The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1881-01-20

ing unoryanized counties recommends At
taching them for judicial -purposcs with .
view OF Furnishing criminals who otherwise
escape unpublished.
In relation to milftary mattess, The mes
sage suggests the proprlety Of ~ State de-
frsying the expenses Of providing means foe
its own defence through the agen1 Of suf-
ficient militia to suppress at call tefernal dis
order from mobs, riots, etc.
THE PROHIBIT0RY AMENDMENT
At the last session Of the legislature, by
unanimous vote in the Senate and more than
two-thirds of the members OF the House Of
Representatives, proposition to amend the
constitution, adding to article fifteen, sec.
ton ten, which reads as follows: "The man.
| ufacture and sale. OF intoxicating Liquors
shall be forever prohibited in this State, ex-
cept for medical, scientific and mechanical
purposes was submitted TO the electors Of
the State for adoption or rejection, at the
general election held on the "a day Of Novem-
Der last. On this proposition l7s,0oe voters
rendered their verdict at the ballot box, Of
whom o., 302 voted for, and a ,394 against, re-
sulting In the adoption Of the amendment by
majority Of 1888.
This amendment being now y part Of the
constitution OF our State, it devolves upon
its rigid enforcement. =
| There are but few citizens to-day in Kan
sas who will not admit that dram-shops are
curse to any people. More crime, poverty.
misery and degradation dow from them than
| from all other sources combined. The real
difference OF opinion existing in relation to
| them, is not so much as to whether they are
an evil or a blessing, but rather as to what
course should be pursued toward them.
Some have consented that they should be
licensed, but 1t seems to me that II they are
an evil no government should give them
sanction OF the law. They should be prOhib-
tied as we prohibit all other acknowledged
evils. 1t has been urged, as an argument in
favor of licensing dram-shops, that under
that system ,ar-e revenue is derived
Granting this to be true, insist that We
have no right to consider the question Of
revenue at cost Of sacrifice OF principle
All the revenue received from such a source
will not compensate for a single tear Of .
heart-broken mother at the sight Of heI
drunken son as he reels from the door Of 1
licensed dram.shop.
But view the question sslely from fnan
cial standpoint, all persons who take pain
investigation will be forced to admit that ev
cry dollar of revenue derived from such Ii
cense costs the people not less than ten dol
lars in loss of time and property, cost o
courts, prisons and po0r-houses, say nOthin,
of the destruction OF the physical, menta
! and moral dement's of mankind, which can
not be estimated. The people Of Kansa
have spoken upon the whole question in Ian
: guage that cannot be misunderstood. b,
their verdict the license system, as 1t relate
; to the sale OF Intoxicating liquors as beycr
, age, has been blotted from the statute book
of the State. We now look to the future
not forgetting that 1t was here on our sol
where the first blow was given that finall.
resulted in the emancipation of race from
slavery. We have now determined upon
second emancipation, which shall free no
; only the body but the soul Of man. Now. a
in the past, the civilized world watches Kan
sas, and anxiously awaits the result. n
, step should be taken backward. Let it no
be said that any evil exists in our midst, til
power Of which is greater than the people.
CONCLUSION.
: Because of the une Xampled prosperity tina
prevails generally throughout the country
: and with the promise Of the continued favor
Of Providence. you meet under most fayora
: BILE auspices. sincerely trust that your de
alterations may be harmonious and pleasant
that the short time allotted for your meetin
may be wisely employed in the dispatch 0
the public business for which you have as
sembled; and that the results of your labor
may be apparent in the enactment Of suc
new laws as experience has shown to b
! necessary to good government, and til
amendment or repeal Of such laws as mag b
in conflict with the best interests of the PEG
: pie.
Finally, l hope and believe that modera
) ton will prevail in your counsels, and Us
! sure you of my earnest desire to at all time
} cooperate with you in advancing the bus;
ness of the session, relying always upon tn,
divine guidance Of Him whose creatures W,
are, and whose providence sustains us.
JOHN z. ST. JOHN.
Executive Department,
TopaEa Kansas lam H. 1SSl.