The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-05
THE EVENING MEETING.
LeavenwOrth Minister Says 1000 Boys
We're in the Saloons One Tims.

We're in the Saloons at One Tina.
The drizzling rain of last evening had
its effect on the temperance meeting,
and Hamilton hall was but little more
than half full. The audience was a most
enthusiastic one, however, and was ready
to cheer itself hoarse at any mention of
the prohibitory law and of Gov. Morrill's
failure to enforce it,
Rev. Edward Randall of the Leaven-
worth Methodist church was the first
speaker, and he did not hesitate to re-
iterate the sentiments and statements of
his letter recently published in the JOUR-
NAL He said:
"A man wrote to me recently from the
interior of the state to ask if it was real
ly a fact that saloons were running in
Leavenworth. l wrote and told him the
facts in the case, and he replied by ask
ing me TO send him the names of half a
dozen reputable citizens of Leavenworth
who would substantiate what l said.
Laughter He was not prepared to
swallow SO much at once.
1.-TWO hundred and sixty government
stamps to sell liquor are held in Leaven-
worth city, and 1t is a very conservative
estimate to say than 200 open sa-
looms are running there today. You
can stand on the sidewalk on d warm
day when ventilation is needed and see
the open bar with all kinds of liquor bes
hind it that would suit even the fastidi-
Gus tastes of some of the men who visit
Leavenworth at times Laughter
1.-THE second room from the police sta
ton is a saloon and l am told the build
ing it occupies is owned and rented by
the city. There are three or four disor-
derby houses in the same block as tn 9
Methodist church and there is saloon
just across the street
"The sentiment in Leavenworth is in
favor of open saloons. We are pecul-
iarly constituted as a population.
"a count taken by the Y. NJ. C. A. of
the city one Saturday evening showed
that more than one thousand boys be-
tween the ages of twelve and twenty
were spending their evenings in the sa-
looms and dives of the city.
Sour police commissioners counte-
nance this thing. They were appointed
as men who would do it. l do not be-
lieve the man who appointed them was
ignorant of their characters, TAp-
plause | do not believe any man is Ca
pable of enforcing the law who will accep t
the hospitality of the very men he would
have to suppress. Applause. We do
not, believe he is sincere. We have men
in Leavenworth who have the nerve to
risk life and PROPERTY to rid our city of
the damnable traffic, if they can be as
sured that the officers of the state are be-
hind them with back bone and the wealth
of the state.
eff we had better men in our guber-
Material chairs,w we would stamp the traffic
out of the United States. We do not
want mon who will draw. their salaries
and expect the people to do their work.
Voice, Hit 'em again. I'd like to know
what such men hold their offices for.
Voice, TO draw their salaries. The
state officers have the power to enforce
the law. [Cheers.l
Sentiment ia not what we want. We
want man. Loud and continued ap-
plause. Just on the eve of this conven-
ton public sentiment in Atchison took
most wonderful flop. [Cheers.] Let Us
hope it will not flop back"
Rev. Don Colt, of the Wichita Metho-
dist church, was the next speaker. He
began by saying that the convention was
not called to malign public officials or
cities, but to learn the facts and tell the
truth. He then went on:
"The officials are not now the prosecu-
tors but the abettors and protectors of
crime aud crimina Is.
"Once we were careful whom we elect
ed to office. Today the officers at least are
Indifferent If not arrayed against the en-
forcement OF the law
$40 declare that public sentiment in
favor of them is necessary to the en-
forcement of the laws is to declare that
Atchison. Leavenworth, and Wichita are
bigger than the state of Kansas. It
means anarchy and that the people of
those towns are anarchists. Loud
cheers In the name of Wichita
l deny it and declare that
the law can be enforced there. The POI
lice commissioners of Wichita were not
appointed at the suggestion of the better
element of Wichita, but at the sugges-
ton of the politicians. The law will
never be enforced there till the governor
appoints men who are in sympathy with
the law, Cheers and voice, 'Whack it
to him.'1 he should close every joint in
Atchison, Leavenworth and Wichita if it
took every dollar in the state treasury