New-York tribune., 1900-07-16


At the recent meeting of the Worlds
Woman's Christian Temperance Union in
edinburgh scotland, the Rev. G. VI. SbeI-
don. of Topeka. Kan.. spoke about the IN
sas prohibition law. According to him, il
Il enforced Hs much any other law. He
inquired that in the liquor states the average
importation OF beer annually il one hun
dred Thousand barrels, while Kansas i'm
ported only seven thousand last year. He
gave seven hundred thousand nS the Dum
"er OF drum knrds In the United States; there
are three thousand of these in Kansas In
N"hSaS drink selling II trented aS n sin
an" crime the salOOnkeeper is cInSsed
"i'h the houSebreaker. and the traffic Il
conducted secretly Some persons oue.-
h"ned the accuracy of Mr. SheIdon'S state
meDtS Here are the comments of Tba
iri"uhe regular correspondent in Topeka
Topeka. Kan. July 10 tSpeciaD-Tbera ~a7 10 ~,
truthful contradiction OF the statements r,a5s h.
tne Rev c. NJ Sheldon in his recent address in
Edinburgh. A fair and candid eIucidstfor ~ Tho
WORKING and methods OF sustaining prohibition in
Kansas would probably De OF interest TO the read
ers Of The Tribune. The figures given nv N-
sheldon are exact enough so far as figures fl he
case TO say that there are only 5000 drunkards
III hansas and that the average number Of drunk
ards in the United States would be Is coo 70 each
state, IS undoubtedly misleading statement when
used as comparison 70 sustain the cause OF pro-
hloltion. Mr. Sheldon also stated that there were
only 1000 barrels OF beer imported to Kansas during
the year 1898 This also is approximately correct
statement. according 70 The Brewers Journal
which gives the figures as 7.sI2 There is hardly
question but this refers 10 beer sold and
shipped direct from the brewers. and bulk. Mis-
souri, bordering the east and having a population
OF only about double that OF Kansas takes 254 os9
barrels. So by this Il seems that Missouri acts as
mlddleman- 1t takes the beer from the brewers
bottles 1t and ships Il TO Kansas. To what extent
We GO not know, but everybody in Kansas does
know that the bottle trade is enormous The amount
Of beer consumed in Kansas is not, however. in
question. Il is the amount Illegally sold in Kansas
The Law does forbid the drinking OF beer but
the sale. Neither does il forbid the purchase Of
intoxicants- Anybody can buy and take to Kansas
any kind OF liquor. The only thing that the pro-
hibtion law punishes Is the unlawful sale. The
amount of beer shipped into Kansas from the brew
cries s therefore but q small PARTON Of the beer
sold in Kansas
DRCNKARDs HAVE DISAPPEARED.
As to the amount OF drunkenness in Kansas in
comparison with other States OF communities the
statement OF Mr. Sheldon is amply confirmed not
only by statistics, but by observation OF those
who visit Kansas. and the Kansans who travel 10
other States. The real fact is simply this: There
are no drunkards IN Kansas The bIear eyed,
pimply checked old soak who reeed about. all
day, streaming with whiskey Or beer is q Trims
OF the past The people in Kansas who drink red
liquor are OF two Classes-thOse who drink IL in
their homes, and thnse who hop. skip and jump,
seeking some place, where they can find a per
son who has bottle keg. in some hack room.
attic or cellar. If they ind such person and
such a place, they get their drink and Eo-taey
go al once The business is TOO risky 70 have any
standing around loafng the premises Haste
and plenty OF work 10 do are not conducive 70
liquor drinking. and the prosperity which Kansas
is now enjoying In a great measure can be at
tribuUed 10 its temperate population. There is a
class OF citizens who might properly be termed
spree drunkards-' The dram drinkers and "regu-
lars no longer exist but the trregulars spree
drunkards get quart or so AT time and I'LL up.
y f1g1ar eIS0r7 hey
tear" but If peaceably inclined they go home and
sleep II of
SOME BEER STATISTICS.
The sales OF beer for Kansas taken from The
Brewers Journal show a regular increase in the
last I'VE years: