The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-04
HIGH LICENSE.
Kansas City, rs, Citizens Think
That Best Plan.
Liquor Men, Too, Are Weary Of
Continued Dodging.
SALOONS STILL RUN.
One Great Trouble Is Presence
of the State Line.
Hard TO Close in Kansas With
Joints Next Door.
STILL RUN.

Kansas city, Kan, Oct.4.-"Governor
Koch has the chance of his life now to
make good said one prominent man
yesterday. He has gone too far to
back down, and, If he enforees the law
against the sjointists,' he viii undoubt-
~ make many friends. 1t has come to
this situation in Wyandotte. The line
has been drawn. On one side is disc
bedience to the law; on the other side
stand those who want all regularity
and law thrown to the Winds The
good people in Wyandotte county
those who would rather see the law
enforced because it is i2w-are far
fla majority of those who like to see
things run their course. The two no
Iitica1 parties must base their platforms
on law enforcement in Wyandotte
county, and the next election, I believe,
will see such platforms"
w II. Mechanism, who VIII file in
junction suits against the owners of
property where joints are situated
said that the cry about the taxpayers
having to give up $50 for each suit was
all bosss.
Men who have paid close attention
to the cases have told me that no coun-
ty recorder has ever allowed any
money for such suits he said In
cases where private individuals and or
CARNATIONS bring such suits the coun-
ty bears none of the expense"
Another well informed lawyer said
the county would not have to pay any
costs in such suits, as the expenses
would come frOm the owners of the
property, where the cases We're pushed
and Won.
In the first place it is the easiest
thing in the world to keep a Joint out
of a residence district" said James
Getty, lawyer and state senator "A
citizen can have any 'Jointist' arrested
and, If the liquor dealer insists on sell
ing. the citizen can have him arrested
every ten minutes. He can also get
an injunction against the jointist and,
if the injunction is ignored, the Joint
ist can be taken into court and the
100 days without a jury trial for con-
tempt Of court. That usually fixes
them"
Probably never before was the seuti-
ment here so strong in favor of high
license for saloons.
''The state line is imaginary" said
one of the leading lawyers of the city,
land so long as Missouri allows the
sale of liquor it is folly for Kansas
to remain in the prohibition class. If
the saloons should be closed here for
good the town would go to the bad in
short order What we need is high
license and the remonstrance plan, so
saloons can be placed only in neigh
DDIADQ0a where InEE6 IS no OUIecLlOO.
Then, and not until then, win the city
be on a stable basis So long as the
grafters have charge of the joints the
people viii be dissatisfied and the
turmoil viii last"
The jointists are as anxious as any
other people to pay high license-that
is. the best of them are. They are sick
and Disguised with the annual fight
against them. and say the grafters
never let them rest. They say they
would welcome any effort to call a
constitutional convention for the pur-
pose of changing the constitution so
the city could license saloons ait a
high rate
The war against the jointists is
lulling just now because Mr. COdding
the head counsel for the prosecution,
is out of the city. When he returns
additional Injunction suits will be
filed
Myron A Waterman, who has been
collecting evidence for the crusade
which has been commenced by Gov
ernor Hoch against the joints. was OBJ
served moving quietly about in Argen-
tine yesterday. He was there for the
purpose of collecting evidence, but
when questioned about his visit there
told reporter that he had nothing to
say
ct could not be better pleased with
the way things are working" said Mr.
Waterman. I'VE are willing, however.
to let the other fellow do the talking,
while we win do nothing but saw