The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-03
A GREATER QUESTION.
Says City Election Here Has Wide
Significance.

To the Editor of the State Journal:
The great question is not what lie
result will be to the city of Topeka
along law enforcement lines if Mr..
House should be elected mayor On
next Tuesday. The real question is,
how will his election affect the cam
paign from now on in eleven states for
statewide prohibition?
1t is conceded by every one that is
acquainted with the situation that the
election of Mr.. Billiard as mayor of To-
peka was the cause, two years ago, of
Oregon and New Zealand going wet.
And the use of the Billiard literature
by the liquor element in the MAINE
campaign was given credit for bring
ing the state within seven hundred
votes of the wet column.
Mr.. House il his platform admits
that the wet and dry question is in
evidence in the campaign now on in
Topeka.
Mr.. House is counted by the liquor
dealers as their great champion, sec
ond only to Mr.. Billiard.
Mr. House in his writings, and in
his public interviews has openly and
aggreSsively opposed prohibition. lie
has held the law in light esteem, and
ridiculed the efforts of honest Off
Gals who were trying to enforce the
law.
Mr.. House is quoted as saying that
prohibition in Topeka and in Kansas
is a failure. and his sayings have been
exploited by the liquor men from sea
to sea.
Mr.. House comes into the arena on
very strong law enforcement plat
form. If carried out, in case he
should be elected mayor, three-fourths
of his supporters will be grievously
disappointed. In case he does not,
quite a number of the good people Of
Topeka who are supporting him will
denounce him as a traitor.
AS to whether Mr.: House will, or
will not, carry out his platform in
good faith is a question of minor i'm
portance in comparison with much
greater question.
With the aid of our state and county
officials who are all right on the law
and order question, and the further
fact that a working majority of the
city commissioners are sure to be in
able to put the brakes on any mayor
that shows an inclination to get off of
the water wagon ?"
Mayors will be chosen by most of
the great cities in the United States
on next Tuesday, and no election in
any city will be watched by as many
people, and closely, as the one held
in this city. And no election for
mayor in any city in America will be
as reaching in it's results for good
or evil.
Not only America, but the world is
watching Topeka. If Mr.. House
everywhere will claim it as a great
victory, and their slogan in the cam
paign now on in other states will be:
"Prohibition's Failure in Kansas as
proven by the election of one of our
champions, House, who was elected
mayor of the capital city of the state
that has come nearer solving the
liquor problem than any state in the
Union.
Mr.. Houses fitness for mayor is not
under discussion in this article. If
elected mayor, it is hoped that he will
not disappoint the good people who
are supporting him.
But, I say again, whether he does,
or does not, enforce the law is minor
consideration in comparison with the
terrible blow his election will give to
the eleven states now in line for state
wide prohibition, and to national pro-
hibition as well.
The liquor element is fighting wom-
an suffrage as well as prohibition, and
Mr.. House will be quoted on the suf-
frage question as we'll on the liquor
question.
Kansas as a state ranks third in
her earnings for the year 1914, but
second to none in loyalty, intelligence
and sobriety.
Topeka, her capital city, is one of
the cleanest cities of fifty thousand
people in America. She will remain
a clean city no matter who is elected
mayor. What will happen to Topeka
is a secondary question. What will
happen to America is the greater
question. F. NJ. STAHL.