The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-19
A PROHIBITIONIsT's VIEW.
A Wakefield Man Who Takes Excep-
ton to the Horton Mans Letter.
Wakefield. Kan. NOV. 18.


ton to the Horton Mans Letter.
Wakefield, Kan, Nov. 1s.
To the Editor of the State Journal:
In your issue of November 16 appears
an article from Horton entitled PRO
hibition the Cause signed by J. H.
Mitchell.
forth by a statement in your paper that
drunkenness was on the increase in
Topeka, particularly among the young
men; that more of them were drinking
now than five years ago and MI
Mitchell jumps to the conclusion that
the prohibition law is the cause of this.
I assume that Mr.. Mitchell is an
honest man, that he has spoken the con-
victions of his heart, and that he really
desires the best good of all the people
of Kansas and that he desires to see
the prohibitory law give way to the
open licensed saloon.
Mr.. Mitchell says: "I have been a
resident of Kansas for ten years and
after observing the workings of the
prOhibitory law in many of the larger
towns and in some of the second class
ones I do not hesitate to say that pro-
hibition is responsible for this intem-
perance and why this law is the cause
of a man drinking more is because he
can not go into saloon and get
single drink"
have been a resident of Kansas for
20 years and I love Kansas and I love
her people. I voted for the prohibitory
amendment in 1880 and have never seen
one moment in my life to cause me to
repent that act and yet if Mr.. Mitchell
or another person can convince me that
more Intoxicating liquors are consumed
and more people drink in Kansas under
our prohibition law than in any other
state OF ike number of 1nha bltantSs
where they have open licensed saloons,
then 1 will do all I can to have the
prohibition law eXpunged from our sta
tutes and try something else that we
might hope would serve our people bet
ter.
But, suppose the statement that
drunkenness is on the increase or that
more people drink in Topeka than did
five years ago is true, it still does not
prove that the prohibitory law has any
thing to do with it because they had
the same law then that they have now.
If they had had licensed saloons up to
that date and the law had then been
changed and then drunkenness had in
creased it might have been proper to
ascribe the increase to the newly enact
ed law but such was not the case. And
if Mr.. Mitchell will take the trouble to
get the statistics from the Brewers
Congress he will find that very much
less intoXicants are consumed in Kansas
than in any state of like number of in
habitants having licensed saloons, be
the license high or low. Or, if he will
look up statistics he will find that Kan
sas has less crime than any state of
like number of inhabitants having open
saloons.
It may be possible that some other
method may be devised for the solving
of this problem other than prohibition
but until the above statements are
proven true it will not be by resorting
to open saloons.
Again Mr.. Mitchell says: What does
a thirsty fellow do in Topeka? If he
does not know the ropes he goes into a
drug store and the man behind the
counter tells him he can not sell him a
drink but~ that he can sell him a pint
or a quart bottle. The man will buy
the pint or quart and as he can not
drink it on the premises he will take it
away. He drinks too much but he has
bought it and will not throw it away.
1 have seen these conditions in Topeka
and other towns
I confess that here Mr. Mitchell is on
ground know nothing about. I never
went and called for a drink of liquor
in my life. am now ga years of age
and you must know that in my boyhood
days drinking was much more common
member that many and many were the
invitations [ had to take a social glass.
Then when its use was so common
that you could scarcely go anywhere
without coming in contact with it, my
observation was that the habit was
formed in the majority of cases by
yielding to the invitation to indulge in a
social glass. Again Mr. Mitchell SAYS
There is no restriction to prevent
young men under age from buying Ii
quor." I was not aware that the pro-
hibltory law Disseminated in favor of
minors. I think if a dealer is found
guilty of selling to minors he would
have to suffer.
And, now, brother Mitchell, let us
all be good citizens and uphold this law
with all the laws of our state and then
if drunkenness continues to increase it
will be time to overthrow the prohibi-
ton law. Very kindly and sincerely
yours, LYMAN HULL.