The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-28
Daisu~sAE aale
M. M. MURDOCH, Editor.
IS WICHITA IN THE THRoEs?

tide of growth and of prosperity. Never III lei ni'
has this flow of development and thrift Oeeh 50
The city is sweeping rapidly solidy and vigorously
and to victory Lincoln said that it is poor 'n
to swan horses while crossing stream Ihere Is piop
osition pending the people of Wichita to swap
at this juncture. Those who understand the preSeh
problem or equal to compromising It's poSsiD
results in determining Wichitas future may wen hai
long enough to consider the situation
1t is not time in which to get excited or go OH OF
sentimental tangents Aside from all party consinei
lions things that will make for, against Wichita al
the future supreme commercial city of this state are IN
volved in the present campaign.
1bero &c contingent backing candidtee for mayor
which candidate promises prohibition. What the policy
of the councimen running his ticket might be we nave
no information We couldn't even guess farther thar
that there would be much trouble and expensive litigation
and business depression
There is another combination backing Mr. Ross as an
Independent candidate promising as its biggest card tha
one-half of the saloons will be closed
To close onehalf of the saloons would be to cut that
business in two The question naturally arises: Would
the reducing Of the of saloons by onehaf reduce
the consumption liquors in like or in any other ratio
One certain and evident result would be the cutting
down of ctys from source by just one
half Whether any less liquor would be consumed OF
not there dsputng the proposition that there would
be several thousand dollars raise in lieu by direct tax
alton or otherwise expenditures for park improvements
street repairs the police force the like would have
to be cut down Another thing renters would have to be
found for the rooms buildings vacated by the billiard
halls and saloons and vacant business buildings not
an encouraging spectacle.
This may seem to some a mercenary view, but it
nevertheless contains and logic than the half
way proposition to the number of saloons in two
when everybody with any sense that it would not
curtail sales to the amount of a pint month.
There is neither sense logic principle in the prop
ostion to cut the revenues in two with the only effect OF
forcing the man who wants a drink to walk an extra
block
The sentimental group and impractical crowd backing
Mr. Parkhurst who proposes no halfway measures but
&c close everything up tight without reference to the
material interests of Wichita, logical and OF
real principle than that advocated by the other crowd
So far as the temperance aspect of the stu
alton is concerned there has been less of drunkenness
and rowdysm the past years this city than at
time in its history excepting the when prohibi
sion backed by an assistant attorney. And more
than that past years the only in the
history of the city when there have no Sunday sell
ing has been open saloon on Sunday since
Mr. Mclean was in except in the two attempts
wherein the keepers arrested and roundly fined.
The foregoing comprises the issue of the present city
campaign from surface view. least they constitute
the bone of contention and excitement What the line OF
policy of the opposition the Republican ticket if that
opposition should prove triumphant what the councilmen
On either of the independent tickets would do only
be guessed at
With the election the Republican ticket things will
go swinging for the two years at least just
as they the past years. Besides the
ance of an honest adminstraton-and he who asserts
that administration for the past has not
been strictly honest either deliberately alsifes
or otherwise he preiudiced through
are enterprises interests and improvements to be prose
cuted and consummaed which will leave Wichita with
improving aspect and greater in every way.
Aside from these merely material and moral problems
Republicans should forget that their part!
principles and interests stake The defeat of
party in this city disorganizaon the county
mayhap the defeat of the party later 1t
serted only last week by a Kansas editor who hold
close personal relations with President Roosevelt tina
the president looking for the of the sprin
elections larger cities of Kansas will
great interest pointer for what the state will d.
next year, the year Of the national campaign.
To sum up. We can see no political material or mora
reason why Republicans should not stand to man 70
their party nominees the city ticket and for every on
OF them.
A COLORED MAN WRITES ROOSEVELT
TIA. VS. . srerlis mint. nd co,,er, 49,. -