The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-03-29
NO SYMPATHY FOR SALOONS
Mr.. Pearson Interviews Men Who
Drink on the Saloon Question


come the rage to abate the saloon
nuisance by force of arms or Ratchet,
without waiting for due process of
law, have taken the pains to inter-
view a good many men whom l knew
were in the habit of drinking more or
less, as to what they thought of that
way of doing. One and all, without
exception, when asked what they
thought of it, peculiar kind of a
smile would come over their faces,
and often laugh that would make
the average dive keeper sick at heart
could he have heard it. But not one
of the some dozen of men we have in
terviewed have had a good word to
say of the joints and their keepers,
while some of them do not hesitate to
say they are no good and ought to be
suppressed in some way.
These men in particular, come so
near using the identical language that
by giving one is to give all. He said:
81 drink, | always have. | keep it in
the house, but I'll tell you saloon is
a bad thing. This is how it is: If
there is joint to go to, men who
would drink but very little, and per-
haps not at all, meet there. One says:
Let's take something Perhaps be-
fore they are fairly through third
drops in, and takes drink and asks
the others to join him, which they do.
Then fourth often comes in and don't
want to drink alone and he sets em
up to the others. BY this time the
first one not to be outdone, buys the
drinks for all around and so they
keep on until they are all full, which
they would not do if there were no
saloons. I'll tell YOU" he said incon-
clusion, "this treating is a bad thing
There's where the great trouble is"
1t looks to your scribe as if the
great trouble is in drinking at all.
But then men differ in their opinions,
except in sympathy with the joints,
and that is what has surprised me- |
In all the interviews not one has hint |
ed any coincidence for them, but some |
came out llat-footed and said they |
were glad of it, and were with Mrs. |
Nation heart and soul until she went |
to lecturing for money. Some thought |
she ought not to breakthe plate glass
windows, but not one word about let
ing out liquors and smashing obscene
pictures. Some of them would end up |
with the remark: "Oh Mrs. Nation is
all right"
Now be it understood these inter-
views have not been with prohibition
lists, but most of them who do not de- |
ny that they take something for their
stomach's sake and sometimes when
their digestive apparatus does not
need it, but just for good fellowship.
That's just it. 1t is not the mean,
stingy, little-souled man that when
you get hold of hishand feels as though
you had grasped dead fish
and want to let 90 of it as soon as
possible and wipe your hands on your
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ness oil, but the one with generous
heart that when you take his hand in
yours you feel the warm blood dow
and the heart go with the shake. He's
the one that goes to the drunkard's
fate. Oh why should anyone be in
favor of liquor as a beverage,
SOME QUESTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS.
And now, Mr.. Editor, if the fore
going is the sentiment of the people at
large, and it unquestionably is, why
do State legislatures enact laws per-
hitting the keeping of places which
those who patronize them consider as
a bad thing, as a detriment to the wei.
fare of their fellow beings? Have the
law-making bodies any such right?
We believe with the Topeka Capital,
that they have not, and when people
begin to think about it and consider
it they will think so too, and the courts
will in time take that view and declare
that the law-making bodies have no
power, to give their sanction to bust
ness that only brings ruined manhood,
want, restitution, misery, disgrace
pauperism, brutal fathers, wives and
to want, and also high taxa
tion.
Pleas embodying the foregoing will
be heard before our courts yet made
by some aggrieved and ask the courts
to set such laws aside as being against
the best interests of the State and
make the business of selling liquor as
Il beverage and the one who sells it an
outlaw. 70 suppress by force if need
be, to rid the State of it, | do not
expect to live to see the courts do this,
but my grandchildren will. Things
are travelling at a pretty fast rate
these days,
"Oh, hear someone say, 'the
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