The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-25
MAYOR NOT READY
Kansas City, Has, Executive
Explains a Few Things.
Sentiment Above the Law, in the
Prohibition Fight.
CITIZENS WANT JOINTS
Would Be Foolish to Override
Their Wishes He Thinks.
Suggests the Governor Try
AtchfsOn and Wichita.

Kansas city, Kan, Dec. 25.-"The
people in this city and Wyandotte
county do not want the prohibition law
enforced. 1 would be a fool and an
ungrateful official if I were to disregard
the sentiment of the people who elect
ed me. override their wishes and at
tempt to impose this legal morality
upon them by attempting to enforce
law merely because it is on the statute
book. A law is not made sacred mere
~ by the acts of the legislature IN
passing it. If the law under discussion
does not harmonic with the VIII OF
the people to be governed by it it has
no sanctity and should not be enforced
The. people of this city do not like the
prohibition law and do not want 1t.
They did not agree to the making Of
1t and are under no moral or legal
obligation to obey it merely because II
was imposed upon them by outsiders.
The foregoing statement is IN SUB
stance the declarations Of Mayor W.
w. Rose, made to reporter ana Is ms
standard and observations on the law
enforcement Custer proceedings are
now pending in the Kansas supreme
court against Mayor Rose on the
grounds that ne refused to enforce the
prohibition law and cOnSpired with
ton of that law. The proceedings
against Mayor Rose were begun at the
instance of Governor HOch, VINO is at
tempting to enforce the prohibition law
IN WyandOtte county.
"If the people of Kansas CITY ran,
want the prohibition law enforced 1t
will be enforced, and if they DO not
want it enforced it will not be en-
forced, he said. You cannot I'M
pose law enforcement upon peo-
pie where the laws to be en-
forced are so strongly in conmct
with public sentiment. An attempt to
enforce the prohibition law is proving
farcical."
HOch of Kansas was not emulating the
example of Governor Folk of Missouri
in the law enforcement movement. He
said the prohibition law is a state law
and more responsibility rests upon
Governor HOch and the state officials
than upon the mayors of the different
cities. Mayor Rose says that Governor
HoCh made mistake in insututng
custer proceedings against him before
ne even made a request of the mayor
that he enforce the law. The custer
suits were brought September Is
Folk of Missouri first does his duty.
and after he first gives all a chance to
join with him he then Gusts the fellows
who have refused to do their duty,
said Mayor Rose. Before Governor
Hoch even made move to do his duty
under the law, which imposes upon
and other state officials the duty of en-
forcing the prohibition law, he came
down to Kansas City, Kan, and tried
60 GUST city officials from office because
they did not enforce a. state law. He
has never said to me that he wanted
the state law enforced and has never
asked my cooperation in the state law
enforcement movement. When I be
came mayor of Kansas City, Kan, I
found the city absolutely dependent
upon the revenue derived from Joints.
I then said that so soon as the tax
system Of the city could be be adjusted
7 would be willing to cooperate in a
more strict adherence to a state law
and do away with this Illicit way of
gathering revenue.
isn't that exactly the plan Gov
ernor Hoch is following today? Why
does he single out Kansas City, Kas., !
officials and why is he not enforcing
the law in LeavenwOrth, Atchison and /
other Kansas cities where the saloons
are running wide open and no attemp&
made to close them? He says he is |
not ready.
tThat is exactly the reason the Off
Gals in Kansas City, Kas., did not close |
the saloons The city was ready and |
was in no condition to close them until /
its tax system had been revised.
IF 7 ought to be Ousted from Office |
for not enforcing the prohibition law
in Kansas City, Kas.. then how about (
Governor Hoch. who is making no |
effort toward enforcing the prohibition |
law in Atchison and Leavenworth |
counties? He is attempting to Dust us
for not enforcing a law which it is |
clearly his duty to enforce, he being |
a state official and the prohibition law /
being state law He is waiting I'M
til he gets ready to make the effort !
to enforce it in those counties. We |
wanted to wait until our tax system |
was adjusted before the places were |
closed here. He is attempting to Gust /
US for doing the same thing he is do !
ing-waiting"
Mayor Rose and the members of the |
police department of Kansas City |
kas., are giving no assistance what
ever, it is charged, to the law enforce /
ment movement inaugurated by Gov /
ernOr HOch- There are more than 100 /
Joints i'm that city with the front doors |
closed and the back and side doors /
open. The city ordinances and state |
laws make it the duty of the MAYOR /
and chief of police, as well as the duty I
OF every policeman, to enforce the /
prohibition law. but no attention is
paid to the city ordinances and state |
law by the city officials. For this rea- |
son Governor HOch is attempting to /
Gust Mayor Rose
Kansas Rural Carriers.