The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-19
| The Topeka CLUB
The Board Of Directors Send
Letter to Mayor
10 Correct Impression of Atti-
tude on Present Movement.
FAVORS PROHIBITION.
Has Never Bought, Owned or
Served Liquor
All Federal Judges and District
FAVORS PROHIBITION.
All Federal Judges and District
Attorneys Members.

Inc secretary of the Topeka club,
by order of the board of directors.
TO-DAY sent the following letter to the
mayor:
Hon. William Green. Mayor of To-
peka, Topeka Kansas:
Slr: The object of this letter is to
correct a wrong impression which
prevails as to the attitude of the To-
peka club in regard to the present
movement for the enforcement of the
prohibition laws of the state In
asmuch as the chief of police states
that such action as he has taken was
taken as the result of instructions re-
ceived from you, it is deemed proper
to address this letter to- you
The Topeka club has been in exist
ence about twenty years. 1t has
about one hundred and fifty mem
bers. This membership represents
all callings Leading lawyers, doc
tors, surgeons, bankers. railway
officials and merchants of the city are
members, and from these men are
selected the officers who control the
affairs and policies of the club. In
cidentally will say that if the ques-
ton of prohibition was submitted to
the members as an original PROPOSE
ton there would undoubtedly be an
overwhelming majority in favor of
prohibition.
Now to the main point. / desire to
state in as broad and emphatic terms
| as language is capable of stating a
fact, that the Topeka club at no time
since 1t has started has ever bought,
owned, sold or served a drop of
liquor. 1t is true that comparative
~ few members out of a membership
of one hundred and fifty keep liquor
in their individual lockers which is
same manner that a man may use
| liquor In his home. Such use, how
ever. is strictly Independent of the
club and outside of the purpose for
which the club was formed and is
maintained.
l do not desire to enter into any
argument in this communication, for
| such is not its purpose, but will state
that the club has never, taken out a
| United States license to sell liquor
| during all the years it has been rum
ming. and that during that time all
| the federal judges and all the United
| States district attorneys who have
| been in office have been members OF
! the club, and it is an abSurdity tic
suppose that these men would have
| helped maintain an institution which
| was violating a specific law which
| they had taken an oath to enforce.
| The Topeka club has a clean rec
| ord and it invites and will welcome
any investigation conducted along de-
| cent lines and which has for its OBJ
| JeCI a desire TO arrive at the truth
As far as the club is concerned there
need be no delay until some new law
| giving additional inquisitorial powers
| to officers goes into effect. Its mem
| bers will submit themselves now to
| any examination which any properly
| constituted officer may desire to make
and will testify fully as to all matters
connected with the conduct and man
agement of the club, provided always
such investigation is made in a de-
cent and orderly manner. But any
| investigation which proceeds upon
the hypothesis that the club Is con-
Quoting an unlawful business and
| that its members are violators of the
law will be resented and resisted to
| the end.
| In this connection will say that
| while under it's charter the Topeka
club is not an educational institu-
| ton, it was compelled once upon time
| to teach certain officious officials g
| lesson, but 1T hopes it will not agar
| be forced to continue course of in
strhction as to the rights of respect
able, law abiding citizens under the
| law
By order of the board of direc-
i tors,
F. A. LEWIS. Secretary.
Topeka, Kan, May 10. 1903.