Mexico weekly ledger., 1914-11-26

pie. What follows is certainly the
last word on the success Of prohibi-
ton in Kansas and defies the figure
jugglers to make their usual abOr-
tive efforts to refute.
This clears away the indictments;
but Mr.. Fox's charge, though demol-
ished by the evidence, may leave in
someone's mind a question as to the
truth about Prohibition in Kansas.
Statistic prove little fundamentally.
Neither my statistics nor Mr.. Fox's
are at all important. Let us put the
Supreme Court Of Kansas The high
est judicial tribunal in the state-in
the witness box. Under the date of
October 3, 1914, l have a statement
signed by W. A. Johnston, as chief
justice, and by R. A. Burch, Henry
F. Mason, Clark A. Smith, Silas Por-
ter, A. W. Benson and ]. S. West as
associate justices. They write;
I'VE have excellent opportunity to
observe the operation of the prohibi-
tory law in Kansas and are familiar
with the facts. The law is we'll en-
forced throughout the state. In a
few localities inhabited by a popula-
ton of foreign extraction, not yet
domesticated 1.-THE five WEI counties
mentioned in my July article), vigi-
lance is required to cireumvent the
efforts of foreign brewing and distil
ling companies to undermine the
law. But it is generally as well en-
forced as any other criminal law.
The enforcement of the law distinct
~ promotes social welfare and re-
duces TO a minimum economic waste
consequent on the liquor traffic and
allied evils. The saloon keeper and
his comrades have been excluded
from effective participation in poll
ties"
That should hold Mr.. Fox for a
while; but let us have the Governor.
His letter of September 30, 1914,
reads:
4What has Prohibition done for
Kansas? Well, for one thing, it has
cleared The moral atmosphere. 1t
has raised the intellectual standard.
1t has brought health and happiness
to countless thousands and given Kan
sas the lowest death rate of any state
in the Union. With only one dollar
and twenty-five cents spent per capi-
ia for intoxicating liquors in Kansas,
against twenty-eight dollars per
capita for the same purpose in our
sister state, Missouri, we arc able to
put the difference-twenty-six dol
lars and seventy-five e~ents--into
new homes, schools, churches, and
keep in our big state schools almost
twice as many students as Missouri
with twice u population; and lour
schools have made impossible the re-
"a
turn Of the brewery to this state.
Colorado, with half our population,
has approximately eight hundred in
mates in her p~enitentiary, with the
open saloon. Kansas, with twice Col
orado's population, has but eight hun
dred inmates in her penitentiary.
Kansas has no saloons"
Next we have with us tonight the
attorney-general Of Kansas. He
writes under date Of October 2, 1914:
There are one hundred and five
counties in Kansas, each nearly as
large as Rhode Island; but in not
more than five or six do we have any
trouble in enforcing the prohibitory
law, and in only three is the matter
at all serious. In one hundred coun-
ties the p~rohibitory law is respected
and obeyed. Where it is violated
which does happen, just as other
crimes happen-prosecution fol-
lows summarily and effectively. Even
in the three derelict counties the open
saloon does not exist. It could not
exist. An effective telephone system
runs from my office to every nook
and corner Of Kansas; and fifteen
minutes after we had learned Of the
existence of such a place it would be
taken in charge by an officer who,
whatever his private inclination,
would not trifle with the attorney
general. II the whisky advocates
think not, let them come to Kansas,
open a saloon in any one of the cIean,
wholesome towns and see what will
happen and how quickly it will hap
pen. When their fluctuations are oyer
and they return to their homes In
the whisky states, whatever else they
may think Of Kansas, they win not
contend that Prohibition does not pro
hibit."
Mr.. Fox will say these men are all
politicians; they are up for election.
They are trucking to the best people.
All right, then, Mr.. Fox; meet Mr..
z, r. Mullanex Of High Hill, Kansas.