The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-16
RBHARKABLB EXPERIENCE FOR
 OVER A YEAR.
The Lid Put on Tight by Determines states Attorney and the City Has Unprecedented Pro.perisy ia vari- GUS ways.

4 7 ..
 Since the passage of the State prohi- hition law. to so into effect Jan. l. 1909, there has been much discussion of it's probable effects on business and the development of cities especially. The following article will probably be of value to those who are seriously inter- ested in this problem. It is from The Chicago Record Herald and over the signature of William E. Curtis, one of the leading correspondents in the coun7 try. It shows that q prohibitions law has been enforced in large city for a long period, and some of the notable results of that enforcement:
 When asked Senator Curtis of Kan sas the other day whether the en- forcement of the prohibition law in that State had been injurious to busi- ness and whether 1t had retarded the development of the State, as has been so frequently represented. he referred me to c. ". Trickett, the assistant States attorney. who had been in charge of the prosecution of the liquor sellers in the thriving town of Kansas City, Kan. which lies immediately across the river from the Missouri, city of that name, and Is the second largest stock and meat-packing center west of Chicago. 1t has also an extensive grain and flour trade, eighteen eleva- tors, large smelling and refining works, the Missouri Pacific, Union Pacific and Rock Island Railway shops, and several other important industries, The popu- lation, which is about 100000, IS conn posed very largely of foreigners, who are accustomed to the liberal habits Of the European countries in drinking wine and beer, and the slum element Is said to have been larger before the res cont cleansing took place than in any other place of the same number of in- habitants in the nation. At the same time. there has always been a very < large and. determined element in fa- svor of law and order and the enforce nnent of the prohibition law. For many years the city government was elected by the liquor element, which controlled the voting population, and were able to poll 2,O00 mapority for Mayor whose campaign platform was:
 Damn the constitution and the laws of the State of Kansas. The saloons shall run"
 Mir. Trickett. having been appointed assistant States attorney, was instruct ed by Governor Hoch to close up the saloons and enforce the prohibition law in Kansas City, and he did it. When asked him to tell me how 1t was done, Mir. Triclet said:
 "on June s, 1906, there were. 256 sa- looms in Wyandotte County, Kansas, of which Kansas City is the seat; there were 200 gambling-houses and more than sixty houses of evil repute. On July following there was not a sa- loon nor gambling house nor dis orderly house in the county. and there has been none since. Today Kansas City, Kan. is the largest city in the world without q saloon, a gambling den or a bawdy house. By. reason of that fact and of the publicity given to 1t, have received inquiries from Ger many, France, England and Canada as to the effects upon the morals Of the people, upon poverty and crime, and upon business and commerce. There are thousands of good people ali over the country who believe that the sale of liquor and dens of vice are neces- sary to the prosperity of a city or State. recall that when the fight started in our county delegation after delegation of business men protested and said that if we close the saloons 1t would stop our growth, destroy the business of the merchants deplete the deposits of the banks. stop the erection of buildings. render houses vacant, in- crease. axtion, reduce the price of real estate. cause people to go over to Kan sas City, Mo-. to do their shopping and spend their money and ruin our town generally. One day delegation com