The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-26
LEAYENWORTH, TOO.
The Saloons to Be Run Openly
There, Also
Under the Police Board Named
by Gov. Morrill,.
WHATDOES THIS MEAN
That the Law and Order People
of Kansas
Are to Re Scandalized As They
Always Have Been
BYTHELAW BREAKERS
LeavenwOrth COmmissiOnersAre
Called Business Men,"
Who Will Run Things on So
Called" Business Principles"

The police commissioners for three OF
the six first class cities of Kansas, have
already been named, and everything
points to local option as far as the en-
forcement of the prohibitory law is con-
cerned.
The Leavenworth commissioners are the
last to be appointed, and they are said to
be men who favor business admins
tration OF police affairs.
The new Leavenworth commissioners
are F. E. Hunt, president; J. w. Hauser-
man, secretary; and B. l. Richards, tho
Democratic member.
These men, it is said, will see that the
city gets revenue from the joints of the
town.
Mr.. James F. Malone, Senator Bakers
clerk, who is here from Leavenworth
during the session of the legislature,
when asked about the new commission
ers, said: They are reliable business
men. Mr.. Hunt, the chairman, is a
brother of Representative McCoun Hunt.
He is a capitalist and is not actively en-
gagged in business. The secretary, j. W.
Hauserman. is a German butcher. and
the Democratic member, Mr.. Richards,
was on the board before under Governor
Lewelling."
"Are the new commissioners men who
will favor wide open or tight shut
policy towards the saloons?"
''Saloonsis
.'fes, don't you have saloons in Leav-
a. ertk s1
Yes, suppose so; if you choose to
call them by that name"
"Fhey do business openly on the street,
do they not?"
"Oh. yes. they run wide open"
''How many drinking places are there
In Leavenworth?
There are lots of them; l don't k now
how many"
"Will the new commissioners close
them up?"
''No, guess not They will see that
the business interests of the city are
cared for"
The only conclusion that can be reach
ed is that the Leavenworth police COM
missloners will do as public sentiment in
their town directs, which means that the
liquor places will run wide open as here
tofore, and that the city will get the
revenue.
This local option policy may be good
politics, but 1t is not enforcing the law,
and this Is one of the principal criticisms
brought against Governor Lewelling.
Leavenworth is on the Kansas side of
the Missouri river and there is no good
reason why saloons or open joints should
do business in defiance of the law and
with the consent of the officers of the
law, in that town, any more than in
Topeka.
The Metropolitan police law was
enacted to secure the enforcement of the
prohibitory law in the larger cities OF
Kansas and when the police commission.
ers allow the saloon keepers and joint.
lists to run wide open on a system oil
monthly fines they are guilty of breaking
the law themselves and the towns they
preside over might just as well be under
regular license system.
Gov Morrill, took the oath to enforce
all the laws and it is to be hoped he viii
do it.
1t will be a great disappointment tc
the law and order people of this state i
they have to put him in the same cate
CORY with Governor Humphrey and Gov
ernor Lewelling. Is it then absolutel,
impossible to elect governor in Kansa
with backbone enough to enforce tn,
law?