Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-07-24
THE NORTHWEST
KANSAS LETTER.
CLAY CENTER, KAN, July IA, 1880.

The hot days of summer are at hand SUI
enough, and those who we're complaining b'
cause the spring was 80 late are now wishin
it had been little later. The past two weeA
have been very hot, the thermometer rangin
from 100 to 105 degrees in the shade. A
rains have been quite frequent, however, tn
hot weather has been a fine thing for th
crops, and corn is booming. 1t is said tina
the crops in Kansas will be very heavy thi
season, even heavier than last year. IT thi
proves to be true Kansas will take wonder
full start toward renewed prosperity. The vi
tality of this State is marvellous. 1t has ha'
trouble enough, count everything in its his
tory, to have swamped many an empire; ye
its progress has been steadily onward, and it
development has exceeded that of any Stat
in the Union. 1t has been proud of its hin
ORANGES and laughed at discouragements. 1
set out in life with high aims and its motto
"Ad astra per aspera,", seems wonderfully
appropriate when one considers the story o.
the formation and growth of the common
wealth. Difficulties" only spur the Kansar
to renewed effort, and no matter how thich
are the clouds, he always manages to keep the
''stars' in view. Amid Missouri raids, wal
troubles, starvation, grass-hoppers, busted
houses, prohibition and "Original Package
decisions, the Kansan walks undismayed; as
tonished at nothing (unless it be that some
one does not think Kansas the best State in
the unionD always energetic, hopeful and full
of confidence in himself and in the future of
his State.
The most stunning reverses makes no i'm
preston upon him. Ifhis crops are destroyed
by wind, hail or grasshoppers, he philosoph-
ically accepts it as one of the "difficulties'
and calmly pursues his stellar journey. If his
boom bursts he quietly and speedily con-
structs another. If the freight is too high
from here to New York, he goes to work with
out any fuss, and builds 'deep water" har-
Dor on the "Gulf" and ships his corn to Eu-
rope by that route, and if there is not enough
rain in parts of the State he builds vast irri
eating systems to supply the deficiency.
About the only thing that will disturb his
self command is any disposition on the part
of individual or government to deny his
right to govern himself as he pleases, and
this brings us to the absorbing subject of dis
cussion. all over Kansas to-day-the "Origi
nal Package decision.
Nothing in years has so stirred up Kansas
as has that famous decision. The friends of
prohibition we're thrown into dismay, and
the resubmissionists correspondingly elated.
At first it was thought that the open saloon
and all its attendant horrors was again to be
among US. The Kansas City Times, which
has been the organ of the saloon ever since
Kansas ruled out Kansas City whisky, re-
joiced in the blackest of headlines at the
emancipation of the down trodden people
of Kansas, who could now have the glorious
right of every freeborn citizen of this great
republic, to get drunk and make fool of
himself, even if he did no more. But the peo
pie of the State soon recovered from their
momentary panic, and at once every town
and village organized to fight the supreme
court saloon" as they called it. They resolv
cd to make its "days few in the land, and full
of trouble" and that they have succeeded is
proven by the fact that the "original package
houses" are very scarce and the Kansas City
Times is bewailing the rebellion of the Kan
sas people against the power of the United
States government.
The policy of the Kansans is very simple
to worry the saloon men till they are glad to
leave. Soon as an original package man ap-
pears he is met by a committee of citizens
and politely informed that he is not wanted;
sometimes that has the desired effect, and he
moves on to pastures new; in case he does
not, soon as he begins business he is arrested
and thrown into prison. He appeals his case
to Judge Foster of the United States Court, |
at Topeka, who relieves him, and he opens up
again fondly imagining that he will now sell
all the whisky he wants to; but his dream is
soon spoiled by the officers of the law again |
arresting him, and the same process has to be |
repeated. So it goes each time he is arrested |
on some new charge, and his stay in the COM
munity depends upon how much patience he |
has and how much money he can command. |
A few days ago man attempted to open an |
original package house in Ottawa. The goods |
were being hauled up the street on a dray
when at the ringing of all the bells in town,
hundreds of people assembled to prevent the |
outrage. He was requested to leave but re-
fused to do SO. By this time the dray had ar
rived when the "mob" (see K. G. Tines took
possession of it, conveyed it to the depot and
shipped the goods back to Kansas City.
Here at Clay Center man attempted to
rent a room for original nackaoa pnrnoeae |
but up to time of writing has failed to secure
one. One proprietor told him he would rent
him his room for $1O00per month, Atameet-
ing held week ago committee was appoint
cd to keep watch Of such moves, and they
convinced the mar that he had better leave,
or at least had best give up the idea Of OPEN