Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-07-03
DOES PROHIBITION PROHIBIT.
of 1, Missouri Editor
on Tour Through Kansas.
From the Plattsburg Democrat.

TFrom the Plattsburg Democrat.
Before giving the results OF my OBJ
as to the workings of the
Kansas prohibitory law in Emporia, il
will be proper to say, by way of pre-
face, that the law limits and restricts
the sale of liquor entirely to drug
stores. The person desiring to pur
chase is required to sign statement
setting forth that the liquor is to be
used only for medicinal, mechanical or
scientific purposes. If for medicinal,
the particular disease, complaint or
ailment must be set forth. No person
can purchase liquor twice in any one
day at the same drug store. The drug
gist is required to file his statements
once month in the Office ofthe probate
Judge of the county, and for each state
memt so filed the law allows a fee of
five cents, payable by the druggist.
These fees make the office of probate
judge in Kansas quite a lucrative one,
in the larger counties. The
effect upon the judges themselves will
be considered hereafter.
The druggists statements, latter being
filed in the Office of the probate court,
become a part of the public records,
and may be examined, even while yet
in the possession of the druggist, by
any person desiring to do so. The law
compels the druggist to allow this
scrutiny of his liquor statements. 1t is
needless to say that but a small per-
centage of the liquor sold is for mechan-
ical or scientific purposes. The sales
for medicine are, however, simply
enormous, when compared with other
remedial agents. This is owing to the
fact that the law now permits each
person to prescribe for himself, instead
of requiring him to secure physicians
certificate, as is the case in Missouri.
The law at first required a physician 5
certificate, but the average Kansas
citizen thought himself just as cOmpe-
tent to judge of his need of stimulants
as any physician, no matter from what
medical coIlege he may have been sent
forth to prescribe for the ills and all
ments of his fellowmen. The law was
changed, and purchases can now be
made by simply signing the required
statement.
The first and most notable result fol-
lowing the enactment of the law was
the rapid increase in the number of
drug stores all over the state. Even
Emporia-birthplace of prohibition, as
it claims to be-suddenly discovered
that it needed several more drug stores
than it did when liquor was sold in
saloons. 1t now has ten or dozen,
and it Is safe to say that half the num-
ber would meet all the requirements OF
the people of the city and the country
tributary to it. | say this because
Emporia claims to be, and believe is
healthful city, and its people remark.
ably free from diseases which prevail
in less favorably situated cities OF equal
population. This is my judgment and
I find it backed by press and pamphlet
and bulky tome,in which the healthful.
ness of Emporia has been ably ant
eloquently set forth.
But the statements on tilt
in the office of the probate judge o
Lyon county tell different
story, and show that Notwithstanding
its fine situation, pure air, salubriOu:
climate, and natural advantages, to say
nothing of its being temperanc,
| colony, it is little better than city o
| invalids. Over their own signatures
EmporianS have confessed themselve
to be grievOusly afflicted with ailment
innumerable, of which general debility
is chief. There are thousands upol
thousands of these statements on file il
the probate judges office, and tn,
stranger who examines them wonder
if i'm all EmpOria there can be found eve.
| nd hanlthf,.l
The man who, over his own sigma
ture, has not confessed himself afflicted
with general debility, rheumatism
dyspepsia, bad cold, loss of appetite
seems to be hard to find. 1t is not onl
cariOus to note how accurately eacI
applicant dlagn )ses his own case, bu
how unanimously the various appli
cants select the same remedy for tn
innummerable ailments which afflic
them. The wonderful "half pint
seems to be tho cure-all, in who's
magical effectsihey repose unqnestione,
confidence. Such unanimity in tn
selection of remedial agent is simpl,
wOndrOus, when the fact thai it is self
prescribed, by men who are suppose,
to possess neither the medical know
ledge or skill necessary to corr ectly in
terpret symptoms of disease or Judge @
the remedies for their cure. Eve
physicians themselves, when ill, dis
credit their own judgment, and trus
themselves TO their brother physicians
but the Kansas citizen, no matter wha
his ailment, takes it upon himself t
prescribe tor himself. His unerrin
Judgment fixes upon the same sOvereig
remedy for every ailment, and his fait
in the virtues of the miraculous "hal
pint is simply sublime.
But right here | wish to call atten
ton to another curious, if not even re
markable, revelation OF the druggists
statements. They contradict, cOntro
vert and retute one of the principa
arguments of the prOhibitionists, VIII
contend that alcohol is poison an
its use, even as a medicine, is unneces
sary. This argument urged from tn
pulpit, the platform, the stump an
through the prohibition press had il
influence in securing the adoption {
the prohibition amendment. Yet, n
sooner does prohibition become a La
than it is discovered that for gener,
debility, dyspepsia, bad colds and a
innumerable catalogue of physical all
ments whisky is a sovereign specific
Kansas abolishes it as beverage onl
to adopt it as a medicine. In perhaI
no other state is it so highly priced G
so generally relied upon as remedi,
agent and specific for physical ailments
1t is recognized as IL medicine by th
state constitution and the acts of tll
general assembly. OF so great impol
tauce is il considered that the citizen
permitted to be the judge of his ow
case and prescribe for 1t himself accOrt
ing To statutory form. 1t has thu
: received the Endorsement of prohib
tiOmists themselves, that indorsemen
being fortified by the great seal of tn
state OF Kansas.
affairs, but that it actually exists th
laws of Kansas and the files of state
ments in the probate Judges Office j
every county in the state, bear ampl
evidence. Emporia, too, recognize
liquor as Il sovereign specific for nearl
all the ills flesh is heir to. and her cit
zens consider themselves competen
to Judge for themselves when and no,
f often they need its assistance to restor
their physical health. According t
this mass of evidence, general debllit
is common Inheritance, and all III
literature sent broadcast over the laid
picturing EmpOria as Il haven of healtl
is simply refined fiction.
That these statements are not to /