The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-08

I do believe that We have reached a
supreme crisis in our affairs which de-
mands that every man interested in our
city, her institutions and her homes,
should take a hand.
Topeka is an anti-saloon city and
her people can and will suppress the
saloon. While we are handicapped, We
are also strongly fortified. Against us
are the covert opposition of the gov
e-nOr and the board of police commits
siOners and the police force of the city.
It is also believed by many that the
county attorney and sheriff are not in
sympathy with the movement to up
hold the law. Having seen no evidence
that the latter statement is true, 1 pre-
fer to withhold any opinion on that
subject, as have seen many good
county officers sIandered under such
circumstances; and was myself, a great
many years ago, the subject of such
SANDER, which, in my case at least,
were entirely undeserved. But assum-
ing that TO the opposition may be added
the county attorney and the sheriff,
thus giving to law breakers nearly all
the legal and political machinery of the
state TO shield them in their wrOng-dO-
ing, I still think We will succeed on
our part We have a law, cryStaliZed in
the constitution by the direct vote of
the people and supplemented by proper
legislation, which has stood the test of
all the courts. And over and above all,
We have the overwhelming moral and
political sentiment of this community
To the statement that the open saloon
is better than the joint, if it is entitled
10 any answer at all, it is sufficient to
say that we propose to have neither;
but in any event. apart from the moral
question involved, is the profound fun
damental one as to whether or not any
community can afford to have its law
placed a [ open defiance A free govern
Hent like ours will go to pieces much
more quickly from the lax enforcement
of any law than will a tyranntcal or
rnonarchicaI one, and this seIf-evident
vii lr1ff G2zr 70 hfa
minds Ofth eaVerage citizen who wishes
well 10 his country and the force of it
will unite all good citizens in the ef-
fort to suppress all forms of law break
ing. whether the particular law violat
ed meets their APPROVAL or not. These
are the elements with which we will
conquer. If it be shown that the cOun-
ty officers are luBe-WarTn> in the dis
charge of their duties, they certainly
cannot resist the popular demand that
the citizens may select someone to as
sist in the prosecution of the case and
the furnishing of evidence, and if you
provide for such assistance you will find
in Judge Hazen judge who will do
his duty, and in the average jury
who will convict if the evidence
warrant believe, moreover, that the
county attorney can be convinced that
he has a duty to perform beyond mere
ly sitting in his Office and waiting for
formal evidence of the violation of the
law. If horse stealing or burglary or
any other crime became epidemic in
this city, I venture to assert that the
county attorney would not refuse to
prosecute until complaint had been
made by some eyewitness to the crime
He would find way to bring the Of
tenders to Justice. What he could do
in the case Of one class of crime he
could do in all
There is another suggestion, which,
as a law abiding citizen, perhaps I
ought not tc offer. but venture it any
how If it be cOnclusively shown that
a confessedly valid law fails of execu-
ton because the courts and the gov
crnor and other sworn officers of the
law refuse to do their duty, then, and
so long as such condition exists, gov