Weekly journal-miner., 1914-10-14
PROHIBITION IN
 KANSAS IS A FARCE
(From Sundays palIyl

because of the figures and data given out by some of the Prohibitionists, according to Jay E. House, for 12 years past and now editor of one of the large Kansas daily papers es- pousing the cause of prohibition, who with h1s wife is touring Cali fornia, and Is registered at the Hotel Alexandria from Topeka, says the Los Angeles Times.
 An editorial in a Los Angeles ev- ening paper anent the wonderful progress of Kansas under its thirty two years of prohibition government caused House to grow rather heat ed under the collar because of the erroneous statements it contained.
 "In eighty-seven of the los coun- ties of Kansas there are no insane" says the editorial.
 As rapidly as men and women lose their minds, they are removed from their homes and placed in the state hospitals, of which we have three at the present time," states House. "In order to accommodate the rapidly-increasing insane popu- lation the largest asylum in Kansas is being erected at Larned, and with its completion the state will be able to take care of more than 5000 pa tients."
 This much for that assertion.
 Thirty county poorhouses arc without a single tenant" continues the. editorial.
 Why" questions House. He an swers his own question by stating that in Kansas the population is very thinly spread through many of the counties, particularly those in the western portion, and it is seldom that any but hardy persons go there to dwell, and those who are inef- fcient cannot remain. In addition to that the state has a sort of pen sion for its poor. Instead of send ing them to county poor farms, they receive sums running from SIP to S25 month for their sustenance.
 Last winter Topeka alone cared for 700 paupers," said House. But only about 10 per cent of them were in the poorhouse. The remainder were taken care of by families who received the money for board
 "The calling of a grand jury with relation to criminal cases is ex- tremely rare," asserts the editorial
 q don't believe the grand jury has been in session once in the 12 years I have lived in Topeka" re plies House, 'and here again you have a subversion of facts. Instead of filing a charge after a grand jury investigation, the county attorney has full authority to file all charges. Calling the grand jury is entirely optional with the district judge and it is a state policy to do away with the expense attached to machinery necessary for grand jury investi- gation. There are counties where such a jury has not been impanelled in forty years. but not because there have been no crimes committed by any means.
 There Is as much. if not more. drinking in Kansas today than ever before. The prohibition law makes 1t necessary to register all shipments of liquor into the state by common carrier. In June Of this year oO,- 900 quarts of liquor were registered as imported into Topeka, or two quarts for every man, woman and child in the place. This does not include the liquor that is brought in by automobiles, in suitcases and by hundreds of bootleggcrs.
 Under practically four-hfths of the automobile seats in Kansas you can find booze. It is the basis of sociability You are not invited to the home of a friend for dinner, but rather to enjoy drink. have seen great beer busts at which sen ators, congressman, bankers and the leaders in business and the profes- sions have been the leaders in the drinking. When the eminent Rev. pr. Sheldon, of national reputation as churchman and speaker, declares that there are hundreds of young men in Kansas who have never seen sign of liquor, he means that they have never looked upon a saloon or brewery sign. They do know liquor and drink it, in the great ma jority Of cases. whenever they have the opportunity.
 And all of this despite the string cnt prohibition law, passed thirty two years ago, which has been bol- stered and buttressed with amend ments and supports every year since, until prohibition has become a fet- ish. sort of blind worship. When ever a man dares openly to speak against it. he is branded as a col lusionist with the distillers and brew CTS. The statements ] have made are a genuine and unbiased view of affairs as they exist and will reap me nothing but censure at home Ii Is actually baleful to the interests of the state to have such silly, non