The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-09-22
Kansas Journalist Calls
Prohibition a Farce
sExploins Jokers in Stats
tics Sent Out by
"Drys
(Los angeles Times)

one that is making the state a laugh
ing stock of the nation, particularly
because OF the figures and data given
out by some of the prohibitionists,
according to Jay E. House, for many
years past and now a member of the
staff of one of the large Kansas daily
papers espousing the cause of pro-
hibition, who with his wife is touring
California, and is registered at the
Alexandria from Topeka.
An editorial in a local evening
paper anent the wonderful progress
of Kansas under it's thirty-two years
of prohibition government caused
House to grow rather heated under
the collar because of the erroneous
statements it contained.
"In eighty-seven of the 105 counties
of Kansas there are no insane," says
the editorial.
GAS rapidly as men and women
''fesH the;t' minds, they are removed
from their homes and placed in the
state hospitals, of which we have
three at the present time," states
House. an order t :, accommodate the
rapidly-increasing insane population
the largest asylum in Kansas is being
erected at Larned, and with its COM
pletion the state will be able to take
care of more than 5000 patients"
This much for that assertion.
Thirty county poorhouses are
without single tenant" continues
the editorial.
"Why?" questions House. He an
swers his question by stating that In
Kansas the population is very thinly
spread through many of the counties,
particularly those in the western part,
and it is seldom that any bit hardy
persons go there to dwell, and those
who are inefficient cannot remain. In
addition to that the state has sort
{. of a pension for its poor. Instead of
f. sending them to county poor farms,
I they receive sums running from $12
Ito $25 q month for their sustenance.
"Last winter Topeka alone cared for
700 paupers," said House. "But only
about ten 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 q grand jury with
relation to criminal cases is extremely
rare," asserts the editorial.
AZ don't believe the grand jury has
been in session once In the twelve
years / have lived in Topeka" reptile:
House, "and here again you have 9
subversiOn Of facts. Instead of filing
charge after grand jury investiga
tion, the county attorney has full
authority to file all charges. Calling
, the grand jury is entirely optiona
with the district judge and it is {
state policy to do away with the ex
pense attached to the machinery nee
essary for grand jury investigation
There are counties where such jur.
/. has not been impanelled In fort.
s. years, but not because there have beer
- no crimes committed, by any means
~ "There is as much, if not more
~ drinking in Kansas today than eve
N before. The prohibition law makes
Z: necessary to register all shipments o
!. liquor into the state by common car
: rier. In June of this year, 5000
quarts of liquors were registered a
: imported into Topeka, or two quart
! for every man and child in the place
= This does not include the liquor ths
is brought in by automobile, in sui
3 cases and by hundreds of bootiegger
: "Under practically four-fifths of th
:. automobile seats in Kansas you ca
find booze. 1t is the basis for socis
bility. You are not invited to tt
!, home Of friend for dinner, bl
rather to enjoy drink. have see
great beer busts at which senator
congressman, bankers and the leadel
in business and professions have bee
the leaders in the drinking.
"And all of this despite the stri
gent prohibition law, passed thirt
two years ago, which has be-
bolstered and buttressed with amen
ments and supports every year sine
until prohibition has become a fetis
sort of blind worship. Whenever
man dareS openly to speak against
he is branded rs collusionist wi
the distil'erS and brewers. The stat
rnents have made are genuine a.
unbiased view CT affairs as they exl
and will reap me nothing but censu
at home. 1t is actually baleful t. I
interests of the state to. have su
silly, nonsehsical reports circulate
that which appeared here ses era. .
) ago. I
The abous is coaied f,or . rccsri issa'
the Los faes les Tunes o f.tsshs6 n
by the Indiana Brsr.-s A ssci1fiAn. -