, 1889-08-15

engaged in the legitimate drug business.
Neither one of the cities mentioned sus.
tains any such number of drug stores.
From these facts the conclusion is ire
sistiblc that prohibition does not pro.
hibit, and the daily violation of ono law
without punishment following sure and
quick, oducates tho criminal and and
encourages and cmboldens him to com.
init other and graver crimes. III one law
can he violated with impunity, why not
anotherr
But it is said that the growth and
prosperity of the state has not been af.
iectcd by the law In one point of view
ms Is correct. In another 1t is not. We
do not know whether IL
HAS RETARDED IMMIGRATION
or not. The population of the state has
increased but the burdens of taxation
have not decreased. The principal cities
in the state have increased In popula-
tton and IN wealth, but the per cent of
taxation has not been reduced. II this
Is true there must be some logical reason
for 1t. Compare the expenses of the
police department of any CITY of the
tirst-class at this time with the expenses
prior TO 1850, and you have your answer.
II is claimed that the Metropolitan po-
lice of Atchinson, Leavenworth ana other
cities is self-sustaining. The claim may
u
proves beyond question that very
large revenue is derived from fines and
fOrteitureS eNaCted from those who yio-
late the law and that it Is all required to
pay those who collect it. In other words,
instead of collecting the revenue as
license IL Is collected as fine or for
1eiture. Instead of being able to use IL
for gas, water and improvement of
streets, as 1t was under the license sys.
tom, IL is now used to pay the salaries
of the brnss-button gentlemen who col
lect it, The more fines and forieitures
collected the more conclusive the evil
denCe that
THE LAW is A FAILURE.
Iho expense of the metropolitan po-
lice force of the city of Atchison is near
ly 5000 per month, not including the
salaries of the commissioners. Since
April l, 1850 it has been self-sustaining.
But from what source comes the reve-
nue? II is paid by those who violate
the law. The gas, water bills and street
improvements are paid from other
sources. The police force in'each city
understands that unless the salary of
each member is provided for by the col
lection of sufficient fines and forteiturcs,
II Will probably not be paid at all,
thus causing a standing temptation
TO permit, or wink at" q viola.
ton of the law, if the violator,
from month 10 month, VIII pay
fine or put up" forfeiture in cash
There exists kind of partnership be.
tween the police force and the criminal
viii any reputable citizen of Leavcn.
worth contend that the large per cent of
of the very large amount collected each
month by its police department does
not come from those arrested for viola.
ton Of the prohibitory law2 If this is
correct does prohibition prohibit2 Has
not this character of revenue been col.
lected during the last ten years2 Sena.
tor ingalls, says that license or prohi.
bition are the alternatives; between
them IS no middle ground" To this
everyone must give assent. In Kansas
strictly speaking there is neither license
nor prohibition, unless unlawful license
in practice and lawful prohibition in
theory answer To- the alternative.
The experience of ten years demon.
strates that until we can have national
prohibition, until the federal govern
mcnt takes hold of the question and
says that traffic in liquor shall cease,
state prohibition will be II failure, and
the cause OF temperance and sobriety,
instead of being promoted, will retro
grade to that plane from which it has
been taken by the earnest efforts of those
who have labored so long aud earnestly
for its advancement.
II. L, WAGGENER,