Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-05-07
Kansas Drippings.

Castle short time since, and for mo-
ment, even, renew old acquaintance.
Our brief interview naturally carried me
back in memory to the long ago when
you and l were boys. We were intimate
friends then; especially this was the
case during that period when my old
friend, j. &. Cover, stood at the helm.
How well | remember when little
Johnnie used to stand on box before
the case packing type hour after hour,
and day after day. seldom missed an
opportunity to call at his little frame
office; and sometimes was allowed to
make footprints upon THE HERALD
sheets
But Mr.. Cover has long since passed
away and my own wrinkled face and
frosted beard whisper, age is spreading
her mantle over thee.
But The HERALD has the peculiar
faculty of periodically renewing its age,
and to-day finds you as blithe and
sprightly as ever old boy; and II love
to steal while away from every cum
bring care, and spend an hour of setting
day. in converse with The HERALD.
must say that | am more than pleased
with the present administration of the
paper.
| notice, Mr.. Editor, your reference to
the new Wisconsin License Law in
The HERALD of April is. 1t is sort
of rehash of the same old prescription.
None of the class OF soothing sirups will
satisfy the present public sentiment
which is being exercised more aud more
upon the great question of the liquor
traffic as its ruinius effects are becom-
ing better understood. The absolute
failure of the license plan to satisfy the
present demand, is too apparent to adj
NIT of even favorable consideration;
besides the idea of taking money in ex-
change for a permit to do basey
wrong thing, is naturally repugnant to
the Christian soul.
Pope Leo, some four hundred years
ago sold indulgences, which was the
means of arousing Martin Luther and
others, and thus brought about the
great reformation. A reformation upon
the rum traffic in America is most sure
ly approaching; but first, some hard
battles are to be fought no doubt. But
why your Governor should honor the H.
cense law and disnheirit its Legitimate
offspring, the tramp act, is not exactly
clear to my mind. He probably thought
it more humane, after the people have
SET the machinery to work that robbed
the poor fellow of his means of support,
and have divided the thievings between
the saloon keeper and the public treas
ury, that they should take care of him
decently at the paupers' home. Ii
does seem little unjust to the country
taxpayer, however, in either case, to
require him to assist in the support of
the man, and his family often, whom
the city folk have conspired to rob and
unfit to provide for himself Here in
Kansas we have an old law, still in
force, requiring the thieves to restore
their ill-gotten gains in such cases; but
Prohibition is our forte and has come
to stay, and after the usual squabble,
will be enforced. 1t is now, in fact, ex-
cept at few of the most unfavora BILE
points.
We do think, however, that the Re-
publican party people and press, have
treated the temperance people a little
rudely. After having quietly taken
back seats for little over twenty years
while we have worked Justify for the
party, we are fatty told that we need
not expect anything better, for the party
cannot bear the shock; and when few
of us feel that we cannot tag after any
longer, we are villifed, as we have been
the past few months. Such conduct
has, unquestionshly, been very damag-
ing to the Republican party. and you
may be sure they will have to atone for
their mistake in some suitable manner,
or, irrecoverably, lose the best element
in the party | do feel that it is time
something was being done to bring
about reconciliation. for the tendency
now is towards separation of these
two wings of the Republican party.
The question of the liquor traffic will
have to be met in a square and manly
way at our next national convention,
and a movement in this direction can
not be inaugurated too soon.
OLD BADGER.
Mound Valley, Kansas.