The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-17
MOVING ON THE H0NK-A-TONK
County Attorney Jones Is Causing
COmmOfiOn at Guthrie.

Guthrie, o. T, jan 16.-CoUnty Attor-
ney Edgar ones is moving on the famous
honk-a-tonk here and will close it up. It
Is claimed that the existence of the resort
which IS in the nature Of q vaudeville
theatre Of the Latin Quartir type, is
hurtful to the reputation Of the city.
It is not alone the politicians who are
concerned in the efforts Of the Anti
Saloon league to purify the moral atmos-
phere Of the territory, but it appears that
the business men and property owners,
especially those Of the latter, who derive
rentals from property used for saloon
purposes. are beginning 10 look upon the
movement with anxious eyes 1t was
only last Thursday that the order Of
County Attorney Jones went into effect,
closing the gambling houses, since which
time the games have been closed tighter
than sealing wax At first the sports
We're inclined to believe that the Closing
UP order was on the usual ground stand
order, but more recent developments, es-
pecally the reiterated statement Of the
county attorney that he would prosecute
to the bitter end any violation Of the
law. has caused a change I'm this feeling
and even the most hopeful incline to the
belief that the game is closed for an in
defnate period.
The newspapers generally over the ter
titory are beginning to take up the ques-
ton why should fish be made of one
town and fowl Of another"
As a rule the newspapers are not op-
posed to compelling the saloon men to
observe the laws Of the territory, but
some object to the methods employed, as,
for instance, is disclosed in the following
editorial observation OF the Pond Creek
News: III. Z. Swan, territorial organizer
Of the anti-saloon league, is going after
the saloons and anyone signing a petit
ton for a saloon license are to have their
names published in the official organ of
the league and also sent broadcast over
the country in pamphlet form. To a man
w q tree, it looks ike Mr.. Swan was get
ting the cart before the horse. Close the
saloons. and who Will handle the whis-
key? Boot-leggers, who viii sell to any
and everybody; they are under no bond,
pay no city. county of territorial license.
So far as we are concerned, we would
like to see the manufacture Of it stopped,
as no one will dispute but that it is a
curse to the land, and the way to do this
has not been determined as yet. We
have liquor laws in the territory, men
engage in the saloon business under the
protection of this law, are under heavy
bond TO keep within the limitsm. Meg
bond to keep within its bounds, and all
We see that this league can do is to
make them conduct their business occord-
ing to law, and to make threats Of pub
hshing the names of signers of petitions
will only make matters worse, for the
American people don't like to be told
what they should or should not do. Just
such threats viii cause some people to
sign a liquor petit o. You can't kill
snake by cutting of its tail"
The Norman Transcript says: 'HThe
saloons were closed as tight as wax last
Sunday. and will probably remain so on
that day hereafter. Theer is talk among
the saloon keepers Of entering into an
ironclad agreement to keep closed on
Sunday. and obey the statutory law in
every particular. The say, however, that
other lines of business must also obey
the law; that it is not right TO make
fish Of one and fowl Of another "