The Republican journal., 1881-12-15
Prohibition in Kansas.

mentlOn OF the EFFORTS 10 prevent the sale
and use of liquor in Kansas. The present
prohibitory laws of that State are much
more stringent than those of Maine, and
it was predicted by many at the time of
their enactment that the result would
either be their non enforcement or their
repeal at an early day. The law enforc-
ing the constitutional amendment for
suppressing the manufac ture and sale of
liquor in the State of Kansas went into
effect on the first day of last May. A cor
respondent of the Boston Herald who
was in Kansas on that day, and for some
days subsequently, has testified that the
law was promptly and vigorously en-
forced and almost universally observed.
Not drop of liquor or a glass of beer
could be obtained upon any terms in
places where it had formerly been more
readily porcured than a glass of water.
But the correspondent was skeptical con
corning the continuance of this state of
affairs, and queried as to what might
happen "when the jugs gave out"
Since then our exchanges have con
tanned little or nothing-and nothing re-
liable as to the success or failure of pro
hibition in Kansas. Naturally, we in
Maine are deeply interested in this move
ment. If Kansas can place ON her statute
books prohibitory laws more stringent
than our own, and successfully enforce
them, the State which led the van in the
temperance movement and gave its name
to prohbitory legislation, has something
to learn from her younger sister. But if,
on the other hand, these laws are inoper-
alive, it would be interesting to know the
why's and wherefores. The testimony now
at hand is contradictory, as much SO as it
is with regard to the temperance cause in
our own State. just now liquor is more
or less openly sold nearly in every city
and town in Maine, and the newspapers
report drunkenness as OF the increase.
Yet there are those who, in the face of
these facts, declare prohibition in this
State great success. That it has result
ed in good in great good-must be con
coded and that 50 far as the sale and
use of liquor is concerned we might be in
a very much worse condition than we are
to-day, could be very easily demonstrate
ed. But at the present rate of progress
sion, how long will it be before the
army of drunkards will comprise a large
percenta ge of the population
Now as to Kansas. In a letter under
date of Oct. %, addressed to the Wo-
mans Christian Temperance Union, GOV.
st. John claims that the prohibition law
is not only working we'll, but is a great
success and this assertion he bases upon
reports from nearly every county in the
cities of Atchinson, Leavenworth and
Topeka City, and says "the WhjSkey ring
pay for, publish and circulate reports that
prohibition in Kansas is failure" and
point to these cities as proof of the fact.
Blu, continues the Governor: These re-
ports fail to state that the cities above
named contain only about one-t wentieth
of the population of Kansas, and that in
the other nineteeu-tW entieths prohibition
against the manufacture and sale of
liquors is as etfectua in suppressing the
evil at which it is aimed as is any other
law prohibiting crime" 1t is further
stated that "even in the rum cursed
cities prohibition has been a blessing"
The police court records of arrests for
drunkenness under prohibition, compared
with those under the license system, are
from twenty-five to over one hundred
per cent. in favor of the former; and
there has been falling off of one-half in
the number of prisoners sent to the peni
Tertiary since the prohibltory laws took
effect. In conclusion Gov. st. John says
''My opinion is that the old system Of IL
censing dram shops would be defeated in
this State by at least $4,000 majority,
and if the women could vote-and Iwish
they could--the rum power would be
buried without the hope of resurrection"
Further encouraging testimony is found
in IL recent letter from Gov st. John to
Gen. Neal Dow, giving information as to
the result of the recent State election, so
far as it affected prohibition and the Re-
publican party, and in newspaper con-
tanning an editorial from the Wachita
Beacon, leading Democratic paper
The Beacon says it is "entitled to the
credit or discredit of raising throughout
the state the issue on the repeal of the
prohibtory law" eve have
submitted the question Of repeal and
have been beaten.' The Beacon, bowling
to the will Of the people, says in concu-
sion: ''Henceforth we are in favor of the
law, and we shall advocate any amend
ment in the future that will make it more
thoroughly etficacious in performing its
work"
Coy. st. John says prohibition in Kan
sas is success; and after six months ex-
pelience the people have defeated a
movement for the repeal of the law.
The latter is an indisputabe fact, but
Gov. st. Johns statements ere contro-
verted by ex-Gov. Charles Robinson, al
ways temperance man, the first Gov
ernor of the State, and 1.-THE honored New
England leader in Kansas when it's con-
troll was contended for by the friends of
free and slave labor" In a letter written
in rpnlV tO annuiriae from NIaouoobuco++ 70