The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-09-02
JOHN p. ST. JOHN DEAD
Sturdy Orator Who Helped to Make
4 Prohibition Kansas,

Sturdy Orator Who Helped to Make
n Prohibition Kansas,
John P. st. John, a candidate for the
presidency on the iprpAibition ticket
in 1884, twice governor OF Kansas and
one OF the most widely known temper
ance advocates in the United States,
died at Olatha, Kan, Thursday night.
He was SO years old and had been in
failing health since heat prostration
two months ago while on speaking
tou;.
John Pierce st. John was one of the
most widely known temperance advo-
Gates in the United States. He was
candidate for president on the prohibi-
ton ticket in 1884, and served two
terms as governor of Kansas--1S79-
1SS3-during which Kansas became a
prohibition State.
Describing the fight for prohibition
in Kansas, Governor st. John once
said
THE brewers had only themselves
to blame for prohibition in Kansas.
The first step toward Statewide
movement was at their suggestion.
Mr.. Fiery, minister, introduced in
the House a high license and regula
tion bill. 1t stood a good chance of
passage To defeat it, the brewery
agents suggested the people be given
an opportunity to vote on Statewide
prohibition. OF course it was not the
nurnoca of tha hraurarg ~ e,hn,tt nrO
hibftion at all But the coup TO kill
the high license bill killed the saloon
in Kansas.
THE prohibitory amendment was
submitted TO the Senate and passed.
The House was to kill it. The brewers
had it all figured out. Enough men,
bers favored high license, but not pro-
hibition, they believed to defeat any
| attempt to submit the proposition to
the people. The brewers guessed
wrong about public sentiment.
Every influence was brought to
bear on House members by the brew
ers. was governor, but | couldn't
keep out of the fight. Violating all
precedent, | left the governors Office
to help fight the battle on the House
floo'
"The day for the vote came. The
galleries were packed. The politicians
tried hard to avoid a vote by hiding.
| The sergeant-atarms was busy round
ing them up and bringing them into
the chamber. Finally the voting was
begun. The silence was intense We
needed one vote to get the necessary
two-thlrds to carry the proposition
| through We did not know how to get
it. All at once Mrs. Greayer (the
wife of one of the members) started
| down the aisle to her husbands desk
She stopped before him. and .seizing
his hand in hers pleaded with him
For my sake, Tor the sake of your
children, she cried, change your vote
Do it for my sake, for my sake, nc
matter what you believe
"Greayer changed his vote. while
the building shook with cheers
Born at Brookyille, Ind, February
25, 1893, ST. John served as captain
and lieutenantcolonel In the Civil
War, and settled in Kansas, where he
became member OF the State Senate
He became a political factor when he
won fight to displace United States
Senator Samuel +. Pomeroy. Pom
eroy and st. John had been personal
friends, but the latter became dis
pleased with the way Pomeroy con
Quoted himself as a senator, ant
thereupon championed John l.. ingalls,
Pomeroy's opponent, who won Thi.
made st. John leader and resulted il
his election as governor.
He was called traitor when ht
deserted the Republican party and be
came a candidate for president on Tn,
prohibition ticket in 'Si. was twic,
shot at but unhurt. Many republi
cans attributed the defeat of James G
Blaine for president, TO st. Johns en-
trance into the race.
In 1912, Notwithstanding his ad
vanced age, he stumped Kansas TO
woman suffrage. declaring that whel
women had the vote they would hav,
prohibition. In 1914 he campsigned il
the East for prohibition, estimating
that up to that time he had, altogeth
er travelled $4,000 miles and dellverer
$500 speeches in behalf OF the pro
hibition cause.
When he was in the Kansas capito
he inaugurated the first water bar
Quets.' with the result that liquor ha
been under taboo in the Kansas Stat