Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-03-19

[
-zr--Z of submitting to a
vote of the people the prohibition ques-
ton.
| A number of the replies offer weak
and foolish reasons why the people
should not be trusted to indicate by
a number of others give their reasons
why the voters SHOULD have an oppor-
tunity to express themselves. Among
the latter we find the following:
Atchison, Kan, Feb. 25.-Arthur
Capper. ESQ.,, Topeka Kansas, Dear
Sir: I am in receipt of your favor of
the 22d, asking me to inform you
whether OF not l am sin favor of Iesub-
mission of the prohibitory amendment
and give my reason why
In reply would say that am in favor
of a Tesubmission of the prohibitory
amendment, for the following reasons:
First-I believe that fifteen years
experience under the present prOhibi-
tory law in this state has demonstrated
to the satisfaction of all conservative
people that it is not the best temper
ance measure.
Second-I believe that the amend
ment would never have been adopted
had the people who voted for it realiz-
ed that its enforcement would be so
difficult, and that it would not limit
the evil of intemperance to the MIMI
mum.
| AS practical temperance man, and
believer in and advocate Of the cause of
temperance in this state, l voted for
the prohibitory amendment, believing
at the time that it was the best tenn
perance measure that could be devised,
and have since carefully observed its
operation, and am satisfied that the
cause of temperance has been set back
many years in the state of Kansas by
the adoption of this amendment.
Third-The enforcement of the law
in the larger cities has proven failure
and the state of Kansas, by reason of
the attempted enforcement of the law,
has been advertised all over the country
as being in the control of cranks who
have no interest in the welfare of the
state, but that their only end and am.
bition is to impress upon the people
some ''ism'' or idea to that end, that
they might add to their own glorifca-
tion rather than subserve the public
good. The attempted enforcement of
this law has driven from the state of
Kansas many good aud reputable citi-
zens, and it's enactment has prevented
the location in the state of thousands
and thousands of people, who would
have aided materially in developing
the resources of this state.
Fourth-The enforcement of the pro-
hibitory law is advocated by many re-
publicans who 1 personally know do
not believe in the law itself. They ad-
yocate its enforcement to subserve po-
litical ends, and not to accomplish any
good for the public at large. It is not
difficult to find many advocates of the
enforcement of this law in the various
cities of the state, who have no sym
pathy with the cause of temperance.
and who do not practice what they
preach except in public meetings and
conventions, when they are speaking
for the benefit OF the galleries. The
result of this has been TO encourage
and build up an army OF political hypo-
critics, and hypocracy is condemned by
the Bible as much as intemperance.
Fifth-If you can secure an amend
ment to the constitution of this state
prohibiting hypocracy, and enact proper
laws for its enforcement, I will heartily
cooperate in any such movement. If
such a Jaw could be adopted and en-
forced. it would be productive of more
good than the prohibitory liquor law
and its attempted enforcement have
been.
i believe in temperance, and believe
that the evils of intemperance have be-
come great curse to our nation; but
in my judgement. after careful COM