Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-08-08
ANOTHER VIEW OF II.
BAXTER SPR1Nas, Aug. g. 1891

EDITOR News: In reply to Prof.
Mobiles letter In last weeks News /
wish to say that while entertain the
highest respect for Prof. Noble, ! beg
leave to differ with him in regard TO
the liquor question. / do not favor
the awbreakers or the illegal sale Of
liquor, but as q matter Of business !
believe the vindictive raid on our So
called 'joints" has cost the city many
thousands Of dollars In trade. l am
satisfied from personal inquiry and
close examination that q portion Of
our outside trade-perhaps one-third-
has been driven away, and l believe
that every merchant Of Baxter Springs
will substantia;e what / say. / be-
lieve that business has been decreas-
ing steadily since the beginning Of
this inquisition and ] can attribute il
to 10 other cause. We do not see as
many teams OH the streets as we did a
month ago and many of my friends
from the country and the territory,
who are temperance men but not fana-
tics, tell me they will not come 10 Bax-
ter to trade unless they can be accord
ed such municipal treatment in the
way of refreshments rs is extended
to them IN other towns existing under
the same laws. Others say they are
afraid to come here because they may
be called upon to testify as witnesses
In the cases now in court.
For the past year /, in common with
other merchants, have been working
to secure the Indian trade. We have
trusted many parties living in the
territory, hoping to get big share Of
the trade when the annuities were PAID
this fall. We have counted largely
in getting this trade and just now
when the payments are being made an
effort has been put forth TO drive our
customers away to Seneca, Mo-, to
spend their money. That they have
succeeded in that direction, it is OBJ
vious to any unprecedented person.
The EPeorias were paid $4,000 last
Saturday and scarcely dollar of that
money came to Baxter Springs. Other
payments will be made one after an
other, but the money will go to other
towns If the present condition pre-
walls.
There may be difference of opin-
ion as to whether or not prohibition
does work an injury 10 any town or
country, but all unprejudiced and rea-
sonable persons must agree that it is a
calamity to q town where the neigh
boring towns do not practice it.
am told there are sixteen places in
Galena where liquor is sold and quite
a number in Columbus, Weir, Scam
mon and Chetops. The Columbus
Star Courier of last week says there
are fifty places in Cherokee county
where intoxicating liquors are sold
over the counter. If this is so why
should Baxter Springs be sacrificed to
the advantage of neighboring towns ?
The men who are prosecuting these
cases are not business men and may
not be directly affected with the loss
of trade, but every taxpayer is inter-
ested IN the business and financial
prosperity of his own town and can
scarcely afford to sacrifice it to crafty
q personal motive.
1 have endeavored to make a state
ment of plain, unvarnished facts as
they appear to me from a business
standpoint. If the statements are not
true, then what I have said is un-
worthy of consideration, but if on
investigation they are found TO be as
Represented, then they are deserving of
the attention of all good citizens and
q generous public. CITIZEN.