Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-02-11
THE JOINTS MUST GO.
About 5000 Topeka Men Issue
Ultimatum.
MEETING OPENED WITH PRAYER.
Joint Keepers Given untn ~ O'Clock
Noon Next Friday TO Have Liquors,
Fixtures and Furniture shipped From
the City-cIose Up or BE Wrecked,

Topeka, Kan, Feb. f1.--Three thou
Rand male citizens OF Topeka, in mass
meeting here Sunday, decided that
the numerous joints Of the city must
close their places. This action was
the result OF the crusade started in
Topeka about 10 days ago by Mrs.
Carrie Nation. The meeting Sunday
afternoon was Il remarkable one in
every respect. It was called by =
committee of the Law Enforcement
league and was attended by nearly
all the prominent business men of the
city a feeling of intense earnestness
pervaded the meeting. Conservative
men who have hitherto advocated
moderation in the dealings with tie
lawless element, insisted in unmistak-
able terms that the time had come
when patience had ceased to he vir-
tue and that the people Of Topeka
should take the law in their own
hands. The meeting was opened with
prayer. After few short, snappy
addresses, which worked the audi.
ence to Il high degree Of enthusiasm,
passed amid the loudest cheering
The ultimatum, which was adopt
ed by rising vote, follows:
ITO those Immediately engaged in
the Illicit business, whether whole
sale or retail:
I'VE have to say that the long con-
troversy of the public with you must
ly and persistently defed the laws;
you have made yourselves the agents
of even greater criminals outside of
the state, who have supported you in
your unlawful traffic; you have gath.
cred about you a criminal element
that is perpetual menace to the
safety of the community and have
maintained places that engender and
encourage all vices; you have intro
duced the most corrupting and demon
aliZing factors and influence into our
local politics; and for years you have
scorned all appeals and warnings
that have been presented to you by
the virtueloying people of the com
munity
Now, we feel that the time has
come when we must speak to you
peremptofily We cease now to en-
deayor to persuade-we command.
You must stop this lawless and in
iquitous business and stop it at once,
and we hereby notify you that we
must have unquestionable evidence.
absolutely satisfactory to the Gem
mittee of public order, which we to-
day constitute, that all your illicit
goods. together with all the associat-
ed fixtures and furnishings of the
places where your unlawful business
has been carried on, shall have been
removed and shipped from the city
before Il o'clock, noon, Friday, FEB
Is, 1901. Upon the strict and literal
observance of this demand we shall
insist: and If it shall be disregarded
we will take whatever measures are
necessary for its rigid enforcement.
IF a long outraged public shall be
compelled to resort to the funda-
mental right of standardization
against criminals aud their abettors,
the grave consequences of evil doors,
which may result from such a re-
turn, must rest with the defiers and
nullifiers of our laws and the obstrue-
tors of our governmental machinery
1.-The jointists. the men who rent
property to jointists, and the men
who have violated their oaths IN toll
Grating crime-these are the disturb
ers of the peace, and now the affront-
ed and Wronged public which as SOW
ereign has both the right and the
duty to see that its will and Judgment
shall be respected"
Twelve hundred men signed their
names to cards pledging themselves
to be ready at a moments notice to
join the army.
The ultimatum was written by
committee, of which Robert Stone, a
leading business man, was chairman.
There were a number of addresses.
in which Mrs. Nation came in for her
full share of credit.