The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-26
Governor VIII Take Another
s"Shy" at the KIondike.
To Suggest Law That viii Do
the Work.
KEEP UP THE FIGHT.
Not Be Satisfied Until Dens Are
Eradicated.
Law viii Forbid Sale of Liquor
Near Soldiers Home.

Governor Stanley has two years and
two months to serve the people of kan
sas as the chief executive. In this per-
iod, and he hopes long before the ex-
piration of it. he intends to suppress the
notorious Klondike at Leavenworth, II
the machinery of the state is powerful
enough to do it.
The governor has made an effort to
drive the inhabitants of the Klondike
and the Pike out of the business OF
preying upon the old soldier inmates
of the national home at Leavenworth,
but the processes Of the present law are
slow and apparently inefectua1-
This conclusion has caused the gov
ernor to make an investigation which he
believes will result in the enactment of
a law making it a misdemeanor for
any person to have in his or her posses
sion within prescribed distance of the
soldiers home, liquor, beer or wine of
any kind
The only question in my mind now"
said the governor to State Journal re-
porter, rs the constitutionahty of such
a law do not want to suggest such
q law and then discover that its prOV1S-
ion would not conform to the conStltu-
ton. However, I Will at once lnVeSt1-
gate the subject to ascertain if there is
any provision of the constitution which
such law would run counter to.
My plan to make it a misdemeanor
for any person to have within his or her
possession, liquor, beer or wine of any
kind. within a prescribed distance of the
home, viii, pending the investigation
which I will make, be formulated and
made ready for recommendation - the
legislature.
This Klondilze is the worst evil we
have in Kansas. It must and will be
suppressed I want the law so framed
that its provisions will extend to the
owners or lessees of the buildings in
that district These buildings are there
for no other purpose than that for which
they are now used and want the law
to provide punishments for the owners
and Iessees as well as the real offenders
by sales
requirements will- in my opinion prove
the most effectuaI method Of driving
this nuisance out OF existence
I viii ask the assistance of the leg
islature and believe the bodies, both
houses, will aid me to suppress this no
tOriOus place 1t is a disgrace to the
state; disgrace to the county and a
curse to the inmates of the soldiers
home"
The governor has been, on one or two
occasions. deceived as to the conditions
existing at the KlOndike- Men whom he
trusted to report upon the progress OF
affairs over there, notified the governor
that the law was being enforced and
that the viOlatorS had gone out of busi-
ness. These reports were received
through various channels, but unpreju-
diced Investigations made by other per-
sons resulted in the discovery that the
Klondil1e is always running in full
blast, especially is this true on pension
payment days.
The conditions there have become so
alarming and threatening that Cover
nor Rowland of the home has posted a
bulletin ordering the old soldiers to ken
out of the klondike under penalty of ex-
pulsion from the home.
This plan will no doubt work effect
ually for the present, but there is a
question about the authority of the gov
ernOr of the home to expel men from
patrOniZing an evil which the state and
federal authorities do not cause to be
removed and suppressed.
Evidence has been freely offered Off
cials whose business it is to prosecute
these offenders by inmates of the home
and the officers of the home. each and
every one, could furnish convincing tes-
timony concerning the Klondike But
these men have never been summoned
as witnesses. The prosecutions which
have been made were entirely perfunctOry.
The effort to drive the Klondikers out
of business was an ignominious failure
so far as the district is concerned, but
some individual dispensers of booze NAV
have been driven out.
The KlOndike between the home and
LeavenwOrth and the Pike district be-
tween the state prison and the soldiers
home are still doing business, apparently
not noticing the Interruptions which
took place by the prosecution of a num-
Der of the most prosperous and defiant
of the saloonkeepers. but Governor
Stanley promises at near the close of his
first two years as governor of the state.
to suppress the notorious district if the
machinery of the state of which the Re
publicans are in full control, can be
managed for the government of such
places as the Klondike and the Pike.
RnNNM nM TIT EnTHRnE