Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-08-15
"ANOrHER VIEW OF IT."

On reading the article in last weeks
NEWS under the above heading, sign
ed "Citizen," who closes his letter by
saying that be had "endcavOred to
make a plain, unvarnished statement
Of facts, as they appear from bust
ness standpoint, and that il such state
ments are not true, then they are un-
worthy of consideration"
"Citizen thus invites his readers to
examine his statements carefully, as to
their truthfulness or otherwise, which
Invitation accept as one OF the many
readers of TIE article, which article l
believe is sincere expression by "Cit-
izen" OF his highest convictions on one
of the great questions which is con-
fronting not only those whose habits
and environments in business and
social life have had much to do in
shaping their opinions and keeping
them in line with that free and easy
policy which is called in questionable
parlance, "Every man for himself and
the devil take the hindmost,' but
which also ia appealing to another
class of men and women who are con-
sidering this question more seriously
and who are uniting themselves In
lawful efforts TO suppress and eradicate
one of the principal causes of suffer-
ing and crime in This countryside
LIQUOR traffic-who are earnestly labor.
ing to protect society from the baleful
consequence Of traffic that democrat
ICES and degrades mon and women,
and who would save our boys and
girls from contamination with pro-
family, vulgarity and indecency (the
legitimate and only fruits of drunk
enness) with which they come in COIL
tact in every town wherein joints are
encouraged, and kept by irresponsible
and immoral men who boldly carry on
q nefarious business in defiance OF any
public sentiment to the contrary and
in open violation of the laws Of our
state,
Can ii possibly be true that "Citi-
zen" does mot favor lawbreakers" nor
"the illegal sale Of liquor" while tire
whole tenor of his article deplOres the
fact that the recent joints in this city
were closed by those whom he would
stigmatize as Yindictive raiders, and
imaginee that the city has lost many
thousands of dollars already since the
closing of three joints by a terrible
iRQuisition?
And such is the grave offense inn
pliedly charged by "Citizen" against
those patient and long-forbearing
fathers and mothers because they have
made one effort 10 have the laws re-
spected and order maintained in our
city. "Cilizen" further states that
many OF his friends IN the country and
territory "who are temperance men
but not fanatics" tell him that they
will not come to Baxter to trade un.
Iess they can he accorded such mum.
cipal treatment in the way of refresh
ments as is extended to them in other
towns existing under the same laws.
Does "Cilizen" put such statement as
this before the people for the purpose
of bringing a pressure 10 bear upon
our municipal officers TO cause them to
pass an ordinance authorizing the
opening of saloons for the sale Of liq.
uors contrary to the constitution aud
laws of Kansas, and ell this that the
depraved appetites aud passions OF
such frieuds may be satisfied when
thew come 10 Baxter Springs to trade Z
II so, then let me ask what provisions
wonld "Citizen" have made for that
other class Of friends (among whom
be may have some customers) who
arc temperance men and women, but
sUho are faRalicsP Fanatics because
they do not drink beer and whiskey