The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-05-24


Beyond question ashrewdly planned,
determined effort is being made TO un-
do in the next Congress the good work
done in the last by the abolition of the
canteen. This attempt is not in the
form of tampering with individualcon-
gressmen. That would be compare
lively easy to meet. The liquor forces
are nothing il not keen sighted. They
understood fully that it was public
opinion throughout the nation that
banished the canteen, public opinion
so intense, so commanding, that leg
islators feared 1t more than oil the
terrors which liquor men could hold
over their heads. They understand 49,
a logical necessity, therefore, that II
they are to wrest victory out of defeat
it must be by changing public opinion.
This is much harder task than to
bride a few congressman, for it means
the wholesale deception Of the people
the intelligent, well-meaning people
who are seeking the ends OF morality
and righteousness.
1t is large undertaking, but the
it and, unfortunately, they have the
means at hand in the shape OF a venal
press which only in exceptional in
stances has dared to openly oppose
them. That press has already begun
its work by the most false and baseless
reports concerning the effects of abol-
ishing the saloon. Immediately after
the first pay day at Fort Sheridan,
seven of the Chicago dailes published
long accounts of the rioting which
occurred when the paid of soldiers
visited the saloons in Highwood, the
village adjoining 1.-THE fort. These re-
ports we're in the main utterly false
For example, it was said that saloon
was smashed, srioting occurred in
which guns we're fired and some citizens
as well as soldiers injured, martial
law was proclaimed in the village, two
companies sent down to preserve or
der, special deputies sworn in, etc.
Every one Of the above statements
proved on investigation to be abso-
lutely false. Some disorder did &C.
cur, but it was not so serious as has
occurred many times on pay day when
the soldiers had the canteen. On the
contrary, q number of saloon keepers
told a reporter that they had less pat
ronage from the soldiers than when
the canteen' was running.
These papers also said that immedi-
ately on the closing OF the canteen,
eight saloons opened in Highwood.
This is unqualifedly false, since not
q single new saloon has been opened
since the canteen closed. Yet these
falsehoods are taken up by the press
of the country and scattered broad
cast And the farther they travel from
the scene the larger they grow, the
more serious becomes the "rioting,"
the more ''terror stricken" the people
OF Highwood, and the more anxious
for the re-establishment OF the can
teen. Secretary OF War Root recently
assured the Senate Committee of
Military Affairs that next summer he
proposed TO present figures OF the
workings of the canteen that would
convince Congress that the african
teen law was a mistake. They arenow
at work collecting or manufacturing
those figures, and the press OF the
country is filling the ears of the people
with these reports, so that when the
repeal of the bills before Congress
good people will actually believe that
the canteen is temperance measure
and will acquiesce in the repeal. 1t is
a plan worthy OF the internal regions
and, unless temperance people oppose
determination with determination, zeal
with zeal, and cunning with wisdom,
it will succeed.
What are we to do? We would sug.
gest that temperance people living in
the vicinity of military encampments
acauaint themselves with the facts and
meet lies with truth. II the secular
press cannot be forced to publish the
replies, send to all the religiouspaper'
throughout the land accounts OF the
stories being circulated and what IL
the truth. Get your ministers to pro
claim these facts from the pulpit. Pro
claim them yourselves by voice and
by pen. Let the people all over the