The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-11
SHELDON Is UNEASY
He Is Making a Fight on
Mayor Parker.
CLEMENS Is IN IT TOO
Says He Can Enforce the Law
Without Trouble.

Topeka, March 1O-The new Demo-
cratic administration of Topeka is about
! the most liberal administration any city
in Kansas ever had. not even excepting
Kansas City. Kansas. or Wichita. This
town is filling up rapidly with open sa-
looms. The liberal element is not salts
fed with this. It is bringing in gambling
houses and money slot machines. There
are two regular gambling houses on Kan
sas avenue. the main street, where faro.
roulette, craps and poker are played
openly. Nearly every drug store where
liquor is sold is filled up with money slot
machines. The vicious element seems to
everything its own way here now. 1t has
no fear Of prosecution, either for violat-
ing the prohibaory law or the Cubbison
anti-gambling Jaw by the present city
and county officials
Rev. Charles NJ. Sheldon is taking
hand in local political affairs and is now
at the head OF a movement to force
Mayor Parker to abandon his liberal
policy and close the joints and gambling
houses in Topeka. The claim is made by
the mayor that the business men who are
trying 70 build up the town are in favor
OF a liberal policy. Mr.. Sheldon claims
they are not. In order to determine
whether the mayor or himself is right.
the preacher is circulating a petition
among the business men of the town ask
ing the mayor to close the joints. The
petition reads:
To Hon. Albert Parker, Mayor of To-
peka:
We, the undersigned. business men Of
Topeka, hereby declare our opposition to
any system or policy of licensing the
criminal liquor sellers of this city and de-
clare it to be our belief that any such
policy is destructive to the best business
interests of the community. The recent
murder, which occurred in one OF the
saloons of this city, is direct result of
the policy which has been begun by you.
AS business men having the interests OF
the city at heart. we place upon you.
Mr.. Mayor, the responsibility for the en-
forcement Of our law as you swore to en-
force it.
Mr.. Sheldon says that not single
man approached by him so far has de-
cined to sign the petition. On the other
hand, he says, they all seem anxious to
assist in any scheme that win close the
joints. They ~5elieve that the more
money spent for liquor the less there
win be for groceries and dry goods; the
less spent for liquor the more to spend
for the necessaries Of life.
G. c. Clemens the Topeka lawyer, who
is generally employed by the jointists to
defend them when they are in trouble.
says he can close every joint in Topeka
easily. He issued this challenge yester-
day to the temperance element.
Il notice the glee with which prohibl-
tionists greet the decision of the supreme
court, affirming the validity Of the i'm
prisonment and the search and seizure
provisions of city ordinances. deem the
decision of no consequence whatever.
I The ordinance was not enforced in the
city before Judge Hazens decision. Pro-
hibition lawyers cannot enforce it now
It is a favorite idea of mine that no pro-
hibition lawyer can enforce the prohib-
itory law. no matter what drastic pro-
visions it may contain. and that the 9TH
er kind of lawyer can enforce it strictly
with only simple fine as a punishment
am so fully convinced that am right
that I make this challenge:
If the city attorney will give me the
power and authority of an assistant to
institute cases in the police court his
regular assistant 10 act under my super
vision, I viii close every joint in Topeka
by April 1. without search or seizure.
without imprisonment. without making
more than one charge at time against
a jointist and with hut 800 fine punish
nent in each case. If I fail, I viii give
$50 20 Christ's hospital for its charity
fund: If I succeed, some reliable prohi- |
bitionist, who is TO pledge himself if this /
challenge is accepted. 10 do the same
thing. This challenge to be accepted as /
above and the city attorney to appoint |
me without pay. by noon OF Wednesday, /
March Il"
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