Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-09-29
VOL 3. MEDICINE LODGE BARBOUR co, KANs
T H IN DE K.
INDEX PRINTING COMPANY,
T.. w. PAYNE, PRES. & BUSINESS MANAGER
TERMS. 9. PER YEAR IN ADVANCE
Prohibition in Kansas.

S''~'SO 1TlDiiIle, WHICH pIcS"HtS SelSlDle
thoaghts on the subject of prohibition:
"PrOhibitiOn is practical question. Po-
lucdlly, people are not called upon to de-
| eide whether 1t is right or wrong to drink.
There is not even question of temperance
involved. The question is whether it is
good ELblic policy to prohibit the manu-
fact're and sale OF liquor. Here is some
information bearing on that point which
comes from Kansas:
The assertion that Kansas has lost large
numbers of immigration i'm consequence of
its liqi or prohibition laws is born ont by
the figHrrs. O..t of the 200, 900 Immigrants
that arrived i'm the United States during the
past year, not over 1900 have settled i'm that
state. Some who went there with the in
tentlon of locating departed for other re-
gions as soon as the prohibition laws were
brought to their notice. In one case the
leader OF party of cOlOnists from Austria
who were possessed of abundant means.
and would have made a very desirable adj
dition to the population of the state, was
Oh the point of closing a contract with a
land agent for the purchase of large fan M
ing tract, when his attention was called to
these emctments. That brought the neeo-
tEItions 10 Il sudden conclusion.
Kansas is new state and is connecting
for population. The activity of the rail
WY land agents have left no room for
doubt OH this point The hand of wei
come extended to the blacks at the south in
the so-called exodus was prompted as much
perhaps by the desire to enlarge the pop;-
htion and hasten the development of the
state as by special sympathy with the down.
trOdden. In Kansas, therefore, it is an i'm.
p0rtant part of the state policy to attract
immigration. Prohibition has been found
to discourage it. If the choice were be-
tween drunken worthless set of people
under license system anda slower growth
OF az industrious, Woodworking population
under the present prohibition
system, then the advocates of prohibition
might urge their policy is better calculated
to promote the ultimate prosperity OF the
state. But this is not the situation. No
impartial person will contend that the Ger
mans rs class are Objectionable us citizens
! OH account oftheir habits. They are among
the most energetic and thrifty farmers who
come to locate i'm the United States. Yet
the Germans rs class are beer-drinkers.
and, other things being equal, will always
prefer residence in Il stite where their per-
sonal freedom as TO becr-drnking is not
impaired by stat te. Prohibition does not
prevent riots in Maine, nor does it stop the
consumption of liq or there in fall pro-
portion to the relative capacity of p oplc
elsewhere, though it has been part OF the
stite policy for nearly forty years. TAX
ing together the experience in Maine and
the experience in Kansas, prohibition is
certainly bad policy for the latter state,
since it acts as Il check upon immigration
without promising unive rsal reform i'm the
habits of the people.
In every state where prohibition is pro-
posed it will be wise to treat it as a
matter Of public policy rather than ques-
ton of morals. The morality of drinking
must be determined by the churches and
otl e. social authorities; the extent of
drinking may be controlled largely by the
SINE influences. But the state must look
to other considerations. 1t must take into
account its own interests and the interests
of the manifold elements of population, in
dtistry and progress under its charge. 1t
must recognize the rights of,that large class
of citizens who do not think it immoral to
drink. 1t cannot politically discern any
crime i'm the manufacture of liquor wine
and beer by natural methods from the pro-
ducts of nature. Prohibition must be re-
garded by the state, if treated intelligently,
i'm the light of public order, practical en-
fOrcemept, government revenue and popu-
lar approval. If a majority of people are
willing to vote prohibition law, but are
not willing to furnish standing army of
policemen and consables to enforce it upon
single communities which are not in favor
of it, then it is not good policy; 1t is never
good policy to pass laws which are apt to
be violated and defied with impunity. If
prohibition laws are to be enforced only
with the club and the revolver, then it is
not good policy to adopt them, for they
threaten a disturbance of the peace and
good order of the community, which is
sure to be injurious to the material pros
perity of the people. If prohibition re-
tards the growth of new state, it is bad
policy. If it depriyes the state of an inn
portant revenue from the manufacture and
of liquors without stopping and without
reducing the consumption thereof, it is bad
policy. The release of revenue by the
general government Or by the local govern
ments which is raised from the manufae.
ture and sale Of liquor, wine and beer, nec-
essarily imposes additional taxation upon
the property and industry of the people