The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1929-04-01
(zion'S Herald, March 90 1920
PROHIBITION-BY A -PREJUDICED
OBSERVER
OBSERVER
OLIVER MORTON KEvE


OLIVER MORTON KEVE
The frank confession of prejudice in
favor of prohibition is here accounted for.
The writer tells "hoW prohibitionist got
hat way" The whole story is breezy and
Some of the strong points
are:
I was reared in Kansas. E. A
constitutional prohibitory law was
adopted in 1880, but liquor continued to
be sold as beverage in many places
throughout the state. Violation of the
law was open and shameless. In
my town of Abilene, the city officials
had a system of fines imposed regularly
upon the saloons, or Joints" as they
were called. This amounted to nothing
less than a laWleSs license system.
City elections in the spring were
a riot and controversy over the ques-
ton of liquor and law enforcement.
Was there drunkenness in that Pc
Rod? Lots of it. There was Mr. c.. a
newspaper man of good intellect whose
family was constantly on the verge OF
want through his drinking. There was
young M c., son of hotel manager
He was the special concern of the
church people because he would go to
the revival meetings and be converted,
then come under the malign influence
of the PhilistineS who delighted to trip
him into drinking again. An internal
revenue collector in the country, a
bright, superior type of man with q
promising little family, developed in an
incredibly short time into a typical "old
soak" Every winter, families Of drunk
ards had to be supported from public
funds. There were farmers who on
Got in
town and then, inspired by the drink
devil, drove home la Jehu over bumpy
and inhospitable roads, racing their
teams and yelling like madmen.
But there was another side. The agi-
tation against intemperance and for
prohibition was intense. widespread, and
unceasing. E.. There were periodical
temperance lessons in al Sunday
schools Fiery temperance addresses
were held on occasion. The Legisla-
ture provided for scientific instruction
on the evils of alcohol as part Of the
public school curriculum All these
features tended to intensity the feeling
of the younger generation against the
saloon. In our minds whisky was an
outlaw, never willing to observe re-
strictions of any sort, never contribut-
ing anything to the world but harm.
For a time lived in a small town in
Washington County, Kansas.
One justice of the peace in that county,
a farmer, was known to 'be favorable to
the law enforcement. One night after
a case had been before him and the de-
cision was against the joint-keeper this
farmers fine barn with all his hay and
machinery went UP in smoke. Tt was
commonly understood that this was a
warning to all over-zealous officials
Today live in another state that has
had prohibition for some years. The
talk in some quarters about the failure
of prohibition is all but incredible as
recall the earlier days Of prohibition in
Kansas. 1t seems to me that there is
no comparison between the amount of
sentiment for temperance and law en-
forcement now and that which existed
two decades ago, the improvement has
been SO marked. My work keeps me on
the road almost constantly between
Grand Island, Nebraska, and the Wyo-
ming line. I travel by train, bus, and
auto. So seldom have seen an intoXi-
Gated man in these five years, that my
prohibition convic tionS have been
driven deeper than ever. I suppose
that I am a specially prejudiced OBJ
server.