The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-16

the kazy cannot Be enforced zVAss-s local
public sentiment IS against IT, We can
not deny facts; and it IS a fact, and
Mr.. Brumbaugh knows it, that the
prohibitory law under present local
conditions cannot be strictly enforced
in Atchison."
This is admirable talk from a man
who had deliberately appointed COM
missioners who, he well knew, had no
intention of enforcing the law or clos
ing the saloons in Leavenworth, or
Atchison, or Wichitai This is admir-
able talk from the man at the head of
the administrative department of the
state experimentation the man who
had been selected by 500, 900 male citi-
zens of the state as the fttest man to
be entrusted with the sacred duty of
UNFOLDING the constitution and en-
forcing the laws of the state,-from
the man who had taken a solemn oath
to perform his high duty faithfully
and to the best of his ability and with
out fear or favorl He admits that
the joints are running in Atchison
and Leavenworth, and yet he dare not
say that he ever directed his police
commissioners to close them or that
they ever promised to do so or intima-
ted their intention to do sol
He says further in the interview:
Possibly the law might be enforced
for few weeks, but the community
would be plunged into quarre1s and it
would be of infinitely more injury to
the city's welfare than the few saloons
that are rum
In this remark the governor made
himself superior to the legislature
and to the constitution. He justifes
himself in making no effort to
enforce the law. He justifes
himself in practically running
couple of hundred saloons in Atchison
and Leavenworth through his com
nissioners. He justihes himself in
collecting through his commissioners
revenue for the city contrary to the
constitution and laws of the state, by
saying that in his opinion an attempt
to enforce the law would produce a
quarrel which would do the citizens
more harm than open saloons.
The Governor in his interview said
further: st am a friend of the prohibi-
tory law and I would like to see every
drinking place in the state closed; but
it has been the experience of fourteen
years that that cannot be done. We
can only do the best we can. and that
believe, the officers Of the law are
doing"
What are we compelled to think of a
governor who formally announces ct
am a friend of the law and the con
stitution7'' What business indeed has
a governor to be "a friend or an en-
envy of any 1aw7 His duty is to enforce
the constitution and all the laws of
the state without fear and without
favor and to view individuals or com
nunities who resist the law as law
breakers and rebels. What right had
Governor Morrill, to announce that
the law could not be enforced and to
indicate that where local sentiment
was adverse he would make no effort
to enforce the law The supreme court
of the state might as well announce
that it will sustain no more convictions
from communities, large or small, where
the court is Of the opinion that public
sentiment is not favorable to the en-
forcement of the law.
Governor Morrill, took a very strange
way Of proving that he was a friend
Of the prohibitory law. His interview
produced strange results. When it
came out every joint keeper or bar
keeper in the state laughed and ap-
plauded- Every friend of law and
order hung his head in shame. Every
friend of the saloon rejoiced. Every
enemy of the saloon mourned. Every
county attorney in the state who was
honestly doing his duty, felt that he
had been dealt a treacherous blow in
the back. Every evil doer in the state