The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-15
Republican County Ticket
ANOTHER MINISTER GIVES IT UP.

ANOTHER MINISTER GIVES 1T UP.
And one by one, having first been
nipped by the frost, the roses fall.
Though the mills of God grind slowly,
yet they grind exceedingly small. 1t
is vain TO knock truth down with any
expectation that it viii not again be
''up and a-coming" The Eagle is not
a mill especially commissioned to grind
out roses and the truth, nevertheless
it has done some grinding in its time
and the grist generally turns out pretty
well pulveriZed.
Before the "police commission" act
became a law, while it was yet pend
ing as a bill in the legislature, and as a
measure solely for the enforcement of
temperance prohibition, we denounced
it over and again as un-American, I'M
wise, and extreme. We pointed out
the plain fact that two sets Of govern
ments, two official authorities, over the
same people, at one and the same time,
neither being subordinate, both indie
pendent, meant inevitable conflict, of
which the traffic sought to be crushed
would simply take advantage. The
bastard law was brooded by Republi-
cans out of a nest full of crank-eggs.
For holding to these seemingly self
evident truths, the ministers Of this
city not only, but many throughout the
state denounced the Eagle as being in
the interest of the liquor traffic. Such
criticism, from such a source, hurt,
grievously hurt. There being no way
to prove that we were right, or to DEM
onstrate that they were wrong, there
was only to wait until time and exper-
fence should settle it 1t has been set
tied, and long since, only the other side
has refused to acknowledge that the
Eagle was right and that they were
wrong 1t has been settled in the fact
that the Republican party has been di-
vided and often defeated in all the
larger cities Of the state save one, and
that the prohibitory law is better en-
forced in cities where there are no
police commissions.
But now comes Rev. James G.
Dougherty, Of Kansas City, Kansas,
the special leading light of the state,
the unequalled defender of the police
commission law, comes as man with
the courage of his convictions, comes
as a Republican with the interest Of
principle at heart, conserving TO the
harmfulneSS of the law. acknowledging
that it does not work the enforcement
of prohibition, and advising the gov
ernor 10 abolish the board at Kansas
City. AS a warm friend and close ad-
wiser Of the governor, he says: Il think
If Governor Morrill, is wise he will set
tie it by abolishing the police commits
sion and restoring TO the citizens the
duty and responsibility of their own
government. The board is Of no use
as an instrument for the enforcement
of the prohibitory law Under the
present Republican administration, as
under the PopuliSt administration, the
liquor laws have been VIGOROUSLY VIC
lated with the connivance Of the police
commissioners. ANY new
board set up in the interests of the Re
publican party viii be equally opposed
10 the interests Of temperance and good
government As 4 Republican l de-
clare that there is, in my judgment,
only one solution of the present diff
ficulty-the same that is demanded in
the interests of good goyernment-the
abolition of the board
In accordance with these suggestions
petitions are being circulated in Kan
sas City which are being signed by
prominent citizens. asking Governor
Morrill, TO abolish the police commits
sion and permit the people OF that city
TO manage their own affairs so far as
the, liquor traffic and the local govern
ment Of the city are concerned.
We do not know that il would be
wise for the governor TO make changes
Va 81 h"'t4N<il a A-itt'AS AA Tue i4ituSl OF Il
campaign. but had he accepted the adj
vice of the writer Of these lines and
abolished all of the police commissions
OF the state as his first executive act.
he would have saved himself a world
or trouble and prevented unfortunate
wrangles and divisions in the Republi-
can party IN all the larger cities. which
In TWO or three instances threaten dis
astrous results for the party later on.