The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-31
TOPEKA AND PROHIBITION.

How is it that Assistant Attorney
General Shukers can give so much time
to the closing of the joints about the
state while more booze is sold right in
Topeka than in many other places COM
bined?" asks the Fort Riley Guidon,
and it continues:
"A recent visitor in the city says
that Topeka is probably more wide
open than it has been for many day.
He says that if a man wants a drink in
Topeka and fails to get it, it must be
for the reason that he hasn't the price
or his credit is no good
An honest answer to the first ques-
ton disposes of the SANDER in the sec
ond paragraph of this TRADE that To-
peka is more wide open than it has
been for many a day" Mr.. Shukers
and the other officials in the attorney
generals office do not need to pay any
attention to violations of the prohibit
tory law in Topeka and Shawnee coun-
ty because this locality is favored with
one of the most efficient county attor-
neys in the state, an equally efficient
sheriff, and as far as the city of To-
peka is concerned an equally efficient
police force. These three arms of the
law have been working together during
the past couple of years in discharging
their oaths of office to their full extent.
They have enforced the prohibitory law
with the same zeal and success that
the other laws on the states statute
books have been enforced. In regards
to the enforcement of the prohibitory
law the success that has been achieved
by these officials has been remarkable,
The visitor quoted by the Fort Riley
Guidon must have been in Topeka not
more recently than two years ago. At
that time it must be admitted that To-
peka was a wide open town. Joints,
saloons, dives and other places where
liquor was sold and distributed were
numerous and were conducted in utter
defiance Of the law. But it only took
a few months work on the part of the
present peace officers of the county to
put all of these places out of business. !
Not only were they put out of business
but they have been kept out of bust |
ness and joints and other places where |
liquor was promiscuously sold have |
been things of the past in this city for |
many moons. 1t is the exact truth to !
say that never in the history of this |
city has it been so free from Joints as
it is now, and 1t is the expressed opin-
ion of persons who are familiar with |
the present enforcement of the prohibit
tory law throughout the entire state |
that Topeka has few equals in this re- !
gard.
That a large quantity of liquor is now |
sold in Topeka there can be no doubt. |
But this liquor is sold, not in wide open |
joints. or speak-easies of any |
sort. 1t is sold in the drug stores in |
accordance with the provisions of the |
prohibitory law. Neither is there any |
doubt that these provisions of the law |
are stretched to great extent by I'M
druggists But the peace
officers of the county cannot be blamed |
for the distribution of liquor through |
these channels. That's fault of the |
law. AS a matter of fact,
the Shawnee county attorney recently
called attention to the fact that some |
steps should be taken to restrict the |
sale of liquor by druggists and so per-
feet the prohibitory law that it will be
less easy for persons to secure drug
gist's permits to sell liquor. 1t is not
recalled that the public prosecuting Of
fcer of Geary county, where the Fort
Riley Guidon makes its living. has
made any suggestions along this line
or any other one that will tend to curb
n any way the sale of liquor under the
terms of the prohibitory law. Neither
IS it recalled that this prosecuting Of
icer and others in various localities of
he state have made many honest eff
forts to even enforce the prohibitory
aw. Indeed, Mr.. Shukers. the assist
ant attorney general, his chief, Mr..
Jackson. and others in that office, have
he prohibitory law to those places
where the local officers have not ap-
oeared to do their full duty in the
premises and where the newspapers
,ather look with derision on prohibit