Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-29
Trickett VS. Waggoner.
by THE PRESS COMMITTEE OF TIL
IL AIn,,I1.A- 1,aaI,II.r.u,I,I,

4 lb1 The Press COMMITTEE OF THE
| LOCAL OPTION COMMITTEE
! General C. W. Trickett has given
out the following reply to the allega-
tons of Mr.. Waggoner regarding pro-
hibition in Kansas City, Kan:
| Mr.. Waggoner was nc editor of the
Kansas City Globe during the fight
for law enforcement in that city. and
as such editor he assailed law enforce
ment and worked in the interest of
the saloons day in and day out, and
the paper was the personal organ of
Mayor w. w. Rose, who was ousted
from Office for treason. The political
Ipolicy of Mr. Waggoner as such edi-
tor brought such opposition to the
Ipaper that the management was cCm-
Ipelled TO dispense with his services,
and he has not been connected with
Iany paper or public affairs of Kansas
lCity, Kan, for more than year. In
Mr.. WaSgoner's article he makes GER
Itain statements, which summarized
lare as follows:
First, since the closing of saloons
There are more vacant business houses
than were ever known before in the
history of the city.
Second, rents are much lower. and
.ipractically no building going on. The
Chamber of Commerce building de-
lstroyed by fire and not rebuilt. City
compelled to issue $62,5OO in refund
ing bonds. Thirteen murders in the
city. No prohibition in Wyandotte
county because the druggists reported
5000 sales in the month of December,
1907.
The facts are that there is not a
vacant business house in Kansas City,
Kan, that is fit for occupancy. Of
, the more than 200 saloon buildings
vacated by the closing order, every
one that is fit for any other business
, is rented. and rented at a higher
! price than was paid by the saloon
keepers. AS to new buildings, Kansas
, City, Kan. in 1906 erected three tunes
as many new buildings as during any
$ Iprevious year The government re
ports show the proportional gain in
D building operation in Kansas City
: Kan, in 1906 over 1905 to have been
20S 40 per cent. while the next larg
i est gain in any city in the United
l States was only n per cent. 1t is true
that the city issued refunding bonds
but these refunding bonds were is
u sued to pay judgments rendered il
personal injury suits, all of such judg
II ments were rendered at the time wher
j" the saloons were open in our city. Il
does not cover judgments of a latel
period. Every drunken man who fall!
% down and mashes his nose sues the
city for damage. There is not ST
< much of this since the saloons wer,
II closed
&c The Chamber of Commerce build
l. ing that was destroyed by fire. was
large building not located in the busi
l. Hess part of the town, has not bee
l. used for business purposes for Ioni
IL years. 1t was occupied solely as
/ fiat. Being outside of the bushes
ie district it has not paid interest o.
Is investment, and probably the owne
was glad to get his money out of tn
= building in the insurance paid.
4 OF the cases of murder, have onl
one of these murderers have bee
captured and in their confessions sd
they were from Kansas City, Mo- Me
get drunk in the Kansas City, Mo
saloons, squauder their money an
then come to Kansas City, Kan. an
commit crime. 1t simply emphasize
the fact that Kansas City, Mo-, ough
to close its saloons
AS to there being 5000 sales {
liquor in the month of Decembe
1907, | have not verified the figure
but under the laws of Kansas a dru,
gist is permitted to sell to any perso
who makes oath that he needs tn
liquor for medicinal purposes. Thei
are about 10000 adult males in Kal
sas City. Kan, even if 5000 sale
fiwere made it would mean that on a
Iaverage one man of every five ha
made one purchase during the mont
III Mr.. Waggorer also states that I'll
tax rate was increased in 1906 ov,
! 1905. This is not true and could m
be true for the reason that during Il
past quarter of a century the levy hi
been to the limit permitted by Il
statute. and an increase would be il
possible. In addition to this, all a
sessments of real estate is made
the month of March of every eve
numbered year. so it would be SCI
that the assessment was made pri
TO the closing of the saloons and the
has been no assessment made sin
that time. The closing of the saloo
has not necessitated the raising
any taxes, and the taxes could n
have been raised if it had been nec'
sary.
In December, 1906, Mr.. Wagons
as editor of the Kansas City Gloi
published the following editor
which is very much of contrast wi