The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-08-15

wholly unsupported by the facts.
The prohibition amendment was
voted upon at the November election
in 1880. 1t carried by 1898 majority.
Since May lst; 1881, since the first pro-
hibition law took effect, it has been
the cause of more trouble, more bick-
ering, more dissension and more liti-
CATION than any question, political, So
cial or religious, which has for years
arrested the attention of the people of
Kansas. 1t has been doubted if there
was fair vote on this question. Many
voted for it under a Misrepresentation
of its facts, and especially of its i'm
portance
THE LAW WRETCHED FARCE.
It-haSco cost this county thousands of
dollars in its attempted enforcement.
1t has cost this city millions. 1t has
robbed the state of millions. Our mon
ey goes to Missouri. The liquor comes
here and is consumed; the money re-
mains in Missouri. At no time since
the passage of the law has it been en-
forced in Sedgwick county. No reYen-
ne is derived from it. The police force
which at this time is unusually effec
tive. with an ebert and energetic police
board, even with hired spoilers, is I'M
able to suppress the sale of liquor in
this city. We derive no revenue from
its control. The expenses of the city
go on: where is the revenue to meet
them except in 8n increas of taxes?
Prohibition is not temperance. The
barkeeper has not Joined the trouba-
dOur but he has become Il jOintist.
| The leopard has simply changed his
spots.
From Il prominent member of the
metropolitan police force of this city
CLEAN the following significant facts:
In 1888 there were 1873 government
| licenses to sell liquor in the county; on
June Z, 1889, there were eighty-three
government licenses hung up i'll this
city; at this time they number 127.
| Our police court will average about two
straight DRINKS per day. Within the
| last ten days there has been another
raid upon the joints. These raids are
spasmodic. AS the joints close down
the DRINKS in the police court increase.
In the flush times in this city the con-
sumption of beer in Wichita averaged
more than twenty cars per week.
During the present year it has aver
/ aged ten car loads per week. L am
told that a car load of beer is worth
about 81 900. \ child can estimate the
amount of money which goes out of
Wichita in one year for beer alone.
HIGH LICENCE THE SOLUTION.
Again L say that the law has never
| DCCu ClCJ hOl III StnJ
other of the larger cities of Kansas.
Does this look as if the barkeeper has
''joined the troubadOur, the crusader
and the mound builder? Nebraska
has high license so have Colorado and
| Missouri; so has Texas, so will Oklaho-
ma. If we cannot prohibit the traffic
let us regulate it. 1t has reduced it
self to purely business proposition.
Shall we keep our money at home, or
Ill, 20 MTC6Aarr.T9
was Alexander Hamilton who said:
THAT nation will become rich which
keeps its money at shome."
Again, if you desire to see the re-
suits of prohibition, go to Castle Gar
den. The stream of immigrants there
splits. One portion goes to Nebraska
and Dakota, and the other portion
south of us to Texas and the south
west. Competent authority estimates
that the state has lost in the last five
years, 300 900 German settlers. Can {
| young state like Kansas set the exam
pie in prohibition surrounded by higl
license states and without national
prohibition?
Governor st. John is reported TO have
said that the people of Kansas will not
be allowed again to vote on this ques-
ton. To deny them this right believe
is un-American. If the people wan
prohibition they will sustain it at thu
polls. 1t not. it will be better and tn
has never had any business in politics
TIRED OF THE GREAT FRAUD.
l sincerely believe that our people
are tired of prohibition. If you dom
believe it, ask our business men in tn
.. cities and our farmers and citizens
generally. Ask the business men o
Wichita. You may say that this is n
time to agitate the question. Publ
! sentiment is forcing this question t
the front, the democracy having forces
, the issue; the republican party is re
! sponsible for the law and they mus
/ take care of it.
Under our constitution, article II
section /, amendments to the sam
can only be voted upon at the genera
= election held for the election of repre-
i, sentatives; therefore this matter ca
; not be voted upon at the election hel
in November, 1890, unless their is
f special session of the legislature Gale
- this winter. The governor of kauSa
i should call an extra session and tn
= legislature should resubmit this ques
ton to the people this coming winter
i so that they can vote on this question
4 at the November election i'll 1890.
r While | am personally in favor G
s high license and tired of Kansas pre-
g hibition | am still ready and willing
8 submit to the will of the maJoTlt.
e The people should vote again on tn
q question and at the earliest possib
q moment.
: In view of all the facts and the stal
l. of public opinion, l would suggeE
4 that the republican party of this coul
e ty meet the question fairly, and thu
s a plank favoring Tesubmission be il
# corporated in their platform. Re
n pectfully yours.
, O. II BENTLEY,