The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1883-04-26
SAINT John.
Net the Apostle, bat the Kansas Trnperan.
eer-His Views Csntrested with These Of
Other O0cials and Citizens.

Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
TOPEKA, KAN. March 25.-In pursuit Of foun tain
head facts called the other day upon Ex-Governor
John p. St. John, and in short and very pleasant
talk acquired great gobs of information He resides
in n very odd but very handsome konse, known as
the Octagon. FROM the peculiar shape of the main
portion, at the corner Of Eleventh and Van Burrn;
snd found him to be quickspoken, somewhat
positive man. of medium size. and slender but wry
make. His light blonde hair aud moustaehe show
tendency to gray. and his blue eyes light up in
versation with that strange fire which often marks
the man who dwells long on one idea His voice is
particularly melodious and his style is far from
graceful; 50 ! suppose his reputation fer oratory
the sympathy of his audiences He was born. he
tells me, Brookville, Franklin County Indiana
on what is called the Beech Flats and to my first
question he promptly made reply:
Prohibition is a suecess-as far. of course, rs
could be expected ut the beginning of such a
eirhtyone Organized Counties in this State in which
liquor is openly sold. Ii is safe to say that
liquor may be smuggled-no doubt is--but there are
No OPEN SALOONS.
Yes s, DO think il practicable stop both the
manufacture and sale of Intoxicating liquors. bnt
far easy to stop manufacture than sale. IL is
n plain case Where it is manufactured therc must
be establishment which all can see; but the seller
has some advantages in hiding his business II not
IL We have evil in this country which is able TO
defy the united moral sentiment Of the country,
are near the end of republican government. If the
dram-shops can beat the people, good government is
already ut an end IL is sheer folly for government
to attempt TO compromise on any middle ground.
One position the other il must soon take: Either
hquor-selling Is a crime, to be suppressed such,
il is legitimate business. and all special taxes
on it outrage. consider it n crime, and Hat
ly opposed to Government, State or National. taking
any money from il. OF doing anything else to make
il respectable. This Government has no sort of
right TO take money. in any manner for lrgalizing
vice.
He then restated the figures on Penitentiary in
mates before and after prohibition which have been
often published in Ohio. and which shall anal
we after get the Waren'- returns at Leavenworth,
and can make comparison covering longer time
Two DAYS later called
GOVERNOR c. ". OLICk.
had wanted awfully bad to ask st. John the
caase of his defeat-if, as he claimed, the people
were stronger for prohibition than ever but could
not quite raise the cheek to do had no hesita-
ton. however in asking Governor Click, who smil
ed all over, even to the wrinkles in his vellhlled
pantaloons, as he replied:
prohibition defeated St. John and nothing else.
The railroad question did not affect the campaign
till the close About ten DAYS before the cleo
ton first referred TO the railroads, and then only
because they were attacking me. AS to liquor, you
cannot find County in Kansas in which il is not
freely sold l took particular notice Of this fact
while was eanvassing the State In many places
little liquor was sold before this law was
passed, and probably there is little none now.
Kansas people are generally temperate. and Of those
who use liquor very few indeed use il TO excess
And this statement of the Governor hasten to in
dOrse my own observation. Kansas, as n rule, is
indeed temperate State-the climate does not
prompt to excess in spirits Our English ancestors
could drink far more in their damp climate than
can anywhere in Amerea: and our more remote an
cestors in the Bavarian marshes could pour down
strong beer by the gallon. In Indiana il notorious
that dwell6rs in the low land of the 'Ague Belt
gure much more liquor than those the upland.
A worker under ground can drink more than one in
the sushine, and farmer can stand twice much
3 oditor. We are descended from two fog horn
nations of hard drinkers, and inherited tastes
not being yet toned down to the requirements of a
dry country, is the cause of much Of trouble.
Governor Click was born near Greencastle, Fair