The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-04

WICHITA. Kan. Feb. kansas has a
Prohibition law. but its corpse IS lying n
state
Mrs. Carrie Nation, Of Medicine Lodge,
and her followers have started what they
are pleased TO term a crusade in Kansas,
but in spite Of this movement there is yet
no Indication OF = strong sentiment for the
strict enforcement Of the Law II the State.
Il is true that there Is . strong agitation
TOW N temperance circles, but one reason
why the new movement has not more
force is because temperance people have
not been unanimous in endorsing the
method adopted by Mrs Nation and her
associates in the Kansas Women's Chris
tan Temperance Union
One method of suppressing q saloon IN
/ Kansas IS by declaring the place 4 nUi-
sance or by the sworn statement Of some
one who has purchased liquor IN the es-
! adjustment. Then comes a process Of
| law which al times is tedious and without
result. After repeated trials OF this kind
| the average Kansan has permitted The sa-
| looms to run in orderly manner in pref
| erence 10 having his city agitated by a
| temperance movement every few weeks.
After frequent appeals 10 the officers;
after having been told what could be done
/ under the existing law Mrs Nation and
/ her companions decided 10 take the mat
( ter into their own hands, using the argu-
ment that as the saloons are unlawful in
this State the crusaders are exempt from
punishment even If property IS destroyed
7 In Wichita. at the time Mrs. Nation
made her first attack upon the saloons
! there had never been z period in the his
tory OF the city when the saloon element
was as orderly or created less disturb
ance.
Mrs Nations First Attack.
The first time Mrs. Nation was alone.
/ The Carey Hotel bar was the one broken
/ up. The proprietor stood BY. allowing the
( work of destruction to go on rather
/ than create a disturbance. Re was will
I ing 10 lose money rather thar have the
matter come up in the usual channel. It
/ is true that Mrs Nation was arrested and
( confined N the county jail Her case came
up for a hearing and vas dismissed This
was allowed b. the saloon men. because
they preferred TO let the matter drop
rather than continue the agitation
The attitude On the part OF the saloon
men gave Mrs- Nation another Oppcrlu-
upon The WOmen'S Christian Temperance
Union ard the members united with her IN
another attack upon the saloons Two
saloon pToprieUoTs stood Dy again ana LEI
/ their properly 60
While entering another saloon the Pc
+ lice appeared and the crusaders we're
! locked up on the charge OF disturbing The
/ peace. They 5sere allowed to 20 en- their
! own recognizance- The case next appear
ed IN the district court Of this county
! The crusaders we're charged with mali
Ci0Us destruction OF property. Another
charge was brought that Of melting riot.
and the case IS still in court, the accused
having been released on bail
What is true in Wichita IS probabI the
case in all Of the larger cities IN Kan
sas. The saloon men would rather have
the matter kept quiet than 10 provoke a
general feeling which JLey fear would re
! act against their business
Mrs. Nation Talks.
Mrs. Nation-w1s asked number Of
questions while IN this city concerning her
saloon-snashIng career She answered
all Of them without hesitation and talked
| as though her movements we're the mcst
| commonplace events in the everyday bust
| ness world
When did you start your saloon cru
=
ed
Il started the movement" she said.
| last summer at Ki0wa. which is near nav
| home in Medicine Lodge. I had exhausted
every possible means Of closing the sa-
| looms that the law afforded. I had worked
/ with the sheriff and the county attorney,
/ but they refused 10 do anything for ne
! I then prayed to the Lord and He opened
/ the way for me. The decision 10 begin
III IL
denly There were six saloons or Joints
in Kiow2 and I went after them I wrap
{ ped up my rocks and I did not tell anyone
what I proposed TO do. Before that time
I had purchased liquor at the saloons and
/ I had II analysed, 50 that I knew what
/ I was about 1 told my husband that I
vas going out IN the country on profes-
eionaI business I an: a practicing phy-
( stefan Instead OF goi-g to the country. I
Z went TO KiHwa. ! went TO the saloons.
I I had warned them before this time 20
! close their doors and they had not needed
( my warning. When I Jaw the proDrietors
( I said: 1 am going TO break Up your Sd
! loon and then I threw my rocks. This
/ was the starting point"
/ Mrs. Nation is a Kentuckidn Of Scotch
! Irish ancestry. She was a member Of the
Christian Church until some trouble came
Up over the temperance question, and Mrs.
Nation said The church Withdrew from
! NE and now I am a member Of no church
why do you smash these ,jCiutS2' %
/ Mrs Nation was asked
In the first place" she replied, 4 am a
/ lava biding citizen 1 am not destrlia-
tive citizen. II IS the men I attack that
are destructive citizens. The saloon has
10 legal rights in Kansas. What is legi-
innate elsewhere IS not legitimate in
saloon. That chair might BE- your proper
~ and ! would have no right to destroy
it II II was in a saloon I would have a
right 10 destroy il In fact II would be
NY duty to destroy it,
Mrs. Nation Is a resident CT Medicine
Lodge and has lived ia that town for q
number Of years with her husband David
! Nation While he IS lawyer, Of late
years he has not taken much interest in
his profession He is an old soldier and
draws Government pension r-i>+-l, - tho
support OF the family o. two. Mrs Nation
has long been considered eccentric But
! for all that. people Of Medicine Lodge
respected her for her many good deeds
/ Oppression. ---her for or against her were
! not heard Until a1ter heI affair in the
saloons at Nova
In appearance Mrs Nation is q mother
iy-looEinE woman. having passed middle
age She has hair which is turning erCv
Z aid her black eyes snap and fash as she
mentions the crusade as she IS pleased
10 term her fight. She dresses in black
wears a black bonnet and usually has
blue veil across the bonnet over her ears
Glasses give her face q peculiar appear
md &c