The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-17

Then Mrs. McCarter took swipe at
a member of the last legislature. whom
she did not name, but described so
faithfully that Bun" Adams, the elo-
quent, rose as in vision behind her
description. She said that IN opposing
the suffrage movement he spoke of wo-
man as "a delicate, fragile, ethereal be-
ing' until she felt herself soaring.
Mrs. McCarter closed her address
with a comparison of the 1903 flood and
the liquor flood threatening Kansas
After Mrs. McCarter's address Mr..
Coburn announced that no warfare
could be carried on without sfnews of
war, and that the stewards will pass
among YOU At this juncture num-
Der rose and proved conclusively that
stewards would not pass among"
them.
J. W. BREIDENTHAL-
John w. Breidenthal was the next
speaker. His subject was, THE Kan
sas Situation from a Business Mans
Standpoint"
Il believe" said Mr. Breidenthal, in
his speech, that prohibition has
done more than anything else to build
up this great state.
twenty-five years ago removed
from the farm to a small town. At
that time I was against the Eat that
time proposed) prohibitory law. But
| changed my mind before 1 had grown
much older" Here Mr.. Breidenthal
who got on a drunk and left his vile
of few days alone at home while he
caroused two days and night. MT
Prudential followed the story of his
change of ideas with a hot roast for
his home town, Kansas City, Kan. He
stated that the place was corrupt
hole containing 129 open saloons,
innumerable gambling hells and resorts
of i'll fame running wide open by the
grace of Mayor Gilbert" Il was one
of q committee who went to Mayor Gil
bert with a petition to have saloons
closed He said that he was a prohi-
bitionist, but that the town couldn'
get along without the money collected
from the Joints. 1000 a month, prac-
teal admission of corruption.
You cannot raise good, intelligent
and honorable citizens in such place
as Kansas City, Kan, where boodling
is the regular thing, and wee ana
crime protected by those in authority.
I'm my mind every business man in
the state of Kansas should stand
against the liquor traffic-no business
man can afford to stand for outlaWry.
an conclusion, I want to say to you,
as citizens of this state, many Of You
aer derelict in your duty. Men are hold
ing office who are taking brides from
the violators of law. 1t is your duty
to Gust them"
REV. c. A. FINCH
Rev. c. A. Finch, pastor of the First
Christian church, and successor to Rev.
F. w Emerson, who left the church to
go into the service of the State Tenn
| perance union, spoke of the situation
| from a preachers view. Rev. Finch is
an able speaker, and gave his views in
| language which would not easily be
misconstrued. Because the laws are
not properly enforced said Rev. Finch,
some people howl for the repeal of the
prohibition law, but I say that a good
| law poorly enforced is better than no
law. AS it is, the liquor dealer is an
outcast with no regular abiding place.
He is kept moving-some say he hires
| the drayman by the month";
William Allen White, who was to
have a place in the symposium on the
subject of 1.-The Kansas Situation from
the Standpoint of an Editor" could not
be present owing to his doctors orders
| sent his regrets-a1so his manuscript
which was read by Judge Carver. Mr..
Whites idea OF the situation, from an
editors view, was heartily applaudeo
by the audience, although many of the
numbere were prodded by his witticisms
According to Mr.. White the much
blamed editor has to have the support
of his townspeople to make his stand
for temperance possible. In his paper
Mr.. White said:
WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.
To begin with, a newspaper is a bust
ness enterprise. It is true that editors
should have lofty ideals, and should
hitch their wagons to the stars; most
editors are idealiSts, so far as that is
concerned. Most Kansas editors have
their wagons hitched to stars; but
there is moment about half past five
every Saturday night when the force
comes in for its weekly wages, when
the editor must slip the tugs from his
star and come down to hard, cold and
substantial earth. In dealing with ed
itors, ladies and gentlemen, engaged in
conserving the morals of a town or
county, often forgets this important
fact. When a law and order league is
formed in a Kansas town, the leaguers
expect the editor to slap the lines
across the back of his star, and &c
galloping up the zenith riding over
business, friends and foes alike, in the
interest of the cause. Reformers don't
ask dry goods men to put I'D a sign