Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-08-15
A Sicily Country.
Some Significant Pointers.
Sec. 10, of the Constitution of the
STATE of Kansas. roads Is foIlows:

Sec. 10, of the Constitution of the
State of Kansas, reads as follows:
'"The manufacture and sale of Intoxicating liq-
uOrs shall be- forever prohibited III TINS STATE tx
Cept for medical, scientific and mechanical pur
poses"
This amendment was submitted by
the legislature at the Sc sion Of 1879,
and was adopted by the people, at the
general election, held Nov. 2, 1880.
The law provides for amendments TO
the cons titntiOn, and under those pro-
visions it takes LWO-thiIds of the mem
hers of each house TO submit any propO-
sitiOn to amend.
At the last general election, repre-
sentatives from the different districts OF
the State were elected 10 the lower
house OF the legislature likewise sena-
tors, from the different senatorial dis
tricts. Up TO TINS election the prOhibi-
tory law had been in force for some
time, and the people had had IA chance
TO test it in its different phases. An
opinion seemed to exist among q certain
class OF citizens In the State, that the
prOhibitOry law was To II great extent
q failure, and that 1t was not then he
wish of q majority of the voters that IL
should remain as a part OF the organic
law. This matter was agItated quite
extensively by the press and public
speakers throughout the Stale, and con-
seqaeutlv an Issue was made largely
upon the question of re--ubmiIting 10
the people the prOhihitOry amendment.
The result of this election was aspect
ally significant of the wishes OF the peo-
pc upon this question, and the Ieeing
of the Legislature was a lair index of the
great miAd of the people. The result
was, that, instead OF having enough to
re-submit the question, (Which would
have been twO-thirdS,) the re-submiuOn-
lists were in such a small minority, that
those opposed TO re-submitiOn would not
taKe up any time on the floor OF the
house in discussing the matter, but
generously conceded it all to the OPP
position.
The result showed plainly that prohl-
bitiOn had come TO stay, and that the
people did not desire to re-submit the
question At that time.
Now then it became the duty of the
legislature To ascertain if the statutes
were sufficient to confne the sale IF in
toXicating liquors to its excepted and
legitimate uses, under the constitution.
They concluded that the law should be
amended, and they passed an act amend
atury of and supplemental to chapter
128, of the session laws of 1881, winch
will be found on page 2S6 of The session
laws of 1880. This act, together with
the constitutional amendment, and the
recent decisions of the Supreme Court ,
constitute the present prOhibitOry law
OF the State or Kansas.
We give this bit of history of the law,
as basis tor what we expect 10 say up
on this matter, and the facts when we
intend to show.
There is perhaps no greater danger
menacing the safety of q republic, than
a steadily increasing disregard aud con-
tempt for her laws. Her constitution
and statutes should be held as sac Ell
and iuviOlable by every patriotic citizen,
when they are treated other than this,
the tendency is toward anarchy. and
final ruin viii be the ultimate result. Il
is true that laws are sometimes enacted
which are obnoxious to the people. but 81
long as they remain on the statute hooks
they should be respected, and properly
enforced. The more rigidly an unWhole
some law is enforced, the sooner will il
be repealed. Were the prohibitorv Law
enforced TO the letter in this State, il
would rapidly be in the best of favor. OF
IL would be repealed.
We are not among those who believe
that the present prOhibitOry has worked
no Dement, on the contrary we think we
can see many SOLITARY results. Among
other things it has closed the saloons
or At least placed the means in the
hands Of the people with which To close
them sit has placed the records of sa le.
where the public can have access {,
them; il confines the sale to q limited
number of men; and with the assistanc,
Ofth Probate Judge, the law might b,
EessOua 9tV Weft enforced
There are, however. many dagrau.
GbOses of tse law IN our county, many
sVasl0Es ana Iimsy pretaXts that Oueh
n, b. esp0se1- Inc s6ies have been in.
cre2slns, rapidly mouth after month.
@nd sllOU- suey continue IN the SAM
E1le f0r 3, year 10 come. we might a.
veil haVe ORsz Sa5Sa2s and done with
r. Is . gz-ei saF- hone az checking this
s-iscEazszsr iE.gsss-lsC - ealss. "a yVeI, s. to
Hc L. e ssgua fae b
tlle, cass vEaleh Eaey have i rl-ns a.
slo7s5 riEae wa haVe bssa induced e.
lasEsE t-rss szgHeeE Al We sisted il