The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-27
STATE CONTROL.
Gov. Morrill, a Convert to the
GOthenberg System
Of Conducting the Sale of In
tOxicants.
MAKES UP HIS MIND
That Prohibition Never Will
Work Satisfactorily.
Cites Cases Of the NOn-EnfOrce-
ment of Law.
GOV. ST. JOHNS VIEWS.
Entirely Opposed to the State
Dispensary Plan.
Will Talk About It at Hamilton
Hall Tonight.
That Prohibition Never VIII
Work satisfactorily.
Cites Cases of the Nom Enforce
ment of Law.
ST. JOHNS VIEWS.
Entirely Opposed to the State
Dispensary Plan.
Will Talk About It at Hamilton
Hall Tonight.

Hall Tonight.
After two years of careful study of the
question Governor Z. n. Morrill, has
become convert to the Gothenberg sys-
tenn or state control plan of handling the
liquor traffic.
To STATE JOURNAL reporter today
Governor Morrill, said: 81 joined
temperance society when 1 was seven
teen years old and I have been a temper
ance man all my life. 1 want to see
the liquor traffic suppressed, as l recog-
nize il as one of the greatest evils of the
time, but l am thoroughly dissatisfied
with the workings of our present pro-
hibitury law.
'.For two wears l have been making
special study of the different methods of
handling the liquor traffic, and have been
reading the Outlook, DR.. Lyman Abbottd
paper, published in New York. l have
been particularly interested in what the
Outlook has published from time to time
about the Gothenberg system, aud l have
come to believe that it is much better
plan than our present law, and would be
more satisfactory to the temperance peo-
pie of the state.
"We like to meet together as tenn
perance people and resolve that the
prohibitory law is a great success,
and people who do not understand the
workings of the law say there is much
less liquor drank under prohibition
than before, but they do not take into ac-
count the hidden joints, dives and low
places where men and boys congregate
TO drink and where they drink more than
they would if the traffic were regulated
differently. s-
"Under the Gotheubefg plan, as un-
4 - l7,, Hs,I r<,I-z
in control of the liquor business. The
state dispensary officers would purchase
or manufacture the liquor, as the law
might require, and after having it tested
and seeing that it is absolutely pure, free
from all adulterations, would have it put
up in original packages of various sizes
for shipment to the county or local dis
pensaries.
"The local dispensary officer would
then have charge of the entire sale of
liquor in his community and would soil
liquor to any person applying, except
minors and inebriates. The liquor to be
sold in the original packages and not
drank on the premises.
Zone of the strong features of this
plan is that it takes all the element of
profit out of the sale of liquor. The
state dispensary officers. after paying
the expense of the manufacture and
putting the liquor UP ia packages ready
for shipment, would fix the price at q
figure just high enough to cover all the
expense. In this way the absolutely
pure liquor could be sold to the con
sumner at a much less price than the
ordinary dealer could afford to sell it.
"The man who is accustomed to go
into joint or drug store and pay fifteen
or twenty cents for a drink or two of
whisky would quit patronizing the joint
or drug store when he would find that
for the price of one or two drinks he
could 60 to the dispeusary and buy a
half pint of absolutely pure liquor
"The druggist aud jointist could not
do business in competition with the gov
ernment, and he would consequently quit
handling the stuff I suppose of course
there would De cases, then as now, where
people who could not buy liquor at the
dispensary, on account of drunkenness,
would have some one else go aud buy it
for them, but that can't be avoided.
some people may object to having a
place established in the community
where liquor would be sold openly but
when thsy investigate this question
think any honest temperance man would
be soon convinced that it woald be a
more satisfactory way of handling the
liquor business than the present system
of legaliz9d drug stores and illegal joints.
This drug store system is an abomina-
he saw two white men and ia colored man
go into Topeka drug store, and within
five minutes all three of them bought
liquor"
Governor Morrill, said he had read the
resolutions adopted by the Topeka Min
isterial union Monday morning, anC
when asked what he thought of them
said: "The ministers say the prohibitory
law is being enforced in Wichita, which
they say is proof that it can be enforced
IN other towns; yet, only this morning
gentleman who is perfectly reliable
came to me and said be had positive
knowledge that there are now forty places
in Wichita where liquor is being sold il
violation of law. The ministers
themselves admit that according to tha
map prepared by Police Commissioners
Lieurance there are thirteen places still
open where liquor is sold and l am in
formed that there are twenty seven Other
places in the town running as joints.
"Ihe whole police commissioner sys
tenn is wrong and should have been aboI
ished by the legislature, but the Law
makes 1t my duty to appoint commission
ers in these towns and l do not feel tha
ought to shirk the responsibility.
81 believe, that in this country of ours
the will of the majority will rule, yes