Washington sentinel., 1901-02-09
Kansas and Nrrs NATION

orderly and cranky state. John
Brown and Mrs. Nation reflect
luster upon community long dis
tinguished for fanaticism and vio-
Ience in politics and morals, as well
as finance. Instead OF regulating
the traffic in alcoholic liquors as is
done in States where what is prac-
ticable and within the right OF the
State is considered, Kansas charac-
teristicallY went to the extreme OF
prohibition, says the Baltimore
Sun. The usual result followed;
namely. the unrestricted sale and
use of intoxicants, together with
the added decentralization Of open
defiance OF law. Public sentiment
was not behind prohibition in Kan
sas and it could not be made ef1ec-
tive. In The rural districts, where
local sentiment favored the abso-
lutte prohibition OF the sale and use
Of alcohol in any form, the law was
perhaps a useful weapon in the
hands OF its friends, but in the
larger towns and cities it was soon
ignored. The police who had it
to enforce themselves wanted a
drink" from time to time anil con-
sidered prohibition an invasion of
their personal rights. Their fel-
low citizens sympathized with the
saloonkeepers more or less and re-
fused to take prohibition seriously.
Magistrates were unable or unwill-
ing to secure convictions when
violations ci the law were reported.
So the saloons soon 'ran wide
open," while the municipal and
State treasures lost the revenue
formerly derived from Licenses. In
Kansas, as in Maine, the birthplace
oil this ism, prohibition cecame a
farce In the towns and increased
instead Of diminishing the evils OF
intemperanee.
This situation, however, created
an opportunity for Mrs. Nation,
who has a record. She was born,
1t appears from the dispatches
widely published, in the Republi-
can mountain districts OF Ken
tucky-districts made famous by
murderous feuds-and in 1865,
with her husband, went South to
teach the negroes Of Richmond
county, Texas But the Texans,
who are quite old fashioned,
curbed her activity, and in 1884,
after the publication OF some re-
flections upon their community,
they were preparing to lynch the
Nations when the latter betook
themselves to more congenial sur
roundings IN Kansas. Here self
righteous conceit, fred by the
spectacle of violated law, 10 years
ago led Mrs. Nation to raid a sal
oon az Medicine Lodge. Her dep
relations on that occasion caused
her incarceration, but she was re
leased, the idea prevailing that her
violence could not be punished. in
view OF the unlawfulness OF the
saloonkeeper's calling. The SEN
timent of chiValrv was also in
voked to protect the woman from
retaliatorY violence. Two years
ago, the dispatches say, she broke
forth again and wrecked two SAL
oons in Kiowa, and, gathering
boldness from immunity, last De
cember she swooped down upon
Wichita. AT this place, with a
pocketlul Of what she calls
rocks" she smashed bottles, mir
rors and saloon art" in the value
of some thousands OF dollars.
Alter a lew days in jail she was
again released as being insane"
But she continues TO believe she
has "a mission" and in Kansas
there are not a few who still take
her seriously. Her recent unman-
nerlY visit to the Governor and
the tongue lashlng she gave him
afford great pleasure to "strenu-
Gus" persons OF like violent dis
positions. Stimulated by admir- |
alton, she remained upon the war |
path. She loudly proclaimed her
purpose to continue her Crusade"
till every saloon in Kansas is des-
troyed- But the specta Gle OF un-
womanly conduct and mobbing
presented by Mrs. Nation, il no,
rebuked, will, it may certainly be
apprehended, do vastly more harm
than a severely regulated traffic in
ntoxicants would do. Happily
such examples as hers are confined
% "the wild woollY wesE'-to the
quarter Of the Union where a half
century Of fanatirism and woman
uffrage have depraved the local
Morale. The civilization Of the
EAST is somewhat different. While
We may be amused at Mrs. Ma
ions capers, we have no fear that
he will have imitators under the