Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-26
Something on Prohibition,
Editor of The Journal.

To the Editor of The Journal.
Dear Sir:-After reading your article on
prohibition in Kansas, 1 feel constrained
to say a few things as a citizen of the Sun
flower state.
Perhaps no law has ever been enacted
that has given Kansas more notoriety over
the world than constitutional prohibition of
the traffic in liquor as a beverage. None has
ever been enacted that is so generally
winked at by men who have been elected
by the people to enforce the laws of the
commonwealth, among the most RESPONSE
BILE of which are the county attorneys.
sheriffs and police commissioner and police
officers.
The most responsible men in the state of
Kansas for the enforcement of all the laws
is the county sheriff; next IN authority is
the county attorney. If these two men did
their duty not a single joint or bootlegger
could exist in our state. In cities of the
first class the police commissioners are the
responsible men. who are under oath to
faithfully enforce the law-not consent TO
the constant breaking of the law. Every
man who has subscribed to the oath of his
Office solemnly swears to support and en-
force all law.
The daily spectacle of an open joint al
lowed to run for revenue must bear its
| fruit. produce educated lawbreakCrs. who
become the anarchists OF q nation, for
when a state or nation teaches the lesson
that violation of law is right then our pro-
lection is gone as a people.
The prohibitory law in Kansas is the SUI
preme law of the state, because II is con-
stitutitutional; the voice of the people ex-
pressed at the ballot box. Its enforce
ment should be, If anything, more faithfully
enforced than the law against gambling.
Why? Because that is simply statutory
and may be repealed by a subsequent legis-
lature. Not so with prohibition. That
must, If ever, be repealed by the votes OF
the citizens Of Kansas.
If we have and teach anarchy IN Kansas
by reason of violation of a supreme law,
we. the citizens and church people and true
patriots. are responsible for it. II our Of
defend, support and enforce the law, re-
fuse and fail to do their duty, we. the cit
liens, should demand of them the enforce
ment of the law or their resignation, and
see &c IL that no man be reelected county
attorney, sheriff or judge that has violated
his oath or neglected his duty, not simply
the enforcement of the prohibitory law. but
For. by the enforcement of the law, II It
is a bad law. or not for the good of the
state, then repeal It; thus we are loyal
citizens. not anarchists. The n~on-enforce-
ment of law breeds and promotes contempt
for for 1rh All law aH the IN n %a9saS Ssg d6rs OF n the
to break down respect and obedience 10
law than any other law that has ever been
anything wrong in the law, but a wrong
on the part of men who are oustodians OF
the law. The man who hred the first gun
on the flag at Fort Sumter in 1861 was not
a good citizen. but a traitor to his coun-
try, and the posse comitatus, under the
orders of honest old Abraham Lincoln, said
he desired to be punished for his crime.
According TO your published statement of
editors. who no doubt give facts, fifty two
counties in our state are IN an open rebel
lion against the enforcement of the SUI
preme law of the state, WyandOtte county
being one of those counties that is daily
firing of the flag. / don't like the term
anarchy, and 1 dom think our officers who
fail to do their duty would think kindly OF
the term, but whatever term may be used,
however mild, we cannot escape the fact
that failure to enforce law means ultimate
ly the overthrow of all law.
In your article the question is asked, Is