The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-11
KELLYS PROHIBITION MEETING.
Its Expert Witnesses and Shining
Lights.

It's Expert Witnesses and Shining
Lights.
The prohibition meeting which was
held in our city a few evenings since
mechanically adopted set of cut and
dried resolutions prepared in advance for
the purpose.
The resolutions were signed by a COM
mittee of which Charles F. Coffin dubbed
himself s'chmn' and of which II. w.
Lewis was an humble member.
These resolutions contain two very
peculiar declarations. The first is in the
words, That we again declare our faith
in prohibition, as principle" These
gentlemen. it may be supposed, put the
case as strongly in favor of prohibition
as their consciences would allow. Their
object in passing and publishing these
resolutions was to testify all that could
be testified in favor of prohibition. Yet
when they deliberately place themselves
on the stand as witnesses all they can
say and all they do say is, that they still
have faith in prohibition-as a principle.
They do not say that they have faith in
prohibition as practical and efficient
means Of reform.
The country is asking these gentlemen
what they have to say of prohibition
in its practical application. But
their only answer Is, we have
faith in it-as principle.
The other declaration which is without
a parallel as a specimen Of shuffling eva
sion reads: That we reiterate the fact
and defy a contrary showing, that in our
state, as a whole, the prohibitory law has
been better enforced, and has more COM
pletely accomplished its purpose than any
other prominent criminal law on
our statute books" Oh. no! n
our state-AS WHOLE! what
about its several parts? Coffin is
assistant attorney general and Lewis is
president Of the board of police commits
sioners, appointed for the express and
only purpose Of enforcing the prohibitory
law in Wichita. They are not re-
Quired to enforce any other
prominent criminal law but to dedicate
their official souls to the enforcement Of
prohibition in Wichita, only Wichita.
Now, the world at large naturally expects
that Lewis and Coffin would be expert
witnesses on prohibition in Wichita.
Everybody knows that they know no
more about "Our state-as whole, than
any other citizen. When Lewis and
Coffin testify they are expected to throw
light on what they are Supposed to know,
about no single declara-
ton would be SO great an argu-
ment in favor of prohibition
in our state-as a whole. as the single
fact Of the enforcement Of prohibition in
Wichita. And here are the men who
know all about it and who are trying to
ton somewhere else and who are APP
pointed and sworn to secure prohibition
for Wichita who do not and dare not say
they have or can procure even the sem
blance of prohibition in Wichita, but are
to fall back upon our state
as a whole" The way to get at the truth
is for every man to speak for his own
locality. Messrs. Coffin and Lewis
if sworn, would have 10 say that prohi-
bition in Wichita is a mOnstrous farce;
they would have to say that under the
present board of police commissioners
and assistant attorney general, more IL
quor has been sold, more places for the
sale of liquor have been maintained,
liquor selling has been more openly and
carried on, and fewer men are
being prosecuted and convicted for it
than ever before in the history of the /
city. I'VE reiterate the fact and defy a |
contrary showing There has been no /
original package house opened in Wich- /
tia. Such an institution could not live |
for want of patronage. Liquor is so /
openly and so easily obtained in .
the old and regular way that there is no /
occasion and no demand for the orig /
NAL package" There are several ques- !
tons Assistant Attorney General Coffin .
might answer that might iIelp the cause /
Of prohibition. We instance some of /
them: What are you assistant attorney |
general for: How many prosecutions /
have you instituted? How many have I
you tried: How many convictions have /
YOU got: How many cases have you .
dismissed without trial? How many /
have been knocked out of court? Why /
don't you enforce the law?
Police Commissioner Lewis might also .
answer some questions: What are you
police commissioner for? What have YOU
done to enforce the law? Why don't she .
enforce? What Is the matter with COT /
lin: Is Wichita any part of our state
Is a whole?