The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-21
WHERE IT DOES GOOD.
The Prohibitory Law Effects Decided Inn
provement in Kansas.

The Prohibitory Law Effects a Decided Inn
provement in Kansas.
Marshall County News tDem)
Prohibition does not entirely prohibit, but in
the absence of anything better it helps to make
things somewhat respectable. 1t does not take
very close observer to notice that it has vastly
improved Marysvile and Marshall county NOR
ally socially and politically. Three to five years
ago, our little CRY supported from fifteen to
twenty-five saloons their bars were crowded
continually; frequently the sidewalks in front of
these places were blockaded with crowds of
drunken men, sometimes quarreling, sometimes
singing always boisterous always rowdyish and
disgraceful. These saloons, although not en-
tlrely gone have to great extent disappeared
Quite number of them have been transformed
into respectable stores. and their proprietors are
making more money in other mercantile
pursuits than they did at their former
occupations. few still kept open
as temperance and billiard balls and
thing strong to an old friend in whom
they have faith, but this is done very cautiously,
and is in bold contrast with the old style, when
the amount man could drink during the day
and carry home at night was the measure OF his
responsibility and standing in the community.
In politics, too, the change is quite as noticeable
In the former days the man VINO desired the
votes of our citizens called them together and
boasted the fact that he could and would supply
the drinks during the campaign. He commenced
the crowd never failed to accept the invitation.
The plans for the campaign always talked
over in the saloon, and the deposit necessary to
execute the plan was always laid down before
work could begin Now the candidate never
visits the saloon, except it be in the
night time, and then not without knowing just
who is with him and whether he can
rely upon his not Giving him away.
The power in politics in those
days rested with the saloons Now it is trans
70 haIl WI
paigns won or lost in debate. Socially the
improvement, again, is noticeable. The man who
formerly walked boldly up to the counter and
laid down his five cents for glass of beer re-
CARELESS of who might witness the transaction,
either goes about it timidly or does not 60 about
it at all. The old style of hailing his chum and
calling him the street to take some
thing, has given place to precautionary glance
up and down the street to make sure that he is
not observed, and often the thirsty individual
may be noticed passing by the door three or
four times waiting for q clear coast, free from
observation, before he enters. This perform
ance, of course, doesn't take all the curse off,
neither does it always prohibit the man from
going in and getting what he went for, but it
curtails occasionally, and more than that, it
Indicates the dawn of self-respect that
will finally restrain that man and prevent him
from making hog of himself We notice, aside
from this, other things that indicate improve
ment; children are better dressed, and cleaner;
some of them wear shoes that never had shoes
before; some of them have plenty of food who
went hungry before. and mothers looking
happy who never smiled before. Gardens are
clean and fences are neat where all was broken
down and weeds before. Take it all in all, our
liberty to raise the devil and do what we please
is not quite as broad as it was before. Yet we
cannot see why little prohibition has not been
quite good for Marysville the open saloons
we had before. One thing is certain: Prohibi-
ton in the Constitution and in the statute, and
it has, to some extent, controlled the liquor tra
ic; has TO some extent restrained its sale and
use; has removed little carelessness; has re-
moved a little squalid poverty and produced a
little comfort, and it may be well enough just to
let it alone