Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1899-10-07
IN THERE ARE TEN-Io.

EDITOR NEws:-There are at least
ten (lOD well known citizens OF Bax'
ter Springs who are swiftly and
surely sinking into drnnkards
graves. They are the victims OF
Kansas prohibition. In few years
their business will have passed in
10 receivers hands, their families
will be objects Of charity aud they
will be buried by charitable insti-
tutions or at the expense of the
county.
Prohibition IA practiced in Kan
sas may shut out few OF the high
moral sort, but il makes common
drunkards and physical wrecks
and perjurers of most of those who
pa,ronize the drug stores, the boot
logger and the private joint.
Let me demonstrate q fact: Sup
pose we had a couple of well or
dered, high licensed saloons. The
proprietors would give a big bond
not TO sell minors, habitual drunk
ards or intoxicated individuals, un-
der forfeiture of their license and
bond. Then none of the ten QO re-
SPECIFIED citizens above mentioned
would be enabled to obtain the poi
son. Another advantage, a licensed
liauor seller should be obliged to
furnish uuadulterated liquor made
by distilleries and not manufacture
a compound of alcohol, assafoetida
and rat poison. Why do our citi-
zens who patronize the bootleggers
smell so to Heaven: a man may
drink pure Bourbon whiskey and
still he bearable, but who can stay
in the room with man loaded with
Baxter whiskeyT II these men
could only smell themselves after a
weeks jag, I doubt If they would
ever touch medicine" again.
FROM n mercenary as well as a
moral standpoint, prohibition is
bad. Every other town and city in
Kansas except Baxter is receiving
a revenue from the sale of liquor.
Suppose we had two regular ga
looms paying $1,000 each into the
city treasury. There would be no
more drunkenness than now and
we would have more money for the
school board to fight over, and
something to repair streets.
Prohibition has never been tenn
perance measure. Where are the
temperance societies that hunted
up the drinking men and with kind
moral persuasive means tried to re-
form them? Where are the temper
ance lecturers whose eloquence
caused thousands to quit the drink
habit? What has become of the
red headed, warm hearted girl who
used to throw her arms around the
Young man and never let go of him
until he signed the pledge: Where
are the mothers who used to pray
for the boys that they might not
become bummers aud wallowers in
the gutter? I'll tell you where many
of them are. They are running
around town canvassing for candi-
dates and standing on their hind
legs in caucusses bowling for fe-
male suffrage, prohibition and ne
gro equality.
Now, my lords and gentlemen If
YOU agree with me I propose rem
edy. II is not likely Kansas will
ever 90 back: on prohibition. The
Missouri distiileries and breweries
and the Kansas drug stores would
never permit Il. but we can do as
other cities are doing; we can wink
at the sale of liquor under certain
We can so order Il
that our business men and leading |
citizens who are taking periodical
of six days in the week and
ruiuinR their business aud destroy
ing their health, will get better
zhiakey and not quits 90, much Oft