The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-01
PROHIBITION
Mayor Rose Sends Commune
cation to Civic League.
The Kansas City, Kan, Official
Makes Plain Statements.
CANNOT ENFORCE Law.
Considering Everything the City
Is Well Governed.
Keeps Gambling Places and
CANNOT ENFORCE LAW.
Keeps Gambling Places and
Joints in the Background.

Kansas City, Kan, March Mayor
| w. w. Rose has addressed a long com
municatfon to the Civic league in which
he outlined his ideas regarding the en-
foreement of the prohibition law, the
handling of vice in cities and the prob
lens Of sociology. Incidentally, he
makes some rather bold admissions in
view Of. the custer proceedings hanging
over him.
/ The mayor makes an extensive argu-
ment for the administrative control Of
saloons. Tom L. johnson of Cleveland,
he said, had classified the control OF
vine rooms gam bling, slot machines
and the liquor traffic in three methods
of official sufferance, attempted sup
preston by raids and administrative
/ OF this he says:
1.-THE first neither of US could in
dorse It IS most fruitful source Of
corruption and graft, which under Of
hctal sufferance cannot by any means
/ be prevented. This administration will
not tolerate disreputable methods. The
second method of handling vice in
cities IS the one usually resorted to
| with little if any results more success
fuI than are obtained from the first
Cannot Close Saloons.
Continuing, Mayor Rose says:
Having lived in this city during
( two former crusades, at time when
| the police department was under the
direction of the state authorities, and
with a full knowledge and recollection
OF the results 7 cannot believe that tn e
prohibition law can be enforced when
the majority Of the people do not want
| it enforced.
The third method, that of admins
traflFe CONTROL has proven vastly SUI
perior to the others in its operation in
ms city: i do not claim that it is not
suDJecf to abuse, but that this method
duin4tS OF less cOFrupting influence
than any other. On assuming the
management of our city affairs we ap-
Piled this policy, not without criticism
winch may be accounted for and ex-
cused Dy the utter failure of Other.
methods in execution. However tha
may be, the fact remains that omen
gambling policy games and slot ma
chlhes nave been abolished in this city
IN way hitherto unknown, and if
there are any poker games conducted.
II is IN close secrecy. No money is
/ paid or collected from any such source
| 10 this administra ton, collectively or
individually, nor will there be- There
1 Iofe lhere IS no basis for corruption
ana mere are no favOrs or privileges
Ior distribution There. We're over 500
slot machines in Operation during the
previous administration. These ceased
to operate April Is, 1905. Policy
wheels have been abolished by the
police department and wine rooms in
saloons have been abolished
This city has always been remark
ably free from disorderly houses and
we have not therefore had much of
this evil to contend with, but such
places as have needed surveillance
have been subjected to a wholesome
discipline. Dance halls connected with
saloons have been forced to close. one
or the other. and in some instances
! both. and there are no such combina-
| tons now"
The mayor says that he had known
of the existence of ''joints" since COM
ing to the city in 1886, and that the
system of collecting fines was in oper-
alton when he became mayor.
Soon after Mayor Rose took his
Office he issued an order for the Sun
day closing of joints The order was
TigidiV enforced for two SUNDAYS and
then the joint keepers We're allowed to
open their front and side doors. 1t
was persistently contended, however,
that the order remained in force and
until yesterday the administration
not closed on Sundays. The mayors
communication says:
As to Sunday Closing.
I'm regard to Sunday closing, it may
be that by a HercUlean effort this
might have been accomplished In
deed. [ think it would have met with
popular approval The prohibition
law under which there is no legal
right to do aught else than raid sa-
looms every day in the week, renders
Sunday closing q glaring Inconsistency
with the policy of administrative con-
troll In obedience to popular demand
we obliged all front doors to be closed
and otherwise maintained a decorum
comm ensurate with the sanctity of the
day believing this. as a permanent
method, to be infinitely preferable to
a temporary policy in accord with the
moral commissions and spasms of the
past"
Mayor Rose then gives his opinions
regarding the causes of crime, in the
course of which he says;
Deep down there lies an economic
cause for much of all vice and crime,
and we are merely, by our present en-
ment pounding away at effects with
out touching the producing cause. This
cause 7 believe to be an economic NAL
adjustment by means Of which a few
get wealth they do not produce. while
many produce wealth they do not get.
Rarely indeed is the cause for crime
to be found in wantonness or de-
generacy. and when 1t is it is with
certainty traceable to the social and
legal inequalities resulting to the great
body Of Gods children from the de-
law In other words, crime and Grim
inals are the Outgrowth of conditions
created by society as a whole. and
while we cannot legislate we can ad-
vOcate tempering justice with reason
and mercy. I do not believe that the
sins of the multitude should be visited
upon the unfortunate who have not
escaped the pitfalls Of adversely"