Morris tribune., 1882-08-03
4 TsaR or PROHIBITION.
AIN EnIr,lp

Mr.. EDITOR:
Rev. A. NJ. Richardson. of Law
renee, Kansas, writes an article to the
Congrcgationalist, of Boston, giving
the results Of the first years trial of
prohibition ia that state. The follow
ing condensation of the article may be
Interesting to some of your readers
The figures and facts have been care
| fully collected, many from official
sources, and are truthful. He says:
In two thirds. if not tkree-fourths,
of the counties OF the state. there is no
open violation of the law. Even
counties that voted against the amend
ment are enforcing the law. Fort
Scott, in bourbon county, that gave
554 majority against it, had eighteen
cases of prosecution fer illegal selling
and but one aequital. While the law
is openly disregarded in few of the
largest cities in the state, yet even in
these it has proved a great restraint
upon the traffic and lcssened the
amount of crime. That it has great
" lessened and crippled the traffic is
proved by the revenue statistics.
There was a falling off in the United
States revenue tax on liquors in 1881
of $50, 607.32. The decrease in the
beer tax was nearly $4,000. Before
the adoption of the amendment there
were two distilleries, thirty-nine brew
cries. thirty wholesale liquor houses,
aud l, S42 licensed saloons in the state.
To-day there is not distillery, nor,
as far as can learn, wholesale IL
quor establishment in Kansas. One
Brewery at Winfield has been trans
formed into conservatory for flowers.
1t has reduced the amount of crime at
least one third. The number Of con-
victs sent to our penitentiary during
1880 was 306; in 1881 only 1877.
This may be safely taken as a. fair
average of the decrease of crime
through the state. Four counties
have given public notice that their
jails are empty. In Lawrence the
whole number of cases in the police
court, from May to October l, 1880,
was 2l4; during the corresponding
period in 1881. only 100. In Leven-
worth, during the last four months of
license, there were lO2 cases of drunk
enness, while during the first four
months of prohibition there were only
rs. In Topeka, under license for the
same time l59 cases; under prohibi-
ton 72. Such is the result of PAR
TIAL enforcement.
Alta recent session of the district
court in Kingman county there was
not single criminal case on the dock
ct, and the Judge discharged the jury.
There has been a marked increase
in the material and financial prosperity
of the state under prohibition. In
stead of paying out 5000, 900 as the
annual cost of its liquor bill. Kansas
has saved more than half that amount
for legitimate uses. While Illinois
paid $3.50 s.pcr capita" for govern
ment tax on spirits, Kansas paid only
tSGttC CCiiIo. lC tdACS tCI 1901,
Notwithstanding the short crops, were
paid up more closely than they have
been for years. Nor has immigration
fallen of, as was so confidently pre-
.dicted. Since November, 1880, when
the amendment was adopted, not less
than 40, 600 people have settled in
Kansas. And they have been of the
better class. with more means than in
former years. A gentleman came to
Franklin county and invested $50, 900,
s.iust because whiskey had been voted
out" he said. / have re-
ports from other gentlemen in Kansas
and they are all Of the same tenor.
While the law is violated in some
cases, yet it is enforced, as whole, as
well as any law against crime; and has
had marked effect on the liquor traf-
fic of the state for the good of the
state.
There can be no doubt that prohi-
bition does prohibit. Let us have it
in Minnesota. j. L. F.
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