Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-05-24
10 McDILL'S MUSINGS.
"COGIOUSNESS."

Once upon tline there was a hot campaign
on in North Carolina. The rival candidates
for prosecuting attorney were of the same party,
and, therefore, the voters were divided OIL party
mes. An eloquent colored preacher reslded i'll
the county, aud he had a large congregation,
whom he swayed as Brigham Yong swayed
the Mormons. The preachers influence was
eagerly sought, SO that, to use his language, he
was "pestered most to death by dem two white
men what wanted to be persecutin' attorneys"
The preacher kept mum till the evening before
election, when, pursuant to announcement he
addressed crowd OF his fellow countrymen
upon their duties on the morrow. l shall only
quote one passage from remarkable oration:
"Brederin', dar air cogious reasons why youeus
should vote for Square Chase" [Chase was the
name of one of the candidates. "Yisoday,
heerd ledge johnson say dat Square Chase
couldn't 'vict nobody. You all knows da: de
ledge is shore hard on our peopole when dey
air 'victed of takin' pigs and chickens. We
shore want de man what cain't 'vict nobody"
III some localities, we find a parallel in
drouthy Kansas especially where selling liquor
is in controversy. The liquor element either
want county attorney who will not, or can
not, secure convictions. Like the colored thief
who stole pigs and chickens, the liquor man
has "cogious" reasons for either securing the
election of an ignOramus or constituencies
trucker to "dive" influence. And this cogious-
ness is not confined to prosecuting attorney. 1t
i, expansive. Sherifs, municipal officers, and
even district judges, are reached out for and
warmly embraced in the effort to nullify law
that is obnoxious to a certain element in soci
ETY., which, it is needless to say, are swayed by
the bootleg influence.
My observations have no one in view in par
ticular, and, therefore, no one need wear the
shoe if it does not fit; and should have kept
silent were it not that the neglect of sworn
duty by our executive officers has become a
CRYING evil and menace to good government
or any government at all. l judge largely
from what see, and l see that not only are the
liquor laws not enforced, but trust laws, Sunday
laws, gambling laws-for all of which there is
the backing of strong public sentiment of
our best citizens. l know that if there no
sentiment in favor of such laws, our legislators
would not have caused their enactment.
| believe that if all the laws so frequently
violated were voted upon, without prejudice or
the inflammation attending hot political cam
paign, all would be endorsed by an overwhelm
ing majority.
believe that not only is law trampled upon
bit ublic sentiment, likewise. And by whom?
BY our best citizens? By the producers of
wealth?
1t would be terrible strain upon veracity
AM harity to place gamblers, bootleggers and
dive keepers upon level with farmers, mechan-
les, miners and employees on railroads and in
~ .miAc,ories, in usefulness or morality. 1t
would be hauling down of our standard of
virtue to place licensed saloon-keeper upon a
level with our merchants. In intellectually,
the mer who make and sell liquor sink into in
significance beside our teachers, doctors and
preachers.
: 81 lssf a 81 ~ "a tzs,off