The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1880-06-17
PROHIBITION VS.. THE AMEND
MENT.

Pending the discussion Of the pro-
posed amendment and its effect on the
Republican party as advocated by st.
John, who has succeeded in making it
q square political issue in many lOcali-
ties, the following letter from Governor
Robinson, who has grown gray in the
work of temperance, may be worth
reading. However strong st. John may
be in his temperance convictions, perse
none can deny that Governor Robinson
from length of service and consistency
Of lite is entitled to equal praise, while
about the latter's position no suspician
Of politics or aspiration for Office hangs.
There are q dozen foreign speakers
travelling the State ever for pay and for
what they can collect from temperance
people, but no such charge can be laid
at Gov. Robinson's door:
To tie Editor Of tie Commonwealth:
l cut the following, said to be from
the Topeka Capital, from q Russell
county paper a. o sample of some Of the
talk find in some papers:
"GOv. Robinson is out against the pro-
hibitory amendment. and we believe his
opposition to the temperance measure
ON purely technical grounds will cause
his many friends in Kansas sincere pain
and regret. Whatever may be the spe-
ciOus arguments advanced to support
his opposition from temperance stand
~. e. hat
blow he strikes against the temperance
cause is one in favor of whisky, drunk
cnness, gambling aud the whole list Of
crimes that are bred and maturcd in the
saloons. Whatever may be the result
Of the Governors antagonism We be-
lievc that he will have no keener regret
in his declining years than the memory
Of having given his moral support to
the whisky ring of Kansas"
This assumes that my opposition to
the amendment is on purely technical
grounds" My opposition is fer the rea-
san, aud only reason, that believe its
adoption would be the greatest calami-
ty that could befall our State, and blow
against temperance that we could not
recover from for long years If not at all.
Ii these are purely technical objections
SO be it. To me they are fatal Objec-
tons, and this great calamity shall not
be brought upon our glorious State
with my aid.
like the good opinion Of friends. but
I trust they will keep their pain and re-
gret to themselves, for shoald this
amendment be adopted the real temper
ancc men and women Of Kansas, with
in twelve months. will be the sickest set
of creatures to be found in the country,
and they will say to old prohibition
workers, .'Why did YOU not warn Us of
our fate?' Now this warning was Civ
en-, although do not suppose II will be
needed, for discover that this amend
ment question is being used for politi-
cal purposes. Gov St. John has to be
nominated upon it, and numerous menu
bers Of the Legislature - well, if the
course Of certain papers and men is any
Nevertheless, viii give my
warning simply for future reference,
and that these sage editors and Others
shall not have Il to say there was moth !
ing but spure.y technical" objections to |
this amendment.
These objections have repeatedly |
stated and = Jet they are unanswered. |
The lion. Sidney Clarke, sec, Is re. |
ported BY the Miami Republican, IS
having "discomf,sed- rue ID = discus
sion upon the subject. but however tia: |
may DO he did not answer these objeo- !
tons, as 10 the unanimous testiomony /
of such ~ have met
What are they: All who have had
experience in prohibition States know |
the great difficulty Of procuring eouvic-
tons for selling. To have - little To