Wichita eagle., 1889-11-28

NOt OuSSSStSO
The meeting announced for the Garfield
last night was referred to as an anti
resubmission meeting It was called to
order by Mr. j. c. Rutan and committee
on resolutions appointed consisting of T.
Hatfield, w. B. Smith and Rev. w. b.
Hendryx The chair announced that list
of speakers had been agreed upon and the
first was Colonel H. w. Lewis. He said
he had seldom addressed the people from
the public platform. Nothing but an i'm
portant question would call business
man before the pnbllc. The time had
come when every man should show MS
colors. This city had been given the honor
of being the battle ground OF modern pro-
hibition. The city has been the scene OF
many contest, and the business men had
stood shoulder to shoulder In the interest
of the city, but on the prohibition cues
tion are divided. The opposition had COM
menced to fight. The arguments had been
presented and it consisted mainly OF a
howl for revenue. Resubmission for rev.
enue. 1t was said al empty treasury. 1t
was said $780, 900 would come by the way
of revenue. The speaker commenced to
| figure out how much liquor would have to
be sold to bring the city that amount. The
money to buy the liquors come from the
aud estimate one dollar in three in the bus
mess reached the city treasury. The ratio
would send 500, 900 to 500, 900 in the city
treasury He estimated 12,00C barrels of
beer would have to be sold in the city to
BRING the revenue and last year in the en-
tire state only 5000 barrels were used
| I,fn ant
that as much beer was used in the city
now as would be used under high license.
AS to the cry for resabmission he
thought the amendment had been adopted
by vote and no revots called for.
Thought it just AS reasonable the south
| should petition congress to wipe out the
Thirteenth amendment. In Kansas it was IA
| bowling minority that wanted resubmls-
sion. The proposition was ridiculous and
got up to catch prohibitionists. He did
not think prohibition would fail If voted
upon in the state, but as a Republican he
objected to Democrats debating resubmis-
sion to Republicans and a few Republicans
taken in by Democrats. The rule of a man
voting in the minority could not move a
reconsideration and hence Democrats
would be excluded from asking resub-
mission.
The laws against murder and robbery
did not prevent such crimes. Why not
license man for s, 900 to kill a man or to
burn houses? The 1000 would help the
city treasury. There was no sense In the
argument and must fall. He insisted that
hard times had brought about the howl of
resubmission cranks They took advant-
age of the circumstances. If he was sat-
isfied high license would help the poor he
would favor it, He thought the police
commission could enforce the law in five
or ten years. Had to fight front and rear
at the same time. The jointist in the front,
resubmssion on the flank and crank pro-
hibitionists in the rear. bowling fraud.
impuning motives. He invited the enemy
of all kinds in the front, and with Kansas
behind the police board they could be VIC
torious The speaker was literally ap-
plauded.
The chair announced the Rev. DR..
Winters. The speaker said he scarcely
knew why he had been called upon. He
would not speak about resubmission but
on the enforcement of the law. He had
been along dark streets late at night and
at various times and had seen very little
disorder. 1t might be true there were
joints in Wichita but he was accustomed
to see more drunken men in other cities.
If the police commissioners had failed to
enforce the law it was the fault of the
people No one class of men in
city could be held responsible for
the enforcement of the law. He
was a Republican in 10 party sense but
believed IN Republican form of govern
mept "a law that could not be enforced
should be wiped out" This raised quite
a cheer. The speaker added, don't repeal
it until we see if it can be enforced" This
gave the prohibs a chance to yell and it
came out with the force of a summer con-
vention. The good man scarcely under
stood how the racket come in logically,
but continuing thought there were fewer
beggars in Wichita than in a saloon town
and taxes less here than in a saloon town.
He closed with an appeal to enforce the
law.
w. f. Stanley was presented and said
the argument of Colonel Lewis
don't close joints. Public meet
ings don't enforce the law. 1 dom,
see man here who ever gave me help to
!
kicked, complained" And Deacon Smith
was op the stage and looked awful sour
'If half of you would help IN the next ten
DAYS to enforce the law as you have worked
to criticise us there would be no joints in
Wichita" This was followed with silence
painful He said the interest of al
mutual and all should look to the enforce
ment of the law. 1t was not strange tc
differ the people coming from everywhere
If the law was failure the people were
responsible for it.
The speaker asked why people wanted
resubmission and answered by say
ing the object was to wipe
out prohibition. He insisted tina,
Wichita was not Kansas. He announced
after some figuring that the saloon would
never get back to Kansas He thought
one hall packed in Wichita for resubmis-
sion scarcely enough to change the state.
Jumping on the prohibition cranks'
he said they were less reliable than any
body 1t was not true $50 joints were ii
Wichita, but if true less dangerous thar
gilded saloons He assured the Grove
that the joint in the Balch building had
been closed in the last few hours. 1t wa:
an easy thing to talk about enforcing the
law, but little help. The two papers il
the city had for years been against proni
bition.
He thought if prohibition was downeC
in Kansas it would be hard fight for higf
license. 1t was more respectable to get {
drink in a saloon and hence more danger