The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-19
A WHISKY CANDIDATE.
John SeatOn Again Announces
Himself For Governor
And Intimates That He Won't
Enforce the Law.
Kansas Has Had Enough Law Multi
fiers and Now Wants Gov
ernor Who Doesn't Vio-
late His Oath.

Captain John Seaton of Atchison has
been interviewed again as to his cand1-
dacy for governor and practically an
| nounces that he doesn't believe in the
prohibitory law, and leaves the inter-
ence that he would not enforce it If he
were elected governor. Mr.. Seaton
might as we'll retire from the candida
cy. The prohibition element is strong
enough in the Republican party to pre-
vent any whisky candidate from being
nominated, and it is strong enough in
both Republican and Populist parties to
turn out every governor at the end OF
his first term who does not enforce the
law. Politicians never seem to learn
this and every governor but one since
John A. Martin has fallen between the
horses this prohibition question;
still there is always new man of folly
to take his place, fondly imagining that
the voters will endorse cowardliness in
an executive They never have and
they never will.
John Seaton says in his latest inter-
view:
Il expect to see the Republican work.
erS in the principal towns in the state
and if there is sufficient support assur-
ed shall go into the race and make
fight to win
''WilI you stand on resubmission as
an isSue?" was asked
Il shall not attempt to make plat
form for the Republican party don't
imagine am big enough to say to the
Republican party of Kansas Take me
for your candidate and my views for
your PLATFORM but of course every
body knows where I stand on the liquor
question. 1 stand now where did 20
years ago and the predictions made
then have come true. In the legislature
that submitted the question of prohibit
ton to a vote of the people I was
member and L declared then that the
10 n T0a M hot
would be an injury to the state; that
by making a crime out of what many
people considered no onense it would
make more law breakers and less re-
spect for laws. In the legislature of 1881
that passed the prohibitory law after
the amendment to the constitution had
been adopted, 1 fought the bill with
all my might told that Legislature
what 1 told its predecessor, that such a
law would encourage disloyalty. When
you make law breaking common and
easy by enacting unnecessary laws it
tends to encourage disrespect for all
laws. Since that time 1 have always
ter 1 introduced the resolution calling
for a resubmission of the prohibitory
amendment. If it had been a bill it
would have passed the house. 1t re-
ceived a majority of all the votes cast,
but not the two-thirds majority re
CURED to ensure the reSubmission by
resolution of a constitutional amend
ment.''
DO you think the question will event
ually be resubmitted and the law
stricken out of the StatuteS?''
Either that will be done or the law
will become dead letter, and there
will be no pretense of enforcing it. L
believe local option, with high license
where the people want saloons, is the
right solution of the liquor question
Some towns want saloons and will have
them. In AtchiSOn they run Just the
same as they do in Kansas City with
just as good furniture and equipments
and the bottles and glasses on the bars
in the most approved STYLE
do you favor the repeal of the Met
ropolitan police laW?''
Yes; or what is a quicker remedy,
that the governor should refuse to APP
point police commissioners That would
end the matter quicker than anything
else When Governor Morrill, was in
augurated governor I had a long talk
with him on that subject. 1 told him
the best thing he could do was to get
rid of the metropolitan police boards
and the quicker he did it the better for
him.
The governor saw that was right
but he did not take my advice. The
metropolitan police law has been a load
ana drag on every governor we have
had since its passage. 1t has caused
more trouble than all the other laws
put together. The governor is not com
PEELED to appoint police commissioners
II he chooses he can drop them and
| there is no need of his appointing I'M
| less 100 citizens petition for them In
Atch1son you couldn't get ten men to
| sign such petition. Here in Topeka
suppose you could get a hundred but
| this is the only town in the state where
| that condition exists. Last winter
| when was fighting for resubmission
got several anonymous letters from
Topeka people making light of me be-
| cause of the failure of my Efforts
Then If you were governor would
there be no police commissioners under
the metropolitan police act?"
| You bet there wouldn't. I'd abolish
the board as quick as you could say
scat and tell the people to manage
| feature of this whole metropolitan po-
| lice law is the peeulation it encorages
and leads to. Men act as go-betWeens
! for the joint keepers and officials. and
| sooner or later they become thieves.
1h1s pretending filming of jointists which
| operates as a license in MANY places
| leads to stealing. The whole influences
! of a law not enforced as a law Should
| basing and demoraEzing
Relief in Six Hours.