The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-04-13
THE TIMES THAT EVEN UP.

lore the men who have nodded ODln
ion and directed public sentiment
have continuously and perSistently
enacted the role of the hypocritical
demagogue, whenever and wherever
confronted by the prohibition propo-
Sition. From United States senators
, and governors down to the frontier
constable of the last township in the
state, including congressman, legisla-
tors, judges on the bench, in each and
truth or sincerity touching the prob
lem of prohibition. Their personal
habits and convictions have given the
lie TO their official acts and public pro-
testations. Vehemently processing
loyalty TO the principle, and devotion
to the cause of prohibition, ostenta-
ing their money for its better enforce
ment, eight out of ten of them, known
To be not only occasional tipplers but
many Of them regular soallers, still
ever ready 10 shield the violator of
the law when it is possible TO do so
without public condemnation.
The secret of all this cowardice upon
the part of political leaders, the rea-
son for all this double dealing and con
temptible hypocrisy, is too well under
stood. With the church and those of
conscientious temperance convictions
holding the balance of power at the
polls the politician who expected to
get his bread and butter by standing
in with the majority could not have
| failed of discovering his cue.
Because the Eagle in the past has
had the common honesty to point out
and denOunce this double dealing,
which has led to Il public contempt for
| law and encouraged mendacity and
perjury, it has been subjected to the
| i'll will Of politicians; because we de-
| clared later that such diSimuiation.
| duplicity and deceit must sooner or
later result disastrously to the Repub-
lican party of the state, we were dis
ciplined by bosses and, because, still
later, we gave voice to the conviction
that, whereas majority sentiment is
necessary to the enforcement of any
law, therefore the first duty of the
party was to ascertain the real senti-
ment of the state through a resub-
mission of the question of prohibition
to the people, so that in the event of |
an affirmative vote the result could |
be proclaimed aloud and everywhere. |
and thus enforced, this paper was |
stigmatized as a whiskey organ and in |
the pay of the liquor interest.
But now, and after the party had |
met the defeat prophesied by the Eagle |
and later had only resained its as
cendancy through the exegencies of a !
drouth and widespread financial dis
aster, comes 4 Republican governor
or Kansas with 4 courage equalling
his convictions, declaring, just what
everybody knows, that all attempts
to enforce any law against the will or
convictions of the majority must prove
unsatisfactory and abortive How
ever loud the howl of the soreheads
who failed of an office at the hands of
Governor Morrill,, however severe the
criticisms and protestations of the edi-
tors who have failed TO influence or
direct the policy of his administration.
the fact remains patent to all, that
Governor Morrill, is not afraid to speak
his own mind A believer in the prin-
ciple of statutory prohibition hater
of the liquor traffic, and Il personal
tetotaler, in his first message to the
legislature he not only affirmed Just
what the Eagle had all along claimed.
but day before yesterday openly de-
clared that there is no hope of enforc-
ing prohibition anywhere, even in a
local way in the absence of Il recog-
nized majority local sentiment favor
able to such enforcement In reply
TO a denunciation of his policy by an .
AtchiSon minister the governor admits !
all the truth, screens nor hides those
things which has been the rule with
other governors To cover up. talks So ]
berry and sensibly and straight along.
His reply contains the following which
fail to interest every citizen,
whatever his convictions touching the ,,
much mooted question:
''Nlr. Brumbaugh makes statementher
that he cannot prove. I deny that pro
hibition is failure in every city in the
state. l Will say more than that-that !
joints are open in but three cities in Kan ,
sas-Atchison. Leavenworth and Wichita, ,
and in the latter they are not very wide
open. In Kansas City. Fort Scott and ;
Topeka the police commissioners have {
out the traffic, and in other To- J
calities 1 hear of no trouble. If Mr.
RrumbauSh can succeed in educating pub
lie sentiment in Atchison to the prohibi- l
ton idea, the law will be enforced there. 7
too; also in LeavenwoTth and Wichita .
am willing to face n condition and 10
admit what my predecessors have not 3
had the courage TO do. and that is that I
the law cannot be enforced where local ,
public sentiment is against il We can
not deny facts; and il is n feet. and AR I
Srumhaugh knows il. that the prohibi- 5
Tory law under present local conditions |
'annot be strictly enforced at Atchison ,
Possibly il might be done for few weeks.
but the community would be plunged i
INTO quarrel that would he of infinitely c
more injury 10 the city's welfare than the
saloons that are run I am friend of =.
he prohibitory law. and l would like TO
see every drinking place in the state L
,loSed; but il has been the experience Of [
fourteen years that that cannot be done. +,