Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-31
WHY 1T DOES NOT PROHIBIT.
Secretary stephens Issues n Manifesto
in Regard TO Kansas Pro-
hibitiOn.

Topeka. July 30-CSpecial) Secretary T.
T stephens. Of the State Temperance
Union. in a manifesto issued to-day. tells
why the Kansas prohibitory law has not
been enforced. This statement was prompt
ed by the recent publication OF figures
showing the general violation OF the law.
Among other things he says:
''The entire difficulty may be stated in al
most a word. The people have expected
legal suasion to accomplish the entire Work
of both legal and moral suasion.
There have been two periods in the MS
tory of Kansas prohibition as distinct from
each other as are day and night. and yet
the first has gradually merged into the sec
ond as day merges into night.
THE period from 1873 to 1881 was one OF
intense temperance enthusiasm. Almost
every township in the state had some sort
of a temperance organization. Total ab-
stinence societies existed on every hand.
The Sons of Temperance and the Good
Templars were well Organized. and Bands
Of Hone for the training Of the children
were not uncommon. Township ana nelEh-
borhood rallies were OF ordlnaLH ocSuI III
renee ard country school houses were cor
Stantly utilized BY temperance lecturers.
During the earlier portion Of this period the
great state gathering and demonstration AT
| Bismarck grove was an annual occurrence:
The people seemed conscious or ieoung OF
personal responsibility In the matter OF
{
out Of the great enthusiasm. or the per
iod grew legal enactment, and IN lNsl me
law was placed upon the statute DOCKS. ne
enthusiasm. however. did rot Immediately y
wanp as some perhaps thought II "oulu
buf remained at almost white neat some
five or six years longer. Agitation anu co
ucation made public sentiment, and puble
| sentiment demanded the strict enforcement
| Of the Law.
But at length there came time wnen
the people seemed 10 grow tired OF the re-
spOnsibility The law was I'm the cOnStltu-
| tion-and what more than that was need
| ed2 What was the use Of all this fuss ana
! fume. inasmuoh as officers were elected
| for the purpose Of incurring the reSnpnSl-
| bilitv Of enforcing the law and OF thereby
| stamping out iutemperancCE
! And thus the responsibility was snltt'
| ed. the people apparently forgetting thai
| the average officer being Of their own num-
| her and after all but a servant Of the pcO'
| pie. does neither more nor less than what
| the people actually demand Of him.
| The work of education was dropped. pub
| lie sentiment began TO wauc, and naturally
! enough there has followed period Of lax
| ity in the enforcement of law.
! THE second Of the two periods above
| referred 10 may he said TO have beguT
| about the year 1SSS. The last five years O
! this period have been those OF Unpar IleleC
| OF the Sons or Temperance in the state. VERY
1 few II any. Bands Of Hope: only One-thir,
| as many Good TemDlars' lodges as former
! Is uhe present number Is about fiftyb
| township and county rallies almost un
| heard Of for years past until the prssen
| lation OF the prohlbitory law IS widespread
| ard that If public sentiment is not aroused
! prohibition is likely TO become dead let
| teri 90