The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-04-12
THE REAL SITUATION.
Conditions in Kansas That Caused Mrs
Nation to Act.


Nation TO Act.
| have been in Kansas over a
year. ! was in the home oil Mrs
Carrie Nation, at Medicine Lodge,
five weeks. What OF the saloon
war in Kansas? will submit a
few facts:
/. There is no constitutional or
legal right to manufacture, sell or
give away intoxicating liquors, ex-
cept for mechanical, medicinal and
scientific purposes; and even foi
these very strict requirements are
laid down. 2. The oath Of office,
from governor down to town mar
shal, is plain with regard to main
tainirg the institution and enforc-
ing the law. 3. A joint or saloon
is declared a pnblic nuisance, and
the officers are required to abate
these nuisances. 4. 1t is also
claimed by many lawyers OF the
state that in the case of such officers
refusing to do Their duty, any citi-
zen may proceed to seize upon said
Joints or saloons End close them up.
Eminent authorities are quoted from
n support Of this proposition. D.
1t is also contended by legal talent
that the liquors, kegs, barrels, bot
ties, fixtures and appurtenances, in
cluding ornaments, ETC., are contra
band and not property, hence may
be seized upon and destroyed. q.
From governor down the officers
were absolutely ignoring the en-
forcement Of the prohibitory law in
most of the towns, cities and coun-
ties, prior to the so-called anarchis-
tic methods Of Mrs. Nation. z.
The party machinery OF both old
parties was on the side Of the olt-
Iiawed saloon. s. Most candidates
for office either were silent or under
stood TO be on the side Of outlawry
and anarchy from the saloon stand
point. 8. The preachers in the
whisky towns and cities were most.
Ily towards on the question, and
would not speak out against REBEL
ion sufficiently strong to awaken
fear among the illegal saloon keep
ers and cause them to tremble be-
fore the law. 10. Courts have
been mostly shams and shades o.
Justice when it came to the enforce
ment Of the prohibitory law. In
most towns the greater part OF the
lawyers and business men were
either silent or for the illegal saloon
III. Saloon-keepers, gamblers, anc
kee, ers Of houses of i'll fame hat
become bold, arrogant and defiant
and spurned the idea Of the Law
being enforced.
Women cried, children begged
for bread, citizens ceplored the aw
lful situation. The State Temper
ance Union was practically a fail.
ure: it was in the hands Of lot 0
politicians and of church leaders
who cared more how they coult
hold the old political parties togeth
er than they did to see that the Law
was enforced. The w. G. I. U
women were putting in most of tn
time reading psalms and playing
church rather than giving any grea
death blow to lawlessness. Th'
Prohibition party in the hands OF
lot Of conservative men, who seen
Ito have but little Knowledge OF how
to conduct a campaign against th'
'Iliquor parties, was not making i'sel
known or felt to any perceptible de
gree. These are absolutely the fact
|concerning the situation in Kansas
constitutionally, legally, ofliciall,
land socially. Thousands Of womeI
were wringing their hands in grie
and making appeals for relief, only
Ito be laughed at by politicians an,
leditors. Under these circum
stances the blood began to boil.
Kansas was in state Of anarch,
as completely as in the days Of jim
Lane and John Brown. And evel
worse, for Gov. Stanley stood at tn
head Of long line Of official an
archists, who lead the w-breaker
|iu their daring acts Of law defiance
In the midst Of such confusion
what could be expected else thai
that Mrs. Carrie Nation, an,
thousands Of others Of the noble wo
men OF Kansas should arise, TAX
the law in their own hands and en-
force it, and thereby bring orde
out Of chaos.
| was but a few miles away whei
she smashed the saloons in Kiowa