The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-05-06
KANSAS AND ST. JOHN pRoHIB,Tlou.

Prohibition, with its medicinal mechanical and sac
ramental probandi APPENDICES, as foisted upon
the Republican party Of Kansas by settler from Mis-
souri, and which propaganda made the said settler leader
Of the party Governor of the state was twentyone
years old last week The occasion was embraced by
large number Of editors for delivering themselves Of their
individual conclusions to the sum total OF results to
the the party and to the cause Of temperance
and morality. The opinions differ very widely being
evidently, in most cases. coIored or modified by the
writer's local environment and personal prejudice In.
gals and Plumb and Martin among the dead and Nor
ril Stanley and others amcng the living were quoted
IN extension eff the most disDassonate and intel-
gent reviews Of the question from the pen Of Missouri
Writer. the editor Of the Kansas City star VINO in being
closetohand observer is presumably politically disin
terested The Star sums up twentyone years Of pro
hbition in Kansas as follows:
The time has come when Kansas ought to be able
to stand few plain truths about prohibition The law
which seeks to forbid the manufacture ard sale of qGor
IL Kansas save for medicinal mechanical scientific
purposes twenty-one years old last week This an
nversary suggests some reflections which is should be
possible make without mourning the heavy penalty
prescription which attached to any criticism of com
pulsory teetotalism in Kansas.
Governor Stanley in recent interview on the ques
ton said: The future Of prohibition this state is
largely of individual opinion That simple and
sensible observation shows what great way the poll
tioians of Kansas have come since the establishment Of
prohibition state Fer many years prohibition
in Kansas the basis-or rather aubte1fuge-of an
organized cult that aowd exercise CT individual be
lief regarding its expedency The outrageous tyranny
Of prohibition in the plentitude OF its power was its
most hateful characteristics It's narrow intolerance ana
its vengeful bsoty was something to make persons Of
liberal minds stand ashast hesitated not q moment
to class those Who dared question as slaves CT rum
and wine biDbers, they as temperate ana as alb
steminous and clean in their lives as the most uncon
promising aseedc 1t bore down with ferocity which
might have hedtted the Middle Ages al who asserted
the right in perfect good faith. to oppose IL
Its hypocrisy in the days OF its power was execrablc
There were those TO he who advocated prohibition
with an absolute sincerity OF purpose the honest be-
LEI thar IL VAS the appointed remedy for great evil
The magnitude OF this following was what gave prohi
biaon its strensth political factor 1t became at
once the cause and propaganda of those vgaut dea-
gogues who ready always TO take up with any Pop
uar movement Tor their hehoof Il is no violation
Of veEaoy to that there never was an issue in any
American community that ever brought to the front more
shabby medioory ana more odious Pharasasa as have
been developed IL kansas 10y prohibition.
II this sounds hard. il, is nothing bat the truth It
was al issue to be used by designing corporations to
carry out their purpose under the guso of Tghtaousness
and virtue and it hailed as The been which gave
new life and vitality to many discedite5 politician Who
had been laid the shelf
The revenge which 3ohn p St John tho high pr,sst
Of prohibition visited upon the Republican pzrt in helm
ing 10 defeat Paine for President IN 1854 WIS au,ue
OF the proscrpye character Of the propaganda Tor uoa
be stood. 1t was hs way Of setting even with Repub
cans Of his own state for refusing 10 give him taira
term Governor
whether Kansas has absorbed less or as much OF