The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-03-12
A City Of 100000 One Year
Without Saloons.

Hon. c. w. Trickett. Assistan'
Attorney General Of Kansas fuE
nishes the following facts oncer
ing the closing of saloons in Kansas
City, Kansas:
This city is the metropolis oil
Kansas, with a population of about
100. 200. The inhabitants are
largely wage and represent
every nationality. We are located
on the border, only an invisible
line separating us from Kansas
City, Mo. The city ranks fifth in
the list of manufacturing cities Of
the United States. One year ago
there were 256 saloons i'll this
county, 200 gambling dens and
about 60 houses of social evil.
Today there is not a saloon. no
open gambling den, nor a disorder
ly house 1t is the largest city in
the world without these dens Of
vice, and as we have now existed
about twelve months without them,
it affords a living example of the
fact that a large city can grow and
prosper without such evils. At the
commencement Of the contest a
large number Of our people thought
it would ruin business and destroy
our prosperity, but it has stimulat-
ed business in all lines. Our po-I
pulation has increased at a greater
rate than ever before. The de-
POSTS in the banks have gained by
one and one-half million dollars.
The merchants on our streets
have had to employ additional
clerks. The attendance in our
public schools has increased large
ly, and we have had to employ
eighteen additional teachers. The
teachers inform us that this increase
is largely of boys and girls of from
II to 16 years of age, who prior to
the closing of the saloons were COM
PEELED to assist in supporting the
family, by reason of the father
spending his wages for drink. The
charitable institutions report a re-
duction of more than two thirds in
the demand for aid. The ju-
venile court. which has the care of
dependent children, has had but two
applications in the past eight
months, while prior to the closing
Of the joints from eight to eighty
children required aid and assistance
each month. Prior to the closing
of the joints we sent from Is to %
young mel to the reformatory
every year. In the twelve months
since closing we have sent but two.
The expenses for prosecuting Grim
inals have been reduced $25, 900
per annum. Expenses for the po-
lice force as much more. Fol- the
first time in 25 years the court of :
pleas of this county open
ed its term the first Monday inMay /,
without a criminal case. The |
city courts, created for the express d
purpose of trying petty suits, for ,
the collection of rents and grocery
and formerly crowded with a
black docket every day, have now
practically no business, for the /
reason that the people are paving {
their bills instead of being sued for a
them. "a year ago this city was 4
to devise ways and means 1
to spare the money to build adddi- a
tons to our city jails. Today the t
doors of the jails swing idly upon c
their hinges, and we have no use
for those we have. Gone year ago
not to exceed two business men on
the principal thoroughfares of this
city would have favored the clos c.
ing of the saloons. Today there Il
is not two who would favor oening c,
them. "Twice since the saloons b
we're closed we have held a city
a which the issue was
presented to the people, and at each
election the people have Endorsed p
present conditions Every bank 4,
S loud in praise of the present civ II
c situation. The city is clean, a,
rhine is at a minimum. merchants a,
prosperous, real estate advancing.
This city is now the expert
mental station of the world. If
Kansas City, Kan, a close its
ialoons and keep them closed, and d
f the closing produces prosperity, II
happiness and contentment, then it W
: reasonable to assume that such cl
.esults will follow a like policy in Ii