San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-01-25
Sketch OF an Inildel Town.
KANSAS Crry, No, Dec. 20, 1888


Eprrop FREE PREss.-Some weeks ago
received card from You by which you re-
quested me to write you all know about
the town of Liberal Twas not in the least
disinclined to do SO, but my time has been
so completely engaged as to debar me from
the pleasure of contributing anything to
you wish. This evening, however, brings
me few minutes leisure time, which Iwill
devote to the task of collecting some facts
connected with the history of the above
mentioned town, which is at peresent but
small village, situated in Barton county, in
the southwestern part of Missouri, on the
Kansas City, Fort Scott x Gulf railroad,
twenty-five miles from Fort Scott, Kansas.
and but five miles from the line between
Kansas and Missouri.
The town of Liberal was founded about
two years ago by George Walser, gentle
man who has acquired considerable notori-
ETY. in that part of the country, both as
lawyer and as lecturer on inidelity, which
| laSL Is ulS luNorNo ouu ihoo'
theme. The interest he takes in diffusing
the doctrines of infdelity and the inveter-
ate hatred which he entertains for the pros
perity of christianity, impelled him to plan
and begin q town which he intended for the
abiding place of none but those whose re-
lipious proclivities were in harmony with
liberalism.
To secure the accomplishment of his
wishes in this direction, he made the neces-
sary surveys for a town site on his own es-
tate, cutting o body of land into town lots
with streets and alleys intervening, leaving
adjoining the town on the east, south and
west, a considerable number of five acre
blocks undivided. The smaller lots were
sold for price of twenty-five dollars each'
and the larger lots Give acre blocks), were
valued at one hundred and fifty dollars each.
In order to exclude christianity from the
town, each individual Offering to purchase
property was required to pro luce satisfaoto-
ry evidence of his or her in6delity before
purchase could be made. This precautlon
alone. however, was not sufficient to pre-
clude the introduction of very considera-
BILE number Of people whose ideas of life are
quite antagonistic to liberalism, for occa-
sionally it occurred that freethinker be-
came tired of his surroundings, and his
right to sell or rent being unrestricted, ne
would of course transfer his premises per-
manently or temporarily to the individual
Offering the best bargain, besides this few
persons of "orthodox" opinions gained &C
cess to the 'liberal" community under the
guise of infdelity, and these are the ways
bv which the christian element were intro
duced among the liberals. The two parties
are extremely repulsive to each other, and
are distinguished respectively by the names
'Iaberalsn and "Orthodox." The liberals
are in possession of the greater portion OF
the place. control most of the business and
the school. there being but one school there,
which is conducted in Liberal Hail. This
| hall is not an imposing ediice, but 1t If
nevertheless one of the most impressive OF
the many peculiarities about Liberal, and
very few of those who attempt to say any
thing about this notorious little village omit
TO take some notice of the hall, which occu-
pies the most eminent site in town. l have
FORGOTTEN the dimensions of it, but 1t IS not
IA iorre as the Methodist church at San Mar
cos; it is a wooden building, ventilated By
several windows in each side wall; it has but
q single way Of ingress, which is through a
doorway placed in the end thut looks toward
the so1th. Just above the door, and on the
outer wall of the building, Is representa-
ton of the globe not unlike that on the
back Of the school boys geography, except
| inr in, that it does not appear to be resting
on Atlas shoulders, and in having the let
ters "U. II. L." conspicuously inscribed
abort its tnpcr semicircumference. These
letters sipnifT Universal Mental Liberty
and are placed on the badges worn by thC
liberals. Ga entering the building aad
plancinr about the room, the first thing like
IL 20 attract the Observers attention is the
rostrIl,n. which Is considerably elevated
above the aoor. aud situated il the end oi
the room opposite TO the door, and between
two small rooms. Of which the one on the
left is used for q library and that on the
right sub,erycs 70 various purposes, a'cor-
tliDp ae different occasions require. At The
rsar Of the gtaue there is q kind of back
cro1nd which consists IN repres sntauon OF
ev.va1 uool OF water with Wild birds
psrchinr In the branches OF the surround
In, trees. and ct the front Of the rostrum q
uart.tion wall desccris from the ceiling
above 70 tbe distance % abolt four feet, oui
Of which IN arc IS cut % that the speake;
: stands Leeelth an arch. directly above the
h;r,hes. roint Of which On the partition val
anl looking ioEarls the audience, hangs q