The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-20
IT is AN OUTRAGE
City Attorney So Characterizes
Status of Liquor Cases.
Great Mistake to Expect Him to
Conduct War on Joints.
COUNTY SHOULD DO IT.
Prosecutions Should Be Made
Through County Attorney.
Law Enforcement Mass Meeting
Draws Large Crowd.
COUNTY SHOULD DO TT.

The Home Defenders and the members
of the Law Enforcement League met in
a mass meeting at the Auditorium sun
day afternoon to listen to speeches by
Assistant Attorney General A. L. Red
den, A H. Vance. Rev. F. W. Emerson,
Rev. J. T. Mcfarland and city Attorney
Chas. F. Spencer. The audience was
entirely in sympathy with the speakers
and they were applauded long and often.
About 1900 people were present.
Mr.. Spencer carefully outlined his
position upon the question Of the prose-
cution of the law violaters in the persons
of the jointists.
Many he said want to know how
I stand on the liquor question and the
law enforcement proposition. I thought
that every one who had lived in Topeka
and who knew me, knew how I stood
believe the liquor law should be en-
forced. There has never been time
since the law was put on the statute
books that 1 have not been in favor of
its enforcement
1T is the right of every citizen he
continued, mo matter how humble to
demand the enforcement of the liquor
law 1t is his privilege to agitate the
question and bring about the observance
of the law if it is possible to do so, and
it is possible.
1T has been said that we should live
in peace, that we should cease to quar-
rel with the law breakers and allow
them to continue undiSturbed- Now
would like to ask who it was that COM
menced the trouble 1t is those VINO
are violating the law. 1t is known that
there are many places where liquor is
being sold and it is the privilege and
duty of every one when they see the
law being trampled under foot to de-
mand that it cease. Licensed saloons
never ran any length of time until they
began violating the laws. Hence there
can be no peace except under the pro-
position of no saloon at all.
7 have heard that a great deal is ex-
pected of the city administration I
will say that all the time that can give
consistently will be devoted to a prose-
cution Of the liquor cases. There have
been enough cases brought to thorough
ly test the question but nearly every
one knows how the jointists are given
straw bond in the police court how they
appeal to the district court, the wit
nesses are lost sight of and nothing ever
results from the prosecution after 1t has
run along in the courts for several
months.
Now I want to say that it is an out
rage that the liquor prosecutions are go
ing to be showed onto the city and the
burdens OF the prosecutions be should
cred by the city instead of by the state
through the county attorney.
1T is a great mistake to expect me to
conduct this war on the joints. The city
attorney cannot do half the work in the
office at the present time and works on
}
torney, with twice as much work as ono
man ought to do. Now the county at
torney receives a salary of 81, 500, has
assistants, and the last legislature pro-
vided him with a stenographer. The
mistake was made when the people of
the county allowed man to be elected
to the position of county attorney who
was not in sympathy with the suppress
sion of the liquor traffic.
Aaron Jetmore'S term in the office
demoralized the county in this respect
He refused to get out and work up the
prosecutions, declaring that he would
look into all the cases which were pre-
pared and brought to his notice.
''Our county attorney has not yet re-
rused to attend to the prosecutions pro-
perly And believe he will do his duty.
OF course heis following the precedent of
Jetmore. that of sitting in his office like
a lord and waiting until the matters are
brought to him.
4 don't care very much if Mr.. Mich
OILS will refuse to prosecute any case
that is brought to him. The trouble is
you people have gotten discouraged and
have laid down.
Il don't believe that it was ever in
tended to shoulder these prosecutions on
the burdened taxpayers of the city when
the county attorney is supposed to do
the work"
Assistant Attorney General A. L. Red
den was called upon to speak He arose
to say that he-did not believe in a pub
lie officer discussing what he is doing or
will do; that he was not before them as
a public officer butias a citizen and he
was there to tell them a few things they
could do to help with liquor prosecu-
tions-
He said that the greatest fault of the
people was to shirk their responsibility
and their refusal to go into court to tes-
tify for fear of being damaged either
socially or in a business way. That if this
obstacle We're overcome liquor prosecu-
tions would be easy. He also denounced
all those who had not the moral courage
and conviction to go into court and tell
what they tell to the prosecuting attor-
neys You may think it is an easy
matter to secure convictions" he said,
but it isn't under these conditions"
Mr.. Redden assured those who We're
at the meeting that steps were being
taken to prosecute the Jointists who
were in business in Topeka, but that
considera BILE money would have to be
supplied to fight them, for they were
being backed by large amounts of cap
itaI outside the state which was being
spent here as an investment by the
brewers, that it was very difficult to
drive the jointistS out of business even
if they are conducting their business
at a loss when they are being backed
by the capital of eastern brewers.
Rev. ]. T. Mcfarland explained that
a considerable amount Of money was
needed in subscriptions to fight the liq
uor men for the reason that of the $780,
600 pledge only I per cent could be as
sessed for two convictions and only 6
per cent could be assessed during the
year. He further stated that instead
of a dozen convictions they wanted to
land twice that many jointists in the
penitentiary- He stated that the pa
pers for the prosecution of that many
1awbreakers we're in readiness and the
fight would be begun as soon. as ade-