Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-15
Prohibition in Kansas.

The disingenuous article by Senator In
gals in the current number of the Forum, on
prohibition in Kansas. has drawn a sharp,
incisive reply from Mayor Waggener. of At
Gibson. Senator Ingalls,. it will be remem-
bered, remarked in private not very long ago
that prohibition in his State is all right be-
cause "the Prohibitionists have their law and
the boys have their whisky, so everybody is
satisfied" In his Forum article he puts on
sanctimonious face and declares for prohibi-
ton on principle and because of its good re-
suits. Mayor Waggener lifts this curtain up.
on the actual state of affairs and graphically
describes the situation as it is there, always
will be wherever prohibition is tried. The
most striking consequences of the law are
thus delineated:
The traffic in liquors was not abolished.
1t was driven to cellar and attic and to the
boot leg and hip pocket. The responsible
men who had been engaged in the business
quit and engaged in other business or left the
State. In their stead came great army of
disreputable scoundrels and irresponsible
tramps and vagabonds, who became the pro-
prietors of the joints and low dives with
which nearly every community in Kansas is
now cursed. These men were born violators
of the law. Their places of business became
the rendezvous of criminals, and the police
forces of the cities were wholly inadequate to
restrain such places of iniquity or prevent
the depredations of their regular patrons.
The most lucrative business in Kansas is
the drug store" where intoxicants are sold
according to law.
The social clubs have been organized and
incorporated, to whose rooms no one is ad-
mitted unless he holds "a key" These
places are now tolerated throughout the
State because they pay certain amount to-
ward defraying the expenses of the govern
ment. 1t is true they are not licensed but
they are not interfered with provided at least
once each month the ''troubadour, or the
mound-builder," submits to an arrest. under
the name of John Doe or Richard Roe, and
puts up" to the chief of the metropolitan
police force 1926, $50 or 800 as security for
his appearance at the police court the next
morning. Of course he does not appear. He
is not expected. If he should appear the
chief has no evidence against him. If he
does not appear his security is forfeited and
the same proceeding is had each successive
month, and SO the farce goes on.
The railroads and express companies are
doing large business in the transportation
of beer and whisky from other States into
Kansas. An examination of the records will
show that thousands of barrels of whisky and
cases of beer are daily shipped into Kansas
consigned to cities and towns throughout the
entire State.
In every political contest, municipal aud
State, since 1880 the "drink question" has
been an important and in many instances
the controlling factor. The communities are
in a constant turmoil and agitation over the
subject.
The experience of ten years demonstrates
that until we can have national prohibition,
until the federal government takes hold of
the question and says that traffic in liquor
shall cease, State prohibition will be failure
and the cause of temperance and sobriety in
stead of being promoted will retrograde to
that plane from whice it has been taken by
the earnest efforts of those who have labored
so long and earnestly for its advancement.