Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-30

ator Hoar to compose the inscription
and that senator wrote Obedience to
Law is Liberty 1t stands today, just
as true as when 1t was written.
mo citizen that is desirable cit
izen Is in favor of disobedience to law.
In March 1895, Mayor Strong of New
York City called on the saloonkeepers
of New York and admitted to them
that he could not enforce the excise
law and asked them to please at least
keep their saloons closed Sunday
morning during church hours. The
papers went out over the land saying
that the laws in New York City. could
not be enforced.
1.-TWO months later young man
was elected police commissioner He
said that he believed the laws of the
state could be enforced and that he
would enforce them He did enforce
them. The name of that mayor who
could not enforce the laws has been
already lost to history, but the young
man who was faithful to his country
became famous. He kept on being
faithful; he went up and up until
Theodore Roosevelt became the idol
of the American people because he
said; The duty of the hour Is to en-
force the present laws rather than
make new ones Is it any wonder
that with such leader that the move
ment spread? Another young man in
New York took hold of the insurance
frauds. He investigated them. He
mo 1xo tho oh I,x,f tho q VIZ
and Governor Hughes was elected to
preside as governor of New York.
Spread to Missouri.
"The, great wave spread out west
ward, to st. Louis. Another young man
there elected governor, said there was
law against the saloons opening on
Sunday and the officials over the state
received this message, obey the law
or get out of Office The cities fell
in line, all but st. Joe. St. Joe want
ed the saloons for business reasons.
They continued running saloons in st.
Joe on Sunday and one day the papers
over the country printed the state
ment that bluecoat with a bayonet
was stationed at the door of every sa-
loon on Sunday-and st. Joe obeyed
the law.
"If one law can be violated, all laws
can. If the saloons can be kept open
to ruin our sons, the baWdy houses
can be kept open to ruin our daugh-
tiers. The business men wanted the
saloons to run for business reasons!
They wanted the revenue! They'd
break laws for business reasons! Why
not license burglars, murdere1s and
criminals in general? You'd get your
revenue. 1t would be business rea-
sons!"
Conducts Trial.
Mr.. Trickett then proceeded to ex-
anime the papers he had laid before
him. He stated that he wanted to con-
duct trial them and there and that
he wanted every person In the house
to serve as a juror. 81 just want
you to be fair and without bias he
said. "You should be that at all times.
The man who votes bias or prejudiced
at the polls is an undesirable citi-
zen.'
He first shook out huge poster
which he stated would probably be
circulated here as testimony of what
prohibition has done for Kansas City.
1t was a picture Of hundred or so
empty buildings taken in Kansas City
in an effort to show the awful havoc
the no-saloon policy had wrought.
Some men claim that prohibitory
law will not prohibit That picture
shows that it can prohibit. If those
buildings were once occupied by sa-
looms and are now empty, it looks like
a Jaw can prohibit, doesn't it? Now
the reasons why the buildings are not
occupied; the pictures were all taken
in that district Of Kansas City which
is flooded every spring. In 1903 they
were under seventeen feet of water;
in 1904 they were under seven feet and
last year under nine feet of water. Any
respectable business, grocers or shops
cannot use the buildings because the
stock can not be loaded on wagon
and carried away in an hours notice
There's four feet Of mud in some OF
those buildings that never has been
cleaned out since the saloons left il
there"
Uses Wagner's "Truth."
Mr.. Trickett then took up copy OF
Truth" which A. A. Wagner Of Kan
sas City issued. The pamphlet re
cited number Of instances where
! prohibition had materially affected the
city for the worse. The speaker took
up the charges one by one, but only a
few Of the more spectacular mis-state
| ments made by Mr.. Wagner are men
toned here.
"Mr. Wagner says that Kansas City
| is paralyzed; that Kansas City car
never recover from the setback giver
her; that she has ceased to grow
hold here in my hand statement
certified to by the recorder of Wyau
dotte county which shows that Kansas
City property has increased SIT 900, O0t
In value since the saloons closed two
years ago. Here is the postmaster
affidavit to the effect that the posta
receipts increased eighteen per cen
| during the first twelve months afte
| the saloons closed. Here is a lettcI