Mexico weekly ledger., 1914-11-26
PROHIBITION IN KANSAS

president Of the Kansas State Bank
ers' Association. Mr.. Mullaney is no
a politician Bear with him a few mo
ments. lie says, under date Of oeto
Der 1, 1914;
AS a resident Of Kansas for more
than thirty years. and a banker fol
two-thirds Of that time, | wish to say
that l regard Prohibition as the best
business asset Kansas has. Cities and
counties where this law has beer
best enforced longest are the most
prosperous. Prosperity and develop
ment have come simultaneously with
Prohibition. This is evidence by the
fact that Dur per capita bank deposit
is one hundred and twenty-five dol
lars; and our assessed-prcperty vail
uation is nearly two thousand
dollars, compared with an av-
erage of twelve hundred dollars in
the United States. We also offer in
evidence our empty jails and poor
houses"
This is from a hard-headed busi-
ness mar who thinks in terms of
money. Let us hear from some one
who thinks in terms of men. Ladies
and gentlemen, shake hands with
DR.. W. F. Sawhill, president of the
State Medical Society. Doctor Saw
hill on October s. 1914, said:
81 have practiced over thirty years
in a city of several thousands in a
farming community, and have had
an opportunity to note the workings
of the prohibitory law in Kansas. Dur
ing that time | have seen the amount
of drunkenness diminish seventy
five per cent absolutely; and diseases
that we know are caused by the x
~cessive use of liquor have diminished
greatly. In my earlier days of prac-
tice here I saw young men from the
country drunk every Saturday night.
l have not seen one for several years,
and my opportunity is the same.
There is but one conclusion for any
honest man who has lived III Kansas,
as / have, to make-and that is, Pro-
hibition has done more for the people
of the state, morally, financially and
physically, than any other one ag-
ency."
This man clearly is not the kind Of
man TO interest Mr.. Fox. Doctor Saw
hill is merely president of the State
Medical Society; let us have another
business man, we hear Mr.. Fox de-
handing. Good We shall take the
head of all the retail merchants of
Kansas. Now comes George H.
Knox, Of Garden City, president Of
the Kansas Retailers Association,
an active group Of the leading store
keepers of Kansas. He writes, on Oc-
tober 6, 1914;
From my viewpoint as a retailer,
the aeon is a positive detriment to
all lines of business. Money spent for
booze mote the short ugly word, Mr..
Fox is generally money that should
be paid to the local merchant for the
support of the family; and when it
goes to the saloon there is absolutely
nothing left to show for it. Our
state is free from the saloon evil; our
people are happy and prosperous, gen
orally own their own homes, pay their
bills, educate their children, and have
money for an occasional trip. The
cess of the prohibitory law from a
business mans standpoint is proved
in Kansas without a doubt; and you
would have to hunt the state over to
find a retail merchant in favor of
the open saloon in Kansas"
Oh, yes, say the friends of Colon
el John Barleycorn-pf course the
little business man is against the sa-
loon; but what about the large COM
mercial interest, engaged in building
up the State? All right Glad you
spoke. On our right sits Mr.. E. e.
Frizell, president Of the state organ
ization Of Commercial Clubs and the
Chambers of Commerce Of Kansas.
And, by way of showing what a re-
liable man he is, who is not accident
ally on his present job, let us add
that Mr.. Frizell has been Tor ten long
years mayor Of Laned, his home
town. Hear Mr.. Frizell, on October
6, 1914:
Kansas is essentially a farm
home state. Our greatest assets are
eur homebuilders. | have dealt in
Kansas land for thirty Yeas / know
thousands Of homeseekers come to
Kansas every year chiefly because
Prohibition has banished the saloon,
which is the greatest enemy of the
home. The absence of the saloon in
Kansas has added real value to every
acre Of Kansas land; and I know.
because ! deal in land, that Prohibi-
ton is one of the substantial COM
mercial advantages Of our state.o
The Supreme Court, the governor.
the attorney-general, and the official
heads of all the business organiza-
tons in Kansas, fayoring Prohibition
as a business proposition, certainly
make something Of a showing. Even
Mr.. Fox must admit that.
But some one will say: What about
the common of folks? Goodl The
common run Of Kansas folks are far
mer folks. Who is the official farmer
"a - - IL wa