the exceptions named in tn
e amendment as to the manufacture an
/ sale of liquor for mechanical, medica
and scientific purposes are not lOophole'
n This opinion is supported by the mo:
eminent legal authorities in Kansas
S Suppose that law were passed that th
e people shall not be taxed to support pr
vate corporations. except railways.
=, would be absurd to say that the 1egisl'
ture would not have power, under sue
law, to regulate taxation for railway
q 1t would. be absurd to pretend that
4 the legislature should tax the people fc
the support of one railway it must ais
e tax them for the support of every raj
| that QSKa for SrInh pr
a ciseiy these absurdities belong to Ii
a claim that the exceptions in the propo!
ed amendment nullify the general pril
i ciple contained in it. The whisky rim
e has had IN Kansas good legal advice an
II fights the amendment because it know
+. that the proposed organic law contain
= no loopholes.