Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-01-16
The 1a1u ap ghursday gnorne january Is, 1890


| lions involved in this controversy even
| greater and more important to our people,
and the system of government under
which we live, than the question OF prohl-
| bition or license.
| The first question to be decided is
whether on the free soil of Kansas citl-
zen has the right to express his honest
| sentiments on this question adverse to
prohibition without receiving personal
abuse and vituperatlon. lt Is question
of free speech against gag law. tolerance
and free thought against Intolerance and
| bigotry.
| The other question is whether the people
can be trusted to decide their own policy
on this and other questions of great public
| concern, or whether the whole matter
shall be settled by small junta of poll
ticians. We believe the people can and
should be trusted. Sincerely yours,
G. G. FOSTER.
| 1t is needless to say the letter was given
hearty welcome.
Mr.. J. w. Steen, of Kingman, being in
troduced, said it give him great pleasure
30 speak before typical Wichita audi
ence. Referred to the fact that Senator
Bentley was the first public man in the
state to come out for resubmission and
| that Colonel Murdoch, of the EAGLE, had
been the first leading editor of the state
who had come out for resubmission. He
referred to the formation of the state or
ganization, and gave assurances tnat
many clubs would be formed in the state.
He could not tell what effect the organiza-
ton would have on a Kansas Legislature,
for no power could foretell anything about
a Kansas legislature. But there was one
thing certain, that the people Of Kansas
could bury some ring politicians and its
prosperity not be injured, and that this
would be done was easy and safe to pre-
dict. He thought that prohibition was not
a success as far as keeping the people of
the state from drinking. In kingman
last year in ten months forty-two car loads
of beer were used, and in Leaven worth
they use intoxicants for irrigation rur
poses. 1t cost kingman county over SILL
600 last year in attempting to enforce the
prohibition law, and it was not enforced as
shown by the torty-two car loads, and no
revenue Yet the Kansas politician thinks
there is money and sobriety IN 0he prohi-
bition law.
He thought it was not the part of state
to look after the spiritual welfare of its
people and certainly an average Kansas
politician has little influence in spiritual
affairs. The prohibitioDists OF Kansas
would want prohibitory amendment on
the ten commandments. The politicians
of Kansas kick on resubmisslon because
they are afraid they will lose their jobs.
Thought because man wanted to express
himself at the ballot on a question that
concerned him he should not be called
vagabond and an anarchist. The prohibi-
ton law kept out the Germans but let IN
the Irish for the latter felt like rustling
for a drink and could get 1t with row
inst as easy as with peace.
After music by the orchestra the COM
mttee on resolutions through its chair
man, Mr. l.. d. Skinner, reported the
following:
Whereas, For nearly nine years we have
observed the workings of the prohlbitory
liquor law in the state of Kansas; and
Whereas, Constitutional prohibition is
not recognized principle of the national
Republican party; and
Whereas, We believe that any public
measure in the hands of an enlightened
people is absolutely safe; and
Whereas, The Republican party has
ever been the champion OF freedom, both
of speech and press; and
Whereas, We are in favor of temperance
aud the enforcement or all laws constltu
tionaily enacted but
Whereas, A very large number of people
throughout all portions of our state desire
to again be heard on this question through
the ballot box; therefore,
Resolved. First-That it is the sense of
this meeting that Governor Humphrey is
warranted in converting the Legislature in
special session for the purpose of resub-
hitting the prohibitory amendment to the
people.
Second-That as citizens of Wichita, we
are OF the opinion that the infection of
system of metropolitan police, and an as
sistant attorney general, have not aided
the cause of true temperance.
Third-That we are as capable, and as
willing to enforce our own laws as is the
state of Kansas to enforce them for Us.
Fourth-That we are Republicans, and
we have right to ask relief through our
party, and this we propose to do, threats OF
political crucifXlOn by ring newspapers
and political bosses, to the contrary not
withstanding.
Fifth-That we gladly except from the
above mentioned newspaper clique. the
Wichita EAGLE, and we take occasion to
publicly thank its editor for his manly,
generous and straitforward course IN
meeting the real issue. There are also
many other papers throughout the state
that we except from the above criticism.
Sixth-While we claim for the Prohibi-
tionists the freest right to be heard, we do
not feel that they are warranted in asSum-
ing all the brains, all the honor, all the
patriotism, all the Republicanism, all the
morality, and all the respectability are
contained within the Prohibition ranks.
When the reading had been completed
there was liberal cheering and the Hon.
GeorgesL. Douglass, spoke as follows:
am requested by the gentlemen around
me to move the adoption of the resolutions
read, and | do so because these resolutions
embody trio of principles upon which the
good people of this county stand and upon
which propose to stand. Temperance,
the enforcement of the law, and coupled
with these, the eternal right OF the people
to be heard.
The first resubmission meeting in Wich
tia adopted resolutions favoring temper
ance and the enforcement of law, but de-
manding the right to be heard upon what
that law shall be, and we hurl back the
SANDER that we are either the breakers or
the enemies of law.
Why should Republican be for resub-
mission? Because reSubmlSslon means
the right of the people TO be heard, and l
notice by the morning papers that when
any prominent Republican announces
himself as ''irrevocably" opposed to allow
ing the people this privilege he wisely fol-
lows it up with letter announcing his
intention of withdrawing from public life.
The demand for a rehearing of the pro-
hibition comes from men who honestly be-
lieve that the joint system is detriment
to the moral welfare of the state-from
men who honestly believe that 1t is vast
detriment to the material interests of the
state-from men who believe that it deters
from coming to this state vast numbers of
that useful and industrious German peo-
ple to whom many other states owe so
much of their stability and wealth; and
finally from men who believe that, over
and above all minor questions, there rises
the great and overshadowing proposition