The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1918-06-07
Kansas Reservoir for Wet and Dry
Facts
Pro-Liquor Claims Figures Show
Distress
Others Find State Good Stamping
Ground
Ananias Has Active Relative at
Work
Prohibition Anniversary on May
First
Kansas City Star Points Out Sat
isfaction of State Under Dry
Order Which Has Grown
Stronger Each Year and Shows
Kansas in Ignorance of the AL
legged Distress

The state of Kansas enioys the
unique position of supplying the heavy
artillery arguments for all wet and
dry campaigns. By the master hand OF
the pro-liquor literary genius, the
state of Kansas is portrayed nation
wide as a sad example of the results
of Prohibition. Statistics are COM
piled which substantial the state
ments. The camera is used to gather
pictures from over the state showing
TO the eye physical evidence of Kan
sas' distress due to Prohibition. In
fact the Prohibition order OF the
state of Kansas has been so depres-
sing, as is understood from the oppo-
sition information. that only because
OF the hardihood of few conscience
less and courageous bootleggers, who
wilfully violate the law by putting
some strong liquor into the state. has
the commonwealth been saved from
oblivion.
Then, on the other hand, comes the
advocate of Prohibition and gathers a
super-abundance of contradictory tes-
timony. The fighting of the opposing
orders, therefore, raises the distinct
issue as to who is the relative of
Ananias. That liars will figure is thor
oughly demonstrated in this Kansas
controversy. As to which side these
figures belong can best be answered
by the Kansas City Star, which
knows the facts and sets them forth
very clearly in commenting upon an
article i'll the New York Tribune
which deals with the fact that the
37th anniversary of Prohibition in
Kansas fell on the recent date of
May |. The Star remarks that the
article appearing in the Tribune on
the Prohibition anniversary was a re-
minder to Kansas itself of the fact,
and continues:
The anniversary OF the date was
May 1. Prohibition has become so
thoroughly established in the state
that Kansas pays little heed to the
number of years it has been in effect.
Prohibition is no longer a matter of
discussion in Kansas. There was
time when you could start an argu-
ment as to the merits of the law al
most anywhere, on the train, in the
hotel lobby, in store. Office or even in
the homes. For many years there al
ways was some one to take up the
question on behalf of booze. But that
day has passed. One could get just as
far with an argument that typhoid
fever is a good thing for commun-
ity as he could with an argument that
the saloon should be brought back
into the state.
Every time Prohibition is made an
issue in some other state, the saloon
interests print circulars and posters
to point out the havoc Prohibition
has wrought in Kansas, but Kansas
does not even know that it is under
discussion. not to mention its ignor-
ance of the "ruination" wrought by
Prohibition.
AS matter of fact, there never has
been day in the 81 years of Prohi-
bition in which Kansas was inclined
to go back to the saloon. The over
whelming sentiment of the state has
been on the side of Prohibition at all
times. The people were too patient
for many years with lax methods of
law enforcement, and allowed the pol
iticians to play the game" in order to
get the wet vote. But when the peo-
pie spoke, the joints were closed.
One of the early forms of political
entertainment in Kansas was the
movement in every campaign to re-
submit the question. The jointkeep-
ers and the brewers would hold con-
ferences in Topeka and Wichita and
other towns to formulate plans" and
to take steps," They would employ
Smooth politicians" to make the
campaign for them. There would be
much whispering" among the init
ated as to how the movement was
coming on" and then
When the candidates for the Legis-
lature made their campaigns among
the people they would be asked this
one question: How do you stand on
resubmission?" The man who tried to
side-step the question would be de-
feated. It is doubtful If the resubmis-
sionists ever mustered as many as 20
votes in any session of the Lesisla-