Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-29
SOME PLAIN TRUTH.

SOME PLAIN TRUTH.
We have two classes OF Republican
newspapers in Kansas that are in our
Judgment doing harm to the Republic
can party. One class are those in
tensely prohibition papers that cen
sure every paper and everybody that
does not look through their eye glass.
The other class are those papers that
profess TO be in favor of temperance,
and ut TIE same time are continually
beraiing temperance people, denounc-
ing temperance organizations ana
prohibition, and by this course give
powerful influence 10 open rebellion
against the constitution and laws oil
the state. Both are hindrances To
prohibition. and both are doing the
party great injury. We have no pa
thence with those who flippantly talk
OF reading the Wichiea EAGLE, juno
lion CITY Uuion, Troy Chief, Leaven-
worth Times and other papers out of
the party. Such talk is nonsense. We
have entirely too much respect for
these old Republican warriors. MUIR
dock. Martin, Miller, Anthony and
others who were at the birth of the
party, aud for principle that was vi
ial 10 the nation and the welfare of
humanity, who born the burden and
heat of the contest in Kansas for
twenty odd wears, TO try TO read them
out. We could not If we would, and
we would not if we could, read out
such old grey headed warriors from
the Republican party.
Everybody knows that there is just
as much prohibition in Kansas with
the exception of two or three towns
as any sensible man ever supposed
there would be.
The present statute 10 carry our
constitutional amendment into effect,
carries upon its face the idea that can
not be misunderstood. that It's purpose
was not TO prohibit all drinking of
ardent spirits, but that its purpose
was to prohibit, close up and abolish
the whole saloon system, and this 1t
has done, the EAGLE being witness -
Ft Scott Monitor:
The above are extracts from two
very long aud strong editorials in the
Monitor. The Monitor seeks to be
charitable TO the misguided and head
strong editors alluded to, but because
a writer Is not an out and out uncom-
promising worshipper at the shrine OF
prohibition is no good reason why he
should always be set down upon and
apoiigized for. We said, "that every
BODY knows that there is no such
thing as prohibition in Kansas" The
Monitor as good as admits The truth
of the observation but still criticizes
the EAGLE for making it. The last
legislature passed the present law as a
compromise, knowing that there was
no prohibition in it. They started ont
TO beat tie open saloon and did il
very effectualiy, except as to few
towns. The EAGLE has said over and
again that so far as the youth were
concerned and so far as that class who
were in the habit of squendering their
bread-aiih-meat money for drink were
concerned, that the drugwump law
was great deal more preferable than
the open saloon. The EAGLE in fact
has said very little against the pres
eni law except in the way of joking il
as pretended prohibition law which
il is not. and which the Monitor adj
mits it is not. But the EAGLE did
ask that all drug stores taking
ont permits, be made to pay
saloon license for the reason that II
this was done such drug stores would
see to it that no holes in the wall OF
other out of the way unlicensed places
were allowed to flourish. If the Mon.
itor viii bear with US we will state for
its better information that it's not The
whisky interest or the saloon interest
that The EAGLE would defend by it
criticisms of prohibition but princi-
pie which seems 10 lie at the very
foundation of our free ins titntions.
As case in point: AnumDer Of min
listers have been arrested in Boston
within a week or two because OF a
prohibitory lew which prohibits such
acts of personal liberty in the Boston
Commons as preaching. Bands are al
lowed to play there, pic-nics and all
manner of things in the way of recre-
alton, vet if man gets UP to talk
about life and immortality he is ar
rested and fined and sent to prison
under prohibitory law which touches
the citizens personal liberty. Now il
we were the preachers of Boston we
would fight that thing out if il took
all sumner, and we would preach on
the Commons or force every other
pastime or amusement from the place
These ministers, no doubt, annoyed d
large number OF respectable people
who sought the Commons for recrea-
ton, but we don't believe in the doe
trine that therefore the ministers must
be set down on. The EAGLE, dear Mr.
Monitor. has never been an advocate
of either whisky or saloons-it has
been simply Republican.