The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-01-21
rHE pRoHrBrroRr AxENpxEyr.

At the last session of the Legislature, BY a
unanimous vote in the Senate and more than
3, sne OF the
Constitution, adding to Article Is, Section 10,
which reads as follows: The manufacture
and sale Of Intoxicating liquors shall be for
tcal, scientific and mechanical purposes" was
submitted to the electors of the State for
adoption or rejection Mt the general election
held on the I'd day of November last. On this
proposition l76 Cos voters rendered their YER
dict at the ballot box, of whom 9e,3O2 voted
for, and 81 ,sO4 against, resulting in the adop-
This amendment being now q part of the
Constitution of our State, it devolves upon
you to enact such laws as are necessary for its
rigid enforcement. There are but few citizens
"dramshOps" are a curse to any people More
crime, poverty, misery and degradation
f,ow from them than from all other sources
ion existing in relation to them, Is
not so much as to whether they
are an evtl or 2 blessing, but rather as to
Some have commended that they should be
licensed, but it seems to me if they are an evil
no government should give them the sanction
prohibit all other acknO wledged evils. It has
been urged as an argument in favor of
licensing dramshops, that under that system
this large 'sxsnas fsr insist s5san'i as
have. no right to consider the
question of revenue ut cost of
everreceived from such source viii not com.
penSate for single tear of a heart broken
mother at the sight of her drunken son as he
reels away from the door of a licensed dram
shop. But viewing the question solely from
q financial standpoint, all persons who take
pains to give the matter q thorough and i'm
partial investigation will be forced to admit
that every dollar of revenue derived from
such license costs the people not less than
ten dollars in loss OF time and property, costs
OF courts, prisons and poor houses, say moth:
and moral element Of mankind, which can not
be estimated. The people of Kan.
sas have spoken upon the whole
the cense system, as L relates to the sale Of
intoxicating liquors as beverage, has been
We now look to the future, not forgetting that
it was here on our soil that the first blow was
given that finally resulted in the emancipa-
which shall free not only the body but the
soul of man. Now, as in the past, the civilized
the result. No stem Should be taken back.
ward. Let It not be- said that any evil exists
In our midst the power of which Is greater
than the people.
CONCLUSION.
prevails generally throughout the country,
and with the promise Of the continued favOrS
OF Providence, you meet under most favora.
BILE auspices. I sincerely trust that your de-
alterations may be harmonious and pleasant,
that the short time allotted for your meeting
may be wisely employed in the dispatch of
the public business for which you have Assem-.
bled; and that the results of your labors may
be apparent in the enactment of such new
laws as experience has shown to be necessary
to good government, and the amendment or
repeal of such laws as may be in conflict with
the best interests of the people.
Finally, hope and believe that modera.
ton will prevail in your counsels, and as
sure you of my earnest desire to at all times
cooperate with you in advancing the bust
ness of the session, relying always upon the
divine guidance of Him whose creatures we
are, and whose providence sustains us.
JOHN p. ST. JOHN.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
TOPEKA, Kansas, Jan. Is, 1881.