The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-04
II IS mnEEn rFRarRLE


There has been q great howl from
the turbulent minority in Wichita
about q Modification" meeting recent
" held here. The notification meet
ing was made up of a majority Of the
business interests Of this city, but,
nevertheless, it requested that the POI
lice business Of the city under which
the city was quiet and orderly be left
undisturbed.
It was a terrible thing to do no
doubt. It was against a law Of the
state and was certainly an instance Of
shocking municipal depravity.
It is fair to give the prohibition
law a tesla good long test. Kansas
has had it only fifteen years. during
which time it has been violated, Of
course, as any new law ould be Time
viii prove the prohibition law capable
of enforcement Of course. Kansas
has only attempted it fifteen years
Now in Maine it has been tried forty
years. 1t is still unenforced. but 1t
win be after a me-probably in i've
or six hundred years-and II not then,
why then good thousand year '.test''
wiz surely prove whether 1t is good
or bad thing.
And what is worse in Maine where
it has been tested for forty years, the
people, the business men, the bone and
sinew of what little prosperity and
business interest the state has left,
actually got on Qualification" spree
just as they did In Wichita.
The New York Post gives an account
of notification in Maine as follows:
It is well understood in Maine that the
prohibitory law is never to be enforced
against visiting statesmen" or people
who seek refuge there from the summer
heats. Wine IL consequently served at
banquets to distinguished men from
abroad, and nobody IS expected to inter
fere with the sale Of liquor at the sum-
mer resorts. Sometimes a newcomer to
the state Is not fully Instructed about
these exceptions to the rule, and inno-
Gently make agreat deal OF trouble by
seeking enforce the law impartially. Bar
Harbor is just now suffering severely
from blunder OF this sort. The county
authorities have been stirred up to action,
and they are really enforcing the law.
The result is that tn summer industry Is
being practically ruined, and decisive
action was seen to be necessary. The
following petition was therefore prepared:
I'VE the undersigned, citizens and tax
payers of Bar Harbor, believing that the
present agitation and enforcement of the
Maine liquor law, as now conducted, Is
disastrous to the best interests Of the
town, hereby respectfully request that
further enforcement, as now conducted,
be suspended until such time as when
our summer visitors shall have left US,
and that the whole matter be left IN
charge of the regularly constituted police
authority Of the town, without the In
reference of voluntary agftators."
The petition has been signed by all OF
the leading business and professional men
Of mature age and with the best interests
of the town, "al1 taxpayers and men Of
mature age and with the best interests
of the town at heart" It appears that
the trouble has been fomented by the
ministers, who with but one exception
have been in the village but few months.
have no property interests at stake. and
are utterly regardless Of the desires OF the
majority of the taxpayers"