Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-10-04

and Asks Union Soldiers to vot
the Way They Shot.
David Overmyer Democratic nom
nee for attorney general, is consid,
ably wrought up because Repub
cans have been showing up his poll
cal record with the result that he ha
become known as Hopper" Mi
Overmyer Indignantly denies being a
"fopper" but makes no effort to cite
facts regarding his changes Of frolt
which would relieve him from Suspic-
ion. On the other hand evidence that
he has new issue anc o new opinion
for each campaign are continually
coming to light.
In 1894 Overmyer was the stalwart
candidate for Governor on an antipro-
hibition and anti-equal suffrage plat
form. To his candidacy was due the
defeat Of Governor Llewelling for re-
election. This year Overmyer is Z
Democratic candidate for attorney gen.
eral on prohibition platform IN
claims that he will certainly enforce
the prohibitory law In the remote
event of his election. He now says
that the failure to enforce the prohibt
tory law in certain localities now Is
the fault Of the Republican officials
In 1894 he held that the law could nc.
be enforced in localities where a M
jority of the people did not favor Its
enforcement. He even went farther in
that campaign. and said that the pre-.
hibitory law should not be enforced
in communities where majority d
the people did not favor its enforce
ment. Now he has entirely changed |
front and says he can enforce the law
everywhere.
In one of his 1894 speeches Over.
myer made the following statement in
support of his contention that the law
could not be enforced in the face Of
strong sentiment against IT.:
I'VE submit to obnoxious laws be-
cause we are compelled to-; not from
choice. If the law making power is
despotic monarch he had behind hin
his army t compel obedience to hi
will. II the law making power is the
1t has its superior numbers
md greater power to enforce Its will.
But suppose the majority should be
ION -combatants and the minority
should be combatants would the min.
,rity obey the law? Not If it did not :
Iuit them to do so"
In that speech Overmyer character .
zed the prohibitory law as entirely d
vii and used an elaborate set of tlg- b
res to prove that 1t did not represent b
he sentiment of third Of the voters y
I the state. To this fact, as he term =
d It, Overmyer ascribed the failure !.
, effectually enforce the law in all :,
le larger counties of the state. This
ortion of his speech was as follows:
Nov / want to say to you In tho d
rst place that owing to the peculiar ru
ltnre of the constitution OF Kansas nl
at provision was voted into the con-
tuition by less votes than d majority u
all the voters OF the state. 1t was =
It Illegal for that reason because ~
9 constit ition provided that i,
ght be amended by ma se
rity Of the voters voting upon mi
9 amendment but in ord'r to show
lat sort Of sanction this thing has "a
er had want to call your Attentions r.
a little scrap Of ancient history. Ia =,
1t election General Garfield received NJ
1870 votes; General Hancock re. fri
we'd $3.50 votes; Weaver, 1910. Dill
lttering IS; total votes 2Ol ,045: for to
9S,5O2. against prohibition Isl
sO4; total 176,6O6; excess Of presl. rus
itial vote over prohibition vote -,
$50 votes; votes for prohibition
5 than majority Of all votes cast
is; voters in state not voting at
64.600. Add to the the excess of
es for nj sidert. the 24.434 and yol
-e S9OS9 Add to this vote agains.
Si.SOi. Hence we hay
voting for prohibition 1888 an.
Q votsd FOR it ee,sl2 in the State OF Il
l@as, AID yet under the peculiar IL
n Ct tie eonst.tat.oa, tsat evil pro. n
on was vlssed "a the constitution |