The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-24
TO ALL PARTIES.
The Temperance Club Today Is
sues an Address to the Public.

To All Loyal Citizens. Political Parties,
Temperance Societies. Patriotic Or
ders, Labor Unions, Religious Organi-
cations, and Churches, Throughout
the State of Kansas, Greeting:
Whereas, The prohibitory law Of
Kansas was adopted by the popular
vote of the entire state in the form of
a constitutional amendment, thereby
forcing prohibition into every city and
town, irrespective of local sentiment,
placing the burden of enforcement upon
the friends of prohibition,in these cities
and towns, these places being the
strongholds of the rum traffic, accessi-
BILE to the outside influences by the or
ganized liquor power of license states,
which has invaded these eenters of pop
ulation with their money, agents and
corrupting influences, to dominate local
elections and control local officers, whose
duty it is to enforce the law, and in
many instances have secured the multi
fication of the law by conspiracy with
local officers, forcing the loyal private
citizen to assume the burden of law en-
forcement at private expense and time,
mourning the enmity of and subjecting
himself to the attacks, boycOttS and in
Limitations of this rebellious, constitu-
tional multiplying element.
The adoption of state wide prohibition
was secured largely by the vote of the
farm population, while the burden of
enforcement falls upon the cities. 1t
follows logically that if it required the
state as a unit to secure the law, the
state must be used as a unit to secure
the uniform and practical enforcement
of the law, by the creation of special
state officers, free from local bias or
control, having the combined moral
force of the entire state behind them.
In view of the facts herein stated, and
believing that existing conditions, after
an experience of 10 years of state wide
prohibition with local enforcement, have
developed the necessity of some addI-
tjnn9I and CtiCal supple
mentiary to the already existing law
and as friends of and believers in this
principle we have organized ourselves
at Topeka, Kansas, on Saturday, March
II, 1900 into a club composed of more
than one hundred voters on a strictly
non-partisan basis, to agitate and work
for the creation by law of a state de-
partment of temperance, under a board
of three commissioners, to be appointed
by the governor and confirmed by the
senate, their term of Office the same as
the governor and other state officers.
This commission to consist of one rep
resentative from each of the three pO-
litica1 parties polling the highest num-
Der of votes at the gubernatorial cleo
ton preceding their appointment. The
office of this commission shall be lOca-
ted at the state capitol. and the state
divided into three general districts. One
of said commissioners shall be assigned
to each general district as chief officer
thereof. This board of commissioners
duties and powers imposed upon them
similar to those embodied in the bill
known as the North Dakota temperance
commissioner bill These commissioners
and deputies shall receive a stipulated
salary from the state, the funds for
which shall be provided along the lines
indicated in the North Dakota bill.
To secure the adoption by the next
legislature and putting into operation
of this much desired measure, will re-
uuire the united efforts of all friends
of the constitution and law and order
in the state.
To this end we invite all patriotic
citizens to form themselves into local
clubs, similar to the one in Topeka
and those already existing in a number
of other cities.
This organization is not a temperance
society. 1t has no pledge of total alb
stinence. It is a thoroughly patriotic
movement, and appeals to all lovers of
government by majority rule. 1t is
not formed to antagonize or do the
work of any existing temperance or re-
form society in the state of Kansas.
Therefore, we earnestly call upon all
political parties, patriotic orders, tenn
perance societies; labor unions, relig-
iOuS organizations and churches to en-
dorse and cooperate in creating a pub
lie sentiment that will demand this
measure, and sustain our representa-
tives who, by their votes and official
acts, place it upon the statutes of the
AUTHORITY FOR THE ISSUANCE
OF THIS CIRCULAR.
At regular meeting of the Topeka
Temperance Commission club it was
unanimously voted to volunteer their
services temporarily as the head of the
movement in the state. In pursuance
of this resolution a committee was
elected as a state executive committee
to serve temporarily, until a delegate
committee can be formed. By reason of
the powers thus conferred upon us we
have issued this circular. All blanks
and instructions for the formation of
local clubs can be had on application
to the secretary of this committee.
Friends who desire to contribute finan-
cially to the carrying forward of this
movement are requested to forward
their checks to the treasurer of the com
mittee We trust this appeal will be
promptly and literally responded to,
that the work of organizing may be
pushed into every part of the state as
quickly as possible.
F. w. EMERSON, Chairman,
919 Madison street.
EMMETT E. ROUDEBUSH,
Secretary, lis w. Sixth avenue.
". A NEISWANGER,
Treasurer, 70S Jackson street.
- T. YOUNT.