Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-15
DIR. xRoHn.s LECTURE.


About 800 met at the opera house to hear
DR.. Krohn's lecture yesterday. On being
introduced he said be was glad to meet
them and that there were about forty more
than he expected to see owing to the wealth
er. He hardly knew what to present to
them but anything on this question of pro-
hibition would be interesting. There really
were no natural rights, all rights were de-
rived from the constitution of organized
society. The first statute made by organized
society provided that no individual should
make hog of himself at the expense Of the
whole. That sumptuary statute is what we
are trying to enforce in Kansas. Every
community had right to govern itself for
its own good, and no individual had any
right TO violate that law. Under the sublime |
heavens there was no such
thing as personal liberty. No man
could claim any liberty save that
granted to him by the government under
which he lived. The society had right to
protest against any great general evil that
destroyed alike the scrf and the car. Those
personal liberty people claim that no gov
ernment had right to say what they should
eat or what they should drink. He thought
different. The government would not allow
them to eat diseased meat, nor did the law
permit the sale of liquor among the In
dams. He claims that the prohibitory law
can and will be enforced. Not only the sa-
looms would be closed up, but the sale OF
liquor prohibited in the drug store. He
didn't thinl, it would be much loss if all the
liquor dealers left the state. The property
invested in buildings for the trade didn't
amount to much. He came dowS pretty
hard on the ants, and said they must so.
large number OF anti-prohibitionists were
present, and to their credit be it acknowl-
edged that. notwithstanding the doctor used
very strong language, and denounced the
liquor traffic and those who engaged in it in
unmeasured terms, he was accorded a re-
spectful hearing. The men of Wichita,
whether prohibs or anti-prohibs, republic
cans or mugwumps, druggists or dry goods
men, are all gentlemen.
EVENING LECTURE.
| a good house greeted DIR. Krohn at the
evening lecture. Amongst the intelligent
audience were noticed more than one whose
career had not been frightened by the use
of liquor. Not alone the wrapt attention
of these men, but of the whole audience told
of the power of the fpeaker; a power thai
comes of the truth of a God-given reform.
DIR. Krohn, after the Introductory remarks,
likened temperance to a great battle scene.
Said he, see a great mass of humanity
ranged in disorder, and over against them q
battery of few guns firing shots and shells
into them. The preponderance is so great
that the well-aimed shots are comparatively
lost sight of though each is
doing good execution. So it
was with temperance in Maine, thirty years
ago. The old prohibition battery fred its
first shot and it will continue so long.as the
bitter foe of humanity, liquor, lives In
spite of the rigid laws enacted against liquor
selling we have the drunkard with us, and
we also have the miserable men with us
who are determined to keep him with us by
supplying him with liquor. We feel for the
poor, miserable drunkard; We feel for his
world. What shall we do with the man
who keeps the drunkard down and robs
him and his family In tie name OF hu-
mainly; in the name of the orphan and
widows made by his hands. in the name of
God l say exterminate him, drive him from
the community he has so long cursed. The
question is asked, does prohibition prohibit?
l say, that while do not expect it to ex-
terminate liquor and the appetite which
sustains il, / expect chat it will
like other laws against crime and vice, re-
duce it to minimum. The battle began
thirty years ago in Maine, and we have had
appeals taken from the lowest to the high
est courts-to the court of Heaven itself,
only we could not find any of the oppose
ton up there. Laughter.] If the cpposi-
ton resists, they will draw upon themselves
an avalanche of opprobrium and punish
ment. The people of Kansas are in dead
earnest on this question. l know that law
must have public sentiment behind it to
have it duly executed. But the sentiment
of this state is of moral order and is gain
ing strength on this question sufficient to
: enforce the law against all opposition. The
speaker here Intercepted an imaginary
man in opposition, saying: bad sympathy
with you once. l thought you were not a
criminal; but L have lost confidence in you.
You had time to get out of this state or
abandon your nefarious business when this
agitation begar. But you. were bent on
picking up the nicIels of your victims. /
think you are bad man. You are de-
termined to become an outlaw. Leave of
: your opposition to the truth or sad fate
will overtake you. Now what shall l say of
the men who do not go to saloons; the men
moral in all their practices except that they
keep the company of the men who sell liquor
and traduce the men and women who are
fighting the foes of morality and law. Did
they ever protest against the afflicted drunk
ards treatment Do they defend the men
and women who fight the battles Of human
ity? / say they have net the courage to
, break the law; but they aid the law-breaker!
They brace themselcs against the tide of
progress and will be run over
and their hopes wrecked. have seen
the highest talent and the most ambitious
90 down with bad cause because of their
! opposition to the God given
truths of progress. Prohibition is
, the newest of all methods tried to suppress
the liquor traffic. A drug store can never
become loafng place for the red-nosed,
air-contaminating drunken sots. No COM
, munity not lost to shame and decency would
allow It. Prohibition helps all legitimate
! enterprises. invite you all as good citizens
} to organize law and order league and get
yourselves certificate of good
!, character in gaining the i'll
!. will of the liquor seller, whose jewels are
the tears OF women and children widowed
: and orphaned by his cruel rapacity. Watch
the druggist, Watch the dishonest man
! who signs his name TO lie that he may
pander to depraved appetite and defeat
the law. For you, poor drunkard. better
day has come, brave hearted men and kind
hearted and tender, loving women are fight
ing the battle to release you from the de-
mon. Thank God, the twilight of the sun
, of glorious progress is near! Let us strike
for victory so long as the foe confronts us.
WHAT 1T COST.
The new NJ. L. church, which is probably
one of the finest and most complete edifccs
of the kind in this section of the state hav
inc been completed and dedicated, the fol-