The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-05
They Declared Topeka In a State
of LawIeSSnesS.
That the City Was Disgraced and Dis
honored by Condition for Which
Police Commissioners Were
Responsible-Temp GRANGE
Meetings Have Been
Postpone ed.


temperance workers who assembled a |
the church last night, thinking that the !
meetings would begin at that time. |
MaJor Bateman of Lawrence, chief !
templar Of the 7. o. C. T. in this state. /
was expected to address last nights !
meeting, but he was detained at Usage |
City. He has been holding a series of |
meetings there and met with such sue
cess that at the Sunday night rally a |
resolution was adopted requesting him |
TO remain for meeting last night |
However, he was expected to come TO
Topeka today and speak. tonight.
The weather last night kept women |
from the church. but about twenty men
were there. They organized by Sc
Letting W. A. Quigley chairman, and
after some discussion adopted a motion
made by T H Balm that the series
of meetings be postponed owing to the
fact that this is the week of prayer
at the various churches and the cordi-
ton Of the streets and sidewalks makes
it difficult. especially for women, to at
| tend the meetings.
Upon speaking upon Mr.. Bain's mo-
| ton. J. L. Eldridge said: 4 believe
| that the Christian people should keep
up q constant fight against the liquor
dealers. The whisky influence is the
| greatest obstacle in the way of Chris
! tan progress: we should destroy this,
! the DEVILS strongest fertilization and a
colossal agency of ruin
a series of very radical resolutions
| was introduced declaring that the Off
| GERS of the city of Topeka permit con-
! tinued fragrant violations of the prohib-
| itOry law and as a result this city is
! perpetually the scene of and in state
/ of laWlessness; that we are disgraced
| and dishonored by such practices for
/ the existence of which the police COM
| nissiOners and their agents and repre-
! sentatives are directly responsible. The
resolutions urged the temperance work
| ers to use every possible means to aid
in the enforcement OF the law and to aid
| in building up healthy local public
| sentiment in favor of it.
| The resolutions were written by T. F.
| Stephens, secretary OF the State Tenn
| perance union, and introduced by J. A
| Coulter. The resolutions were laid up
| on the table after considerable discus
| sion.
| The reading of the resolutions brought
| Thomas H. Balm to his feet with the
| declaration that they were too radi-
cal and should not be passed. He said:
Il have spent many years in temper
| ance work. I have lost considera Bile
| money and lots of good time, and, /
| think. also a great measure of the in
| huence l might otherwise have had in
ford to be dubbed cranks upon this
| proposition. Il is all right for men to
call US cranks, perhaps, but no man
can afford to be one.
by the adoption of these resolutions
we declare to the world that a state of
lawlessness exists in Topeka That is
| untrue. We have no such conditions
| here. Those resolutions, before three
days elapse, Will be published in Chi
cago. New York and Boston. They
| will say Look at holy Topeka in the
holy state Of Kansas The laws are be-
| ing violated: they have no government
there all because of the prohibitOry
law We will be criticized all over this
country for something that does not
! exist If we adopt those resolutions,
we could not dispute the charge that
we are in state of lawlessness and
anarchy. Now, brethren said Mr..
Balm ''Iet US be reasonable; let US cOun-
col t11e1~ md ~ record
this uncalled for manner
; 'sWhy. only yesterday" said Mr.. Balm.
IAN Irishman, with liquor on his breath
the opposite side of the street at an O. NJ
B. sign, declared that it was the vllest
hole on earth and said that he would be
greatly pleased to see the institution torn
to the ground. 1 realize" continued Mr..
| Balm that some of these places should
be driven out of business But, we can
: enforcement of the law than by passing
, | resolutions. -
County Attorney Jetmore: There, arc
of The Wiz vo Jaw prose
| cute?' Mr.. JetmOre will of course reply
: W Who he has evidence Of that character
< | Can you furnish the evidence? asked MT
Balm surveying his hearers p am f SHFf
| why should we go to the extreme of de
> | claring that lawlessness exists mere wneI
= | we can not prove 1t to our own persona
! | satisfaction?
! j. 10. Van Nice followed Mr.. BAN, say
I ing: Il believe that the work Of God
, | the Christian people and the law abiding
< citizens in this matter is so closely iden.
f | titled to be practically one. we shoulC
| work to secure the enforcement of the
law. ] am willing to exert myself tc
author of the resolutions. do thanh
: | Cod he said. ''that we are to have new
officers. I hope the new administrations
s county and state, will accomplish more
s than their predecessors. Some of them
r one in particular. subscribed to an oatl
!. which he has persistently violated" This
y probable reference to Governor Norril
: pleased those present -
Eldridge said: DO you mean that in
stead of the resolutions already presented
|, that should adopt resolutions bidding
f6i ton
That is the suggestion I would make,
{ Nj Mr. Eidridge then spoke against Thu
z adoption Of resolutions. saying: "Al
? though the law is being violated i'll scmi
hear Of Nick Chiles and others of tina
Z character. / do not believe that It is wis
, to the everlasting bowwows. but W.
should pray to Almighty God for aid ane
} | strength in our battle against the run
The vote upon the motion to table tn
resolutions was then taken and carried
| after which the meeting adjourned
{ Not until late yesterday afternoon di
{ Secretary Stephens of the State Temper
ance union receive word from Maio
} / Bateman that the people of Usage Cit.
had determined to keep him another day
! 1t was too late to announce the chang
publicly. as the papers containing tn
notice of the meeting were already out
However. in the event the meetings wer
{ arran gements. Major Bateman was t
, come to Topeka today to remain until til
2 The meetings will be held in the nea
future and viii be made large and enthus
z iastic.
Z Try us on collars. We can make thel