Wichita eagle., 1889-11-14
WHAT is REsuBM1ss1oNa
Also a Few Words About Meddle-
some BOBBY who Claims that He
is Backed by Wichita.


his weak mouthings could be called
stabs or Misrepresentation, and
without ever a discourteous word
or an unfriendly criticism from the
EAGLE; this scant filled gas bag, Ralph
Easley, whose fuse was fired ere his
muzzle was made safe; this half-feath-
cred fowl. whose crow comes from his
bowels, never from his throat; leaving
his own empty streets and deserted hog
pens, in which he never was but a
CIPHER. comes down to Wichita as a
self-constituted champion of decency,
comes ranting as teacher Of probity,
comes posing as model generally OF a
public teacher and CONSERVATION Of tenn
perance and morality. A skunk from the
slews of blind alley at midnight would
smell sweet in comparison to the pre-
fences of this thing whose boast for
years has been that his highest ambition
was to be known as the greatest liar in
the southwest. For years we have left
this idiot whose jibbers would put the
maudlin cries of a stampeded insane
asylum to the blush. who panoplied with
the impudence begotten only of medioc-
rity, rushes in, with his cheek, where &C
knowledged excellence and undoubted
genius might hesitate, go unrebuked.
He comes now he says, with
his paper,-which has no i'll
fuence at home-to see to it that the
commissioners do their duty in enforc-
ing the prohibitory law in Wichita;
comes as the representative OF At
torner General Kellogg and his
appointee, Mr.. Coffin, comes
as he says, at the solicitation Of the
decent and self-respecting element of
this city. If that is not lie, also, and
if the News has really been paid to be-
come the representative of Assistant
Attorney General Coffin. of the state
administration and of the decent ele-
ments of Wichita, it would be the wisest
thing for its proprietor to move his type
and presses also to Wichita instead of
starving in a town that practically
bursted two years ago, and whose paper
is now forced to sneak and nose around
for support. And further, talking about
Hutchinson, if the few live business men
still hanging on by their eyebrows to
that mere wind-bubble that a hundred
salt wells couldn't save from the fate
which has overtaken its stock yards,
packing houses, etc., those business men
would act wisely if they would follow
the advice given to the News outfit and
move their business to Wichita at the
earliest day, also.
And now of matter of which Wichi-
ia cannot afford to wreck her present or
darken her future by divided councils:
What is, then, attaching to this demand
for resubmission that has such terrible
visage? Has the right of petition become
a crime in Kansas? Has it come to this
that community dare not appeal to
either the people or their representatives
without being denounced by cheap i'm
ported writers, as outlaws, and threaten
ed by them with dire things? Has it be-
come a crime in Kansas to doubt the in
fallible wisdom of Kansas legislature?
Is all wisdom, charity and truth lodged
with self constituted body of mentors?
Do the people no longer dare ask any
thing from a coterie of politicians who
eternally bolster their combine up by
continually lying to each other, each
knowing what the other says is a lie, as
it stands fully revealed by its own sur
roundings? Is there any constitutional
or statutory provision against the people
being permitted to vote on any measure
on which a respectable number may de-
sire hearing? Has it come, in short, to
this, that the people cannot be trusted to
express their desires through the ballot
box?
This whole question of resubmission is
being treated by some as if it proposed
crime, or as if those who advocated it
were unworthy and even dangerous. If
prohibition is right, if it is success
upon the whole, if it is better and a
safer thing than local option or high
license in the minds of a majority of the
people of the state, then there can be
nothing to fear from resubmission, and
nothing to fear from new constitution,
even by the prohibitionists themselves.
There can be nothing revolutionary and
nothing morally or politically wrong in
even respectable minority asking the
privilege of again voting on the prohibit
ton amendment to the constitution, or
on any other amendment. or on the in
strument itself. To grant such request
is surely in accordance with the funda-
mental law Of the country and with the
very genius of all our American institu-
lions, and in full accord with the plat
forms and tenets of all political parties
of the United States. If prohibition is
reaffirmed by a majority vote, then the
law can be more easily and universally
enforced than it is now; and everybody,
every citizen worthy of the name of