The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-19
GOES TO GALVESTON.
State Railroad Attorney VIII Attend
Rate Hearing.

John Marshall attorney for the
board of railroad commissioners and
for two years assistant attorney gen
eral and for many years attorney for
the State Temperance union, went to
Galveston. Tex, Saturday to attend the
fore the interstate commerce commits
sion. Marshall had not been in the
southern gulf port but few hours
when he was called upon to tell the
Texans about prohibition He spoke
at the Y. NJ. G. A. hall. The Galveston
News of Monday has the following:
Mr.. Marshall was introduced by DIR.
j. !. Terrill, who took occasion to state
that prohibition was not regarded as
IA political issue, and declared that
Christians were banded together to
make the liquor traffic illegal In law
as it is now illegal in fact.
MI Marshall, as resident of Kan
sas for over forty years, told of con-
ditions in his state as a result of TWEEN
ty years of prohibition. AS assistant
attorney general of his state he had
much to do with the prosecution of
violations of the prohibition law, and
he confined his remarks to conditions
in that state. The liquor traffic, he
declared, does not contribute to the
prosperity of any state or community,
and he cited the prosperity of Kansas
as an example. No state, he declared,
in the past twenty years. In the state
banks alone there are over 100000
900 in deposits, and the population OF
the state is 100000. She is more
prosperous than Oklahoma, Nebraska
or Colorado, the bordering states, Mr..
Marshall declared, and within her
borders those cities that have been the
strictest in the enforcement of the
laws against the saloon have enjoyed
the greatest prosperity.
Wichita, he stated, up to four years
ago held to the belief that saloons cor
tributed to it's prosperity. Then came
wave of reform and every dive WAS
driven out. These last four years. the
speaker declared, have been the most
prosperous in the history of the city.
and it has taken front rank among the
cities of the state. Now, no one can be
county who is not in favor of the strict
enforcement of the liquor law.
The railroad officials of the state, the
packers and the merchants, he declared.
e almost unanimous in declaring that
prohibition has contributed to the pros
perity of their business. He further
declared that prohibition had helped
the cause of religion, and stated that on
every Sunday IS per cent of the chill
dren of the state attend Sunday school.
In Topeka. with its 10000 souls, there
are fifty-four churches.
Mr.. Marshall declared that in the 20
years of prohibition Kansas has raised
a genera ton of men. many of whom
do not know the taste of liquor. and
he declared that there is not a young
man of his acquaintance in the state
who is a confirmed drunkard. There are
men in Kansas, he said, who drink
and there are places where one can
get liquor But the consumption of Ii
quor has been cut down to 10 or even
per cent of what it would be if sa-
looms were in operation. He spoke of
the Twentieth Kansas regiment which
gained distinction in the Philippines
during the Spanish-American war, de-
claring that by their own volition they
eliminated the canteen. It was the re-
suit of their training. he said.
In closing he stated that prohibition
has not absolutely stopped the sale of
liquor within the borders of the state
but it has certainly reduced the traffic
to a small fraction of what it was be-
fore the law went into effect, and un-
der the operation of the law the state
has enjoyed an era of greatest pros
pcrity.