Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-05-10
A CHEAP HOWLER.

There IL q blatherskite, kind Of prohi'
bend such an anomaly, n jack-leg dema.
gogue by the name of vanBuren Bennett
who, failing of any recognition by his own
party, and failing in everything else he ev.
er undertook 90 far as heard from, straddled
st. Johns boom and has been out eroding
Herod as temperance reformer for some
months in this State. This NanBureR blow.
hard havin. wormed himself into the good
graces Of that element OF the Republican
party known as Prohibitionists, cuts loose
from his old political moorings and starts a
paper which he styles the iohibition organ,
and which, while an Insignificant local sheet
published In an insignificant county town,
demands a support from good temperance
people throughout the entire State while he,
its purported editor, Ia st. John, takes the
stump and makes Rome howl. He 10 here,
there and everywhere appealing to women
and men TO divide their earnings with him
in subscribing for his organ which seems
to be ground by hirelings. He follows up
the Methodist conferences and other moral
and social gatherings with his appeals for
support. He does not even conine his bonn
bast and communistic rawlings to Kansas,
bur has been initiating St. John In the other
respect of airing himself abroad. This
new convert from old mossbackism and pro-
slavery affiliations, this wide-mouthed apos-
tie OF cleanliness and temperance, has sew
eral times gone out of his way to give Wich-
ito blast. He does not stop at heaping
opprobrium on rs good and rs moral town
as can be found In the State, but descends
to naming citizens. He not only bemeans
our town but lies about and ISLANDERS our
officers. In his last issue he says our coun-
ty attorney 10 not only visitor to open sa-
looms and drinker himself, but witness
of others who drink, aud that he 10 . dis
honest man. or course our people know
that this is lie, miserable, dirty lie, out
Of whole cloth. Mr. Dale was elected by
the opposition to the elements that run the
Republican party in this county last fall,
elected as Democrat, and We have no in
terest other than common fairness and de-
cency in defending him, but We viii wager
nickle against Van Bennett's entire stock
In trade that no man, woman or child, dis
reputable or otherwise, has ever seen the
county attorney OF sedgwick county. since
his last election. taking drink in any So
loon. This beautiful specimen Of re-
deemed democracy alludes 10 the 7Sms As
the "bawdy house daily" and calls on the
sheriff to prosecute violations Of the liquor
law. No wonder vanBuncombe Bennett
failed as lawyer.
He Is the sweet specimen Of truth aud
morality who, in copperhcad speech In
this same town Of Wichita, denounced, de-
famed and tried to cover with shame, the
name OF Garfield.
Now, we acknowledge that the prohibi.
ton law Is violated 10 Wichita, but 90 II IL
in every town and city in the State. If
wichita Is the more open about it, she 10
not less decent. While ii 10 10 be regretted
that laws are disregarded, one town should
not be blamed more than another. There
has never been day since the adoption Of
the prohibitory amendment that tntoxicat-
ing liouors could not be had In any town In
the State; but Van Bennett's going about
registering solemn oaths that he would
shoot the man Who sold liquor to HE son,
docs not elevate respect for law. Wichita
10 no worse in this respect than other towns,
Il she 10 more open. Men have been pros
ecuted here for violation Of The prohibit
DRY law, found guilty and fined. No doubt |
they will be again. Notwithstanding The
city collects large revenue from TIE ru0-
ssllsrs, yet, n anybody nlss . complaint |
and furnishes the presf Ne salesn-ksepen |
win be made to sulIsr, but sucA Trades -
Bennett gets u b not going 70 help the
Temperance cause here Or elsewhere. Ad-
hitting that the proAibitory law b failure
yst whensvef the salosn nea ovsr-stsp 60.
lain llnes, Or whsa any thing occurs %
arouse public ssntlDsuk hey havs beea
nd win ~ prssssnssd, snd - hssssse
lhis hewiine dsnagsgses wto, ~ haSe -
1sshs b grswing ~ s1tsf N 49,, |
bsn1es sur sswn ~ pssr1s theu1oA ~ |
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