The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-07-28
The TEMPERANCE PROPAGANDA
CONCERTED ATTACK ON DRINK
WINNING ALL ALONG LINE.
Does Prohibition Prohibit?

several lawyers and eX-Judge express
ing the horrible evils of prohibition,
makes one wish that at least one
more lawyer could have been added
to the group to give from his personal
knowledge the results of the enforce
ment of prohibition in Kansas City,
Kan. If C. w. Trickett, Assistant
Attorney-General of Kansas, had been
present he would have stated the
facts which appear below, culled from
of his speeches, and which have
taken the pains to have verified by
communication direct with his Office.
. On June s, 1906, Mr.. Trickett was
appointed special Acknowledgement
for Wyardotte County, which in
cluded Kansas City, Kan, a city Of
about 80, 900 inhabitants, and Argen-
tine, a city of about 10000 inhabi-
tants.
At that time there were in the
county 256 open saloons, 200 gam
bling dens and sixty houses of social
evil. Of the saloons 210 were in Kan
sas City, Kan, twenty-five saloons
were in Argentine and twenty-four
in other localities. Thirty days later
there was not a saloon in the county.
Of the 10000 population in Kan
sas City, Kan, a large part were for
eigners. It was and Is a manufac-
turing city and the metropolis of the
State. Time and again there had been
Of the undesirable citizens
burning property, wrecking trains,
destroying lives. A few months be-
fore the city had elected by 1000 ma
jority a Mayor whose platform was
Damn the Constitution and laws OF
the State of Kansas"
When Mr.. Trickett was appointed
under instructions to enforce the pro-
hibitory law in Kansas City, Kan, he
was met by delegation after delega-
ton of business men to protest
against the closing Of the saloons.
They said if the saloons were closed
1t would stop the city's growth, de-
stroy the business Of the merchants,
deplete the deposits Of the banks,
stop the erection Of buildings, render
houses vacant, increase taxation, re-
duce the price Of real estate, cause
people to go owe to Kansas City, Mo-,
to do their shopping and would ruin
the town generally. The delegations
were composed of bankers, real es-
tate men, lumber men and business
interests and professions generally.
Mr.. Trickett proceeded to enforce
the law, with the result that the same
men who came to protest o admit
their mistake and declare that If the
State administration ever lets up they
will raise any amount Of money nee
essary to prevent going back to the
old regime.
In the first twelve months after
closing saloons the combined deposits
of the city banks increased one and
a half million dollars. Mr.. Trickett
says: -.
1.-THE real estate man says rents
are higher than ever before.
1.-THE lumber man says so many new
buildings are being erected that 1t Is
almost impossible to supply the de-
mand. and this in mid-winter.
1.-THE taxpayer finds that it has put
money into the public treasury in
stead Of increasing taxes.
1.-THE furniture dealer finds that
he Is selling more furniture than aver
before.
"The timekeeper of n Of the
large packing houses tells me that II
the saloons are kept closed they could
afford an increase in wages, because
of the increased efficiency Of the men.
The shoe man reports likewise.
Recently Mr.. Newton, OF the hrm
of Dengel & Newton, stated to me
that one astonishing feature OF the
increase in their line was that 1t was
largely in footwear for women I'M
children. Why Is it that when the
saloons are closed the women ana
children buy more shoes?"
Here are some of the efects on
crime:
Reduced expense of criminal prose-
cutions more than $4,000 per year.
Smaller police force required, max
ing another saving of $4,000. -.
The criminal docket in DISTRICT
Court shows that before the saloons
were closed it required six or more
weeks to Try criminal cases.. since
closing the saloons no term mas eH-
ceeded three weeks.
Before the saloons were closed
there were from ten to thirty IN the
police court every morning. Since
then very few arrests. On Septem-
Der II, 1906, the Star reported tnat
not a single arrest had been maze III
tw%enty-four hours.
In the fall of 1906 a carnival was
given with $4,000 persons gathered
in the heart Of the city and paradlng
the streets. There was no drunken
ness, no picking of pockets, no row.
dyism. -
No longer need for a detective
force; thieves and burglars olloWe
the saloon out of the city.
In January, 1907, the police Judge
of Argentine said: There IS not q
case now where there were ffteen De-
fore"
Formerly from fifteen to twenty
voung men were sent from Wyan-
dotte County to the reformatory.
with the saloons closed Wyandotte
County SEN only two prisoners IN a
year. c,.u
What was done in Kansas City
conld be done in New York City. Inc
same problems of lawless element
and foreign population were met
there as would be encountered here.
prohibition may not prohibit, but
regulation does not seem to regulate.
No law ever passed is more persist
emily and fagrantly violated than the
high license Raines law.-Alfred L.
Maniere, in the New York Evening
Sun.