Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-07

ING THAT 1T WAS SETTLED AND No LONGER a
DfsPUTED oUEsrIoN-PRoBABLE EFFECT ON
THIS REcESr POLITICAL DEPARTURE.
Special Dispa.ch to The Evening Star
TOPEKA, KAN. July 7.-During the past ten
years Kansas has been the battle ground Of
prohibition. Other states have wavered, but
Kansas has remained firm in the support Of
prohibitory legislation. From the day the
constitutional amendment adopted the re-
publican party has been it's champion. and IN
every state and almost every county platform
the law has been indorsed and upheld. In fact,
prohibition was the supreme ISSUE. and every
politician Of the republican persuasion, no
matter what his capacity for liquor or how
crimson his nose, took the stump and defended
II as the greatest moral blessing ever conferred
on a state.
On the other hand the democratic party as
sumed rs radical position against prohibition,
and In every convention declared against il q
pernicious and un-American principle which
sought to regulate the habits OF people by law
and to say to the citizen that he should not en-
Joy the rights guaranteed by the Constitution
Until the beginning of last year, when the
Farmers Alliance movement began to agitate
the people, the prohibitory question was the
paramount issne with the republican party.
The farmers always rallied to the polls and
supported the republican ticket because IL
represented prohibition. and the leaders were
| and 20 cap the climax made it a round $1,000
in 1855.
Last year when the state campaign opened
the republican managers were confident that
the alliance movement would melt before the
Kansas sun when the question OF prohibition
or rum was presented to the farmers They
called their state convention. made platform
| and again resolved in favor of prohibition.
The alliance state convention had nominated Q
| ticket and ignored the question. The demo-
baanueutlv h..ld heir ia-
manded . resubmission of the prohibitory
amendment and went before the people with
the same old war cry.
NOT POLITICAL ISSUE.
II soon developed that the new alliance or
peoples party WAS opposed TO even discussing
the question. Their leaders declared that pro-
hibition was n settled issue ana a part OF the
organic law Of the state. II not question
with them, they said, las TO whether the saloon
should set up near the home. but whether they
should have the home. They would first save
the home. then If il was imperiled by the
saloon they would address themselves to that
matter"
This kind Of argument and this way Of dis
posing Of the prohibition question stumped the
two old parties. One was demanding resub-
mission, the other fighting for the strengthen
ing and perpetuation of prohibition, while ths
advocates of the peoples party, led by Jerry
Simpson. Mrs. Lease, Senator PETER and others
Wall street" and demanding more money ner
capita
When the election was over and the ballots
counted the leaders of both republican and
democratic parties commenced considering
the situation. Ii was the verdict Of all that
the alliance men had acted with more political
Judgment and sagacity than either Of the old
parties, and has brought about q radical
change Of sentiment in the republican ranks IN
this state. 1t was shown by the vote last fall
that fully 1900 republicans voted for Chas
Robinson, the democratic candidate for gov
ernor because of the attitude Of their party on
this question. In every campaign large num-
bers Of republicans have voted the democratic
ticket because of their antipathy to prohibi-
ton, and this fact, together With the action OF
the Farmers Alliance last fall in totally ignor-
ing the question, has changed the sentiment Of
thousands of republicans, who less pro-
hibitlorists. but who believe IL TO be a fxed