The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1883-02-08
AM HACKNEY AND psoH,s,T,oM.

BILL HACKNEY AND PR0HioiTloM.
Hon. ". p. Hackney, STATE Senator,
Topeka, Kansas:
Inasmuch as the prohibition amend
ment, as enforced, has always resulted
In Injury to the material development
of our t0wn--it having signally failed
to accomplish the object sought, the
suppression Of the sale and use OF in.
intoxicating drinks-we would re-
specially urge upon you the necessity
Of so providing for the enforcement Of
the law that its application shall be
uniform throughout the State. II this
il impossible, don't sacrifice our town
on the altar OF inordindfe devotion to
an impracticdble principle.
Signed by citizens Of Winfield.
Following is Senator Hackney's re-
ply:
GENTLEMEN:-I am in repeipt Of
the above aud foregoing petition, and
replying to those Of the signers who
are the sworn officers Of the law. whose
duty il IL to enforce the same, l have
ton to your petition. ] would be as
uuwoTtuN Vi tu0 COuhhuCuCe ouu PUP
port OF the good people Of Cowley
county a. you have shown yourselves
to be, by signing such q paper as the
above. You do not seem to know
what your duty II. and will try and
enlighten you with the information
that it Is my duty under my oath to
make laws, and 1t IL yours to Enforce
them. What right have you to criti-
else laws, and parcel out those to be
ignored Such petitions a. you sent
me will do more tn give aid and COM
fort to the band Of OUTLAWS nor secking
10 su5rerf constitutional obligations
and duties in this State, than any one
thing you can do. How IL 1t your
business whether this or that law
works well or not? You have taken
an oath to see that oil idsrs are en-
forced, and this, coupled with your
duty as men, should make you swift to
throttle all infringements and to pun
ish all infractiOns. And can assure
you, one and all, that need none Of
your counsel or advice, and did l need
any, / should look TO men who have
some regard for their constitutional
obligations and cath. If you will de-
vote your time to the performance Of
your duty as assiduously and vigor-
ously as / do to mine, the discomfort
of the people at your pusilanimous
duplicity and negligence Of constitu-
tional obligations would soon be
among the things Of the past. To that
portion of the signers who make their
living by the sweat Of other mems
brows, and who have no particular
principles save and except schemes to
a,nass wealth, I will say. that while
the question of constitutional prohibi.
ton was before the people you were
unanimous for prohibition, but when
YOU came to adopt facts instead Of
theories, and for the first time you re-
allied that under the old system the
drunken debauchee paid your NUM-.
cipa! taxes, aud that under prohibi-
ton you pay your own, Of course you
nj once then ana there lost al! faith in
your prohibition laws because such of
YOU would rather the county would 20
to the dinanifiOn boW- WOtrs IL your
taxes were thereby paid. than to live
in heaven on earth and pay your
own taxes.
Under the old saloon system the
people who drank liquor paid your
taxes for you, be they residents Of the
city or county. Now you must pay
your own, and hence "thesc tears"
Under the former system families
went hungry for bread that you might
fatten. Under the new system you
enjoy no such franchises. What do
YOU care for betrayed trusts or broken
promises, whether made by me or the
officers of the law, SO long as you
escape WHAT you nav 81" ,tau'
anu perjury, escapeu-na.ny taaa
non. Hence your a!se' 1 m.rce
TINS petitioh. WIn"eiu Is hot sunS
ing from the saio"n sysatn " VI 'ne
want OF IL. Nhat winue," neeS Ss Is
more men III capi'ai anu res Sny
locks; men o, Iarse pIa'ns anu 'e~
small ones; less money enaheeIs anu
more money makers. She wants
manufactures, anu business that viii
employ honest men at nonest wages,
who have iailiiiies 10 ieeu ahu suppoit;;
That man VINO mas money aha wi,i
spend II iii THESE enterprises -" P"one
beneiactor. 1ou nave none nov, an.
the prospect Tor get!ing snch Is not
what Wihneia wants IS
less such CHRISTIANS rs you Ieiiows are;
ana more OF the cnaIacter Patterneu
after Him VINO died on tne cross less
cant, hypocrisy ana douole ueaiihg
more honesty ana earnestness OF pIr.
pose. WIN an tnis chanee nrough.
about Winneid VIII prosper Mmnout
It, all the saloons OUTSIDE OF nell VIII
not add one iota 10 the prosperi,yS
your town. Either wake up anu RUG
the mildew from the prosperity Oh
your town. or continue 10 swap uoiiars
and sit upon your own prosperity.
Others OF you signed tnis because
1ou are devoid OF the mora courage 10
'ay no. Others LOT rear merely you
would loose nickte, whiie v1ry lev
If you favor change hoping tnat you
night better your condition thereby.
There are a large number OF you VINO,
cannot believe, would nave signed
he petition knowing that u meant sa.
oons in Winheid, 1 believe thatl
many believed II only meant strict en-
orcement In the large clues Oh the
tate. Its language would admit OF
'is guard.