Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-07-21
Some Reasons Why,
GBEAT BEND, KANSAS, JULY Is, 1892.
TTQR DENfOCR

GBEAT BEND, KANSAS, JULY 1S 1892.
EDITOR DEMoCRAT:
1 think it shame that the joints in
Great Bend cannot be closed. i am
told that there are three or more of
them that are running "wide open" all
the time. have asked several gentle
men, some of them members of the
city council, why they permit the
places to run, but get NO satisfactory
answer from them. Will you, through
the DEMOCRAT, which believe means
to treat all people fairly, tell me why
the joints are not suppressed? About
week ago / wrote to one of the re-
publican papers here asking the same
question, but have so far seen no reply.
By giving this your attention you not
only satisfy that much talked of
''female curiosity" but confer a great
favor upon, Very Respectfully Y ours,
The DEMOCRAT is not joint keeper
nor the keeper of joiEtists. but being
always willing to please the ladies we
will attempt to satisfy this ones cur
iosity to the best of our ability.
In the first place, permit US to say,
dear madam, that you are evidently
not politician, else you would never
have written such a leading question
to ANY republican paper in this local
ity with the expectation of having any
attention paid to your request for III
fOrmation-just at this time of year,
right at the opening of campaign.
AS to "whY the joints are not sup
pressed" there are several reasons.
One is, that the joint keepers object
very much to being "suppressed;" they
have doubtless been led to believe that
| they were very necessary to the success
of the republican party in the coming
campaign-and they are right in that
belief. Joint keepers are human, just
like you and 1, and as men they are not
such awful bad fellows. 1t is true they
Go not go to religious services all day
Sundays and skin their neighbors by
sharp practice during the week; they
don't sell hop tea and represent it as
being all-wocl-and-a-yard- Mil
waukee beer; they sell villainous stuff
but they don't call it anything else
Being human, and having been giveI
to understand that they had certain
privilege about this time Of year, is il
not natural to suppose that they art
disposed to continue business at the ole
stand? Another reason why they art
not suppressed is, that the law which
is responsible for the existence o.
::'joints'' in Kansas is unpopular. Thi:
you will probably be disposed to take
as broad assertion; but the fact re
mains, that eight out of every ten voters
in Kansas demonstrate by their action
or rather by their want of action-tha
they do not believe the prohibition Law
a good one, or one that should be en-
forced to the full letter. Stating tn,
whole situation in few words: Tt,
men who have the power. the authority
i the ability, and who are expected t,
enforce the law and close the joints
are afraid that by so doing they would
jeopardize the election OF the republi
can county ticket this fall.
Having given this reply to your yer
modest request, We desire to state il
conclusion, that the DEMOCRAT doe
not want TO get mixed up in any pro
r longed discussion Of the joint question
We have given our testimony, and W
rest the case