Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-08-07
WHISKY TO CURE ALL ILLS.
Multiplicity of Kansas Drug stores
Under Prohibition Laws.
I From the n, Y. WOrld.1

lFIoni thc ~. l. w Noiiu'l
WICHITA, KAN, July 13.-Kansas is
great state. 1t is noted for many
things-its soil, its climate, its agricu-
tural and horticultural possibilities, st.
John and the drug store. There are
other states whose soil compares favor
ably; the climate may be matched, but
there is only one St. John, and Kansas
has developed him and the drug store
simultaneously. For when the tenn
perance people, under the lead OF ST.
John, grated the so-called prohibition
law upon the tree of state the drug
store was used as scion. The law
prohibits the use of liquor as bever-
age, but provides that the probate Judge
may issue permits to the druggists to
sell ii for medicine.
Now, the people of Kansas, being
deprived of their beverages, We're
afflicted with more plaques than were
sent upon the Egyptians of We olden
| time. Strange diseases came upon them
| and reptiles before unknown appeared
in great numbers. Murrain set in
| among the cattle. "FootrOt" came
among the sheep. Horses bad pink
eye. Droughty Kansas became plague
spot. Fortunately at the same time it
was also discovered that whisky was
cure for all these things. Whether it
was the bite of a ssrattler" or liver
complaint; whether it was footrot in
sheep or fever in a human, the poison
of a tarantula, or tubercles in the lungs,
palsy of the brain or stOnebruise on
the heel, whisky cured them all. A
great demand arose for whisky as
medicine. Drug stores began TO null
tiply. Probate Judges were busy issu-
ing permits. Every town, every post
office, had drug store. 1t is said there
is drug store to every one hundred
inhabitants of the state of Kansas.
There are many villages in the state
like the village of Corwin, Harper
county, which visited a real estate
man drove me out there to see the
place. After an hours drive across the
prairie he pointed to house and said:
: s.That's Corwin." 1t was two story
: frame building, standing alone upon
the prairie, but it contained all there
was of the city of COrwin. II was the
postolfice, grocery, hotel ard drug
I store! The postmaster keeps the hotel,
sells groceries and manipulates the
G drugs, which consist of bottle of
d quinine and barrel of whisky. took
the lines and held the mustangs while
II my friend proceeded to ''work the drug
;. store" He told the druggist that |
: was suffering from sunstrOke, aud that
e worthy man put up a half-pint Of the
e vilest whisky it was ever my lot to
Is sample am generally temperance
II man, but in the interest of truth and
/. science l was compelled to taste the
IL stuff UnquestionabIy it was whisky,
;. though some W hat adulterated and vile
IS to the taste. One never could take il
except as medicine.
III Many people in the east suppose there
u, are no liquor saloons in Kansas. St
ly John, in his piIgrimages, loves to dwell
es upon the success of the temperance
rn cause in Kansas. Perhaps st. Johr
II really believe all he says; but it is &
" fac; that liquor is sold in many of thu
IT, cities of this state openly in saloons
IS, In the little city of New Kiowa Their
ed are ten saloons, beside beer-bottlins
ne establishment, which daily ships bee
y, by the case TO all parts of Kansas. On
,,e, sees drunken men everywhere. an
ne there is not a police court or count
ne court in the state which has not som
IN liquor cases on its docket. Here |
Wichita there are no open saloons, bu
r. drug stores are legion, and there al
u plenty of club rooms where the thirst
soul may find comfort.
In one respect, however, the prohib
ton law is success. 1t prevents th
ing manufacture OF liquor within the stat,
lry There are no breweries or distilleri'
St in Kansas, and the restriction upon tn
ma sale of it makes the. business very prof
un- able. Although beer may be purcha
es- ed by the case for $3, yet the drr
&C stores retail il at 40 cents a bottle.
su- takes silver dollar to buy a half PHI
lim of ordinary whisky, which in Kans
had is called by the euphonious name
md "tarantula juice" Everybody in IA
on sas seems to have horror of tarantuls
uld but 1t is singular fact that one new
ebt hears of any deaths from the bite
tied one, and stranger never sees one
for them. One hears of people who ha
Oh been bitten by the taranfula, but it
nds always in the next town. The cOncl,
at sion becomes irresistible that whisky
so an absolute specific for the poison, al
lere the spider never attacks man W
has not bottle of whisky by him,
in is at least in sight Of a drug store.
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