The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-09-28
WHAT rs EXPECTED or TO
PEKA

EE n IL
The Aichison Champion, speaking of
the order of Mayor Wilson, of Tope ka,
in reference 10 the closing of the sa-
Icons in that city says: There is no
doubt that iRIs order will be enforced.
Public sentiment at tue capital demands
it," The editor of the Champion might
have added that public sentiment
throughout the entire state of Kansas
as well as at Topeka, demands tina: the
most vigorous crusade should be made
against the liquor vendors at the state
capital who have openly defied the pro-
hibiIOry law with none to modest and
make afraid ever since its passage.
Without pnusing to fix the responsibility
of the manner in whiei. the organic law
of the state has been set at naught at
the state capital, i, is within the bounds
oil truth Ia say that nothing has proved
so prejudicial to the experiment of pro-
hibiIion in Kansas as its conspicuous
failure within the very shadow of the
state house where the legislation for the
suppression of the liquor traffic was en-
acted The advocate and friend of pro
hibition might point in VAIN to the
beneficient results which attended the
policy of prohibition in hundred towns
and villages of Kansas, but so long as
fifty saloons were permitted TO run with
out hjndrance ut the capital of the state,
the enemies of prohibition were equipped
with an argument against its practicable
ity which has beea used with telling eff
feet by the advocates of free whisky,
During the war of the rebellion the
cause of the union never looked so dark
as when the safety of the seat of govern
ment was imperIled, and had the na-
tiOnal capital fallen into the hands OF
the rebels deeper despair would have
settled upon the loyal north than thai
which followed the early r. verses suf-
fered by the union army. The cause OF
that nation is indeed hopeless whose
capital Is in the hands Of an insoleni
foe, and the moral effect of the
attitude of Topeka in relation ia
the question of prohibition justifies the
comparison we have instituted.
Up to the time the If primary elections
for choosing delegates to the guhernatO-
rial convention which nominated Gov
st. John for third term, there wer,
doubts in the minds of many people n:
to the feasibility of enforcing the pro
hibitory law at Topeka, it being Ques
tionable whether the sentiment of III,
people was in favor OF tha
policy. But when the city of Topeks
and Shawnee county, by handsome
majority, elected ST John delegation
To the convention, the status of public
opinion there On the liquo
question was defined so clearly that
continuance OF the shameless saiurnalii
of liquor vending and drinking whicl
has prevailed too Ion at the state CAPT
tai would be travesty on the force q
popular sentiment that should not b
presented in any town which values il
fair fame, much less the capital Of
great state like Kansas.
We believe the people of Topeka ar
beginning to realize the position whlcI
they occupy in relation TO this matter, an
that they so far apprehend what is ell
pected of them by the people of Kanss
as to insist upon a vigorous enforcs
: ment of the laws At the hands OF tn
! municipal and county authorities, an
: the speedy accomplishment Of the en-
contemplated by the proclamation I
Mayor Wilson. 1t is not mere empt
: form of rhetoric to say that the eye
h of the world are on Kansas in her Wa
y of determination against the rum evi
and Topeka as the capital of sta
/ which has taken the lead IN every gre
> moral and political reform in this coul
u try tor the past twenty five years, cal
! not, without irreDarable loss and InjuI
IS prove recreant to the great trust whiC
o her position imposes upon her.