The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-28
WHY ENFORCE TIE Law.

w n I'm EOEGOE 4a4 LA W.
In a large number, perhaps a ma
jority. of the larger towns of Kansas
there is only one issue in the present
municipal campaign. It is wet or
dry" It is question of the enforce
ment of the Drohibitory law.
1t must be acknowledged that it Is
by no means an easy task to enforce
prohibition in some Kansas towns. tx
traordinary and heroic measures might
perhaps be necessary. It would re.
quire a Roosevelt. a Folk or a Jerome
perhaps to enforce the law in Wichita
or Leavenworth or some other towns.
Whenever the question Of resubmis-
sion comes up its advocates invariably
assert that the present state of Drohi-
bition in Kansas is worse than licensed
saloons would be, and this argument
undoubtedly holds true in communities
where no honest effort is made to en-
force the law. Not that joints as they
exist today are worse than regulated
saloons would be. or that there is more
liquor consumed than there would be
if the traffic were regulated but
whenever a definite statute is allowed
to be openly violated with no attempt
on the part Of officials to punish the
violators. it breeds contempt for all
law.
That is one of the great evils of the
non enforcement of the prohibitory law
in Kansas 1t is breeding a class of
citizens with no respect fer the majesty
Of the law. and who will eventually be-
come fulI-fedged law breakers, at least
at heart. because they have no concep-
ton OF good citizenship. For this rea-
son, If for no other. the prohibitory law
ought to be rigidly enforced as long as
it is on the statute books
And that is not the only one. The
law against gambling Is violated to a
greater extent. perhaps, than the one
against liquor selling. It's violation is
more demoralizing, too. because it is
violated by those in authority Men
high in official position look with con
tempt upon the anti-gambling law
They are in every branch of the gov
ernment-executive legislative and ju-
dicial It is a notorious fact that dur
ing every legislature poker parties are
freely patronized by legislators. Some
times executive and judicial officers
1 join in then-men who have sworn to
faithfully execute the laws of the state
of Kansas-yet every man who does it
is guilty of a felony in the eyes of the
law and if convicted would be placed
in prison stripes in Lansing.
The failure to enforce the law does
not rest entirely at the doors of off
Gals. 1t sometimes touches the pocket
books Of those who are professedly in
favor of the law-and then it becomes
another matter. For instance, the
building in which one of the largest
wholesale liquor houses in central Kan
sas is located is owned by a prominent
member Of the First Methodist church
of Topeka, or was a short time ago, at
least. That liquor house has been for
eight years the backbone of the viola
ton of the prohibitory law in central
and western Kansas. If it had been
possible to close that one concern up
the town of Salina would not now be in
the grasp of its sixteen joints-one for
every $50 inhabitants.
If there is a law Of any kind it should
either be enforced or repealed. The old
proverb, righteousness exaIteth a ma
ton, but sin is a reproach to any peo-
pie" is as true now as it was in
Solomon's time
It pays in every way to be decent and
law-abiding It pays in dollars and
cents The mayor of Hutchinson a
short time ago issued a statement
showing that during eight years of IL
censed joints the city had been plunged
into debt which had largely been wiped
out in two years of law enforcement.
He closed with these words:
Tax Ievies have been reduced and
vet we voted one mill for a Carnegie
library, increased electric lights from
"a to 46, added q additional water hy-
drants and two miles more water mains
for the people.
We reduced the police force. and oua
city has been free from the criminal
element. A large portion of the money
formerly spent in saloons or lost IL
gambling has gone into legitimate trade
and our merchants all report increas-
inc business"
There is much in this last sentence
that is worthy of consideration from d
strictly business standpoint. It Is
plainly logical that in a town with nc
saloons or gambling dens there would
naturally be fewer deadbeats than il
towns where any considerable amount
went for liquor and gambling instead
Of into grocery and dry goods stores.
The 5oints of Salina may cost thai
town one of its best institutions. and
Topeka may profit by Salinas less-if il
becomes a. clean city. Prof 7. p
Roach is the head of a business college
there which averages 500 students I
year. who bring $500 each to the town
a total Of s1O0. 600 year In law and
order meeting in Saiina WednesdaS
night Prof. Roach made this statements
Il have built uD a good school, but il
present conditions continue in SaIins