The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-02-09
A LESSON IN LAWLEsSNESs.

| A great many persons have wond-
cred why it wasthat Mrs. Nation, OF
Kansas City, was permitted to smash
up saloons and saloon property in
Topeka and other rcities in Kansas
without being even arrested in some
cases. and allowed to go on destroy
ing the valuable property of others /;
but the New Orleans Picayune gives
the reasons in the following editorial /:
A correspondent has inquired how
| it is that, in the State of Kansas,
women can demolish the fixtures and
furnishings of liquor saloons with the
comparative immunity that has been,
the case in the recent raids there Of
Mrs. Nation, and, Others who have,
initiated her.
The reason can be easily under.
stood when once explained. 1t is that
the barrooms in Kansas City are law
less concerns, operated contrary to
the statutes of the State, and being
IN defiance OF the law, they cannot
invoke the law for; their protection.
Theyistand in the relation to society
Of being outlaws or piratical con-
Germs, against which any person has
the natural right to defend himself
or herself.
10 explain the matter further, it
should be understood that some |
eighteen years ago the people of
Kansas voted almost unanimously to
adopt prohibition laws in that State,
and the Legislature accordingly
passed measures to prohibit the sale
OF intoxicating liquors in any form,
unless for medicinal purposes. The
law also provided that it was q mis-.
demeanor to rent buildings to saloon
keepers.
The first trespassing came when
lrug stores commenced to retail
whisky by having the purchaser sign ,,
4 medical certificate. This made it'll
easy, and the druggists were voted
permits to handle whisky by the
owns-people. AS the number of
lrug stores increased, the municipal 4
authorities decided that they should v
Jay fines, and then the "joints'' C
prung into existence. These places a
Eere allowed to run by the payment a
4 large fines. The ''joints" were #
onducted behind locked doors and fl
ledical certificates were not needed a
D order to get drinks. Y
Gradually the saloon men grew u
Older, until open saloons appeared -
the larger towns. In Wichita, "
eavenworth, Topeka, Arkansas City ~
nd many,other places open saloons or
re maintained. At Leavenworth W
Iere are '1i7 saloons, and S25 every 81
onth comes from each of them. RI
Wichita there are 16 saloons. y,
hich pay $50 each monthly. The
W Is failure because city officials til
Il to enforce it, and the Governor 50
8 never deemed 1T necessary to 1el
ge more strict enforcement. "a
The Kansas State and city officials lie
rmit this wholesale violation of law DC
cause they make money by it. n,e
e claim that they cannot enforce oa 90,
law is mere pretense, since it oo,
s enacted by local option vote of Du
people of the entire State, and rio
by the Legislature, which only on
'posed to carry out the plainly ex- of
ssed will of the people, and. if ST
officials choose to enforce the
(, they could oe certain of having acc
people behind them. But il is ina
fitable not to enforce the law, and gov
t is not done. ina
he wisdom of prohibitory laws, ; ;no
inst the sale of liquors is doubt q
at the best. Many people are in ann
habit OF drinking some sort of ers:
ors, either spirituous or ferment- 600
and they do so in the exercise of wor
atural right. Pronlbitory laws w
never enforced, and in all the Mol
es and communities where thew wea
been tried they never did put a king
to the sale of liquors; but Peep
here has the law been an holdl, whic
openly violated as in the State 20,
ansas. inor'
ohibition in the United States Dc d.
'een proved to be rank failure,
use the officials who are set to
'ce the law are usually soon cor
,d. The profits of retallina