The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-08-13

Hence, in Saving" a revenue of $500
per capita through the liquor traffic,
the American people spend in
way that incalculable destroys their
efficiency an amount equaling more
than $23, or a net loss of $50.
Death Rate Spectre
notice that the liquor sheets deals
with the number of prisoners and in
sane. This is done very adroitly.
The uniformed reader, of course,
would not understand the reasons for
such tabulation. The liquor people
represent Kansas as having a higher
death rate, for instance, than Nebras-
ka, which is a liquor State. The peo-
pie do not know that this is taken
from cities covered by the registra-
ton. 1t must be remembered that in
Kansas twelve cities are covered by
the registration, while sin Nebraska
there are only two-Lincolr and
Omaha. However, when you cont
pare Kansas not as State, but With
the other cities, in regard to death
rate she shows up as follows: Regi-
stration cities in other States, per
1000 inhabitants, in 1913, 1853, Kan
sas, per 1000 inhabitants, in 1913,
14.3.
Any one who cares to examine this
matter will find that there are only
two cities in Kansas with a higher
rate than cities in other States cover
ed by the registration. These two
are Leavenworth and Topeka, and
their increase is only fractional The
explanation of this is thatTopeka is
the seat of the State Hospital for In
sane, and Leavenworth is the sear of
federal prison, a military post, and
also of an Old Soldiers Home. This
explanation is valid is shown by the
following facts: Illinois has eight
cities on the registration list; til.
total death rate is 15.5 per 100000.
The dry city of Evanston shows up
with 1912 while Jacksonville. where
the State Hospital for the Insane is.
shows up 25.5. Kentucky has eight
cities in the registration list. The
total death rate is II (per 100,OOO).
ihe lowest death rate is shown up
by Newport, 11.6, while Lexington,
with its State Hospital and open bars,
show up 23.5. 1t might be mentioned
that every city in Kentucky except
Newport, has higher death rate
than any city in Kansas. 1t must also
be remembered that while Kansas has
9S.3 for violent deaths that Nebras-
ka cities show up 1865 per 100000.
The city of Omaha, Nebraska, shows
up 174.7.
Criminal Bugbear
Dealing with the criminal proposi-
tion, the liquor sheets are trying to
make it appear that Kansas, the Pro-
hlbltlon State, does not compare fav-
orably with the liquor States; that
Kansas has more prisoners than her
Sister State of Nebraska, where they
have open bar rooms. This is true,
and yet it is a terrible falsehood.
When writer records something for
the purpose of deceiving, of course, he
does not explain the facts. They
falsely claim that their figures do not
include United States prisons in the
federal prison at Leavenworth; but
their figures are taken from the fed
eral reports, and every one knows that
all prisons within the State of Kan
sas are included in these reports.
But there is yet another reason why
kahsas has so many more prisoners
than her sister State. Kansas does
not iLflict capital punishment for anv
CRIME whatsoever. All convicts are
sent to the penitentiary. A man con-
victcd OF stealing chicken IS sent t.
the penitentiary, and if convicted of
selling whlSkey the second time he is
sent To the penitentiary. it IS 10
wonder that Kansas has more prison.
erS 'han ether States, and yet in tire
face of Ill this she shows up very
favorahly when compared with sor..
other liquor Staes. Another ta,.
which should be mentioned is this:
The liquor people are taking their
figures from the United States Fed
eral Reports of 1914. At that time
Oklahoma Territory was wet, and all
her prisoners were sent to the prisons
of Kansas. 1t was no wonder that
Kansas was over run with prisoners
at that time. But when we come to
the latest report 1910, we find that
Prohibition Kansas sent to prison 212
people for each 100000 inhabitants, a
rate loyer than any State in the
Union, except North Dakota and Mis-
sissippi, and both of these are Pro-
hibition States; but wet Nebaska sent
493 people to prison for every 100000
the same year.
The liquor people are also having
something to say about the number of
Prohibition Kansas. Just a brief
comparison here will suffice on this
question:
Kansas CProhibition) ---- 100
Nevada (wet) -- III
Wyoming (wet) ------ 113
Arizona (wet) ----- 12O
Idaho (wet) ------- 12O
Texas (wet) ------- 13l
arkansas (wet) ----- 1876
Indiana (wet) -- 142
Colorado (wet) 15S