The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-31
KANSAS is IN LEAD
Prohibition Movement Step
Towards Human Progress.
Otis Benton, Oberlin, Delivers
Address in Washington.

Washington, March 31.-''Prohibition
has put Kansas away out on the firing
line of human progress, so that Kansas
has solved for the benefit of the whole
world the greatest civic problem of the
ages was the declaration of Otis Lin
coin Benton, a banker of Oberlin, Kan,
in an address this week before a dis
tinguished gathering at the Church of
the Covenant, one of Washington's
most fashionable houses of worship. In
speaking of the material progress Kan
sas has made during its twenty odd
years of prohibition, Mr.. Benton said,
in part:
Being native born Kansan, having
been blest with Christian parents who
entered the state in an early day, 1
remember very well as boy the condi-
lions that prevailed in our state prior
to the passage of our prohibitory law
thirty years ago. 1t was a hand to
hand fight with the liquor men. I re-
member very well one Fourth of July,
when was a small boy, that so many
people became intoxicated that there
was almost a riot, and the Indignation
OF the people was aroused to such an
extent that public meetings were held
and men who had formerly been unde-
cided came out boldly for temperance.
"a great deal has been said about
prohibition and taxes. The great argu-
ment of the liquor men against pro-
hibition was that the revenue derived
penses of the city. 1 live in a county
of 10000 people, and I can remember
when we had a Jail full of DRINKS and
criminals ecause of the use of liquor,
and today in this same county our jail
is empty, we have a splendid poor farm
of 800 acres, and not a single man,
woman or child as an inmate.
Becomes Business Policy
TT has been charged that prohibition
is failure in Kansas. Prohibition in
Kansas has forced the political parties
to make it a part of their party's policy
in the state. 1t has become the bust
ness policy of the cities, so that keep
ing the joints and dives and brothels
out of cities is as much the business
policy of the average citizen as the
keeping of the streets clean. water pure, |
and the public parks attractive.
Prohibition has put Kansas away
out on the firing line of human pro- |
gress, so that Kansas has solved for |
the benefit of the whole world the |
greatest civic problem of the ages. 1t
has demonstrated that the solution of /
the saloon problem-is no saloon. How
could it be otherwise, when we realize |
what Kansas is-the joint product of
the puritan and the soldier.
IT shall assume that you know some
thing of the marvellous prosperity of
Kansas. You surely have heard of its
wonderful march in material progress.
ton of his statistics, and the net re-
suit is that at various times in the
last twenty years, Kansas has ranked |
first in corn, first in wheat, first in
both wheat and corn, both in bushels
and dollars. The Kansas hen, the Kan
sas hog, the Kansas horse, the beef
steer and his sister are all in a class
by themselves. With these there are
none to compare. More of our working
people own their own homes than any
other working people on earth 1t is
a fact, the truth and significance of
which the people of other states cannot
realize, that there are thousands of
young men and women in Kansas
married and living in their own homes
with children about their doorsteps, who
have never seen saloon. I have two
boys, one IS and the other % years
old. neither of whom has ever seen
a saloon in the town where they were
born and raised.
Prohibition has developed side by
side with our farms, our Shops our
banks, our factories, our packing
houses. our mines and mills and ware
houses and railroads. 1t is rooted down
to bedrock with our homes, our schools
and colleges and churches and institu-
tons of charity and correction.
Has Not Prevented.
'HThose who think prohibition is bad