The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 27, 1889. PROHIBITION IN KANSAS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2135, 27 May 1889, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 27, 1889. PROHIBITION IN KANSAS.

Referring to an article by Professor Goodwin omith, deolaring the working of the prohibition laws m America to be • failure, we gave the other day as a per contra a number of quotations from high authorities whioh went to show that there is an overwhelming weight oi testimony m precisely the opposite direction, Here is another, from a source which scarcely admit b of challenge, taken from the inaugural address of the Governor of the State of Kansas, delivered only a few weeks ago. He stated that * ' fully nine- tenths of the drinking and drunkenness prevalent m Kansas eight years ago have been abolished, and he affirmed with earnestness and emphasis that the titate was to-day the most temperate, orderly, sober community of people m the civilised world. The abolition of the saloons had not only promoted the personal happiness and general prosperity of the citizens, but it had enormously diminished crime, filled thousands oi homes — where vice, and want, and wretchedness once prevailed — with peace, plenty, and contentment, and had materially inoreased the trade and business of persons engaged m the sale of useful and wholesome articles oi merchandise. Notwithstanding the fact that the population of the State was steadily increasing, the number of criminals oonfioed m the Penitentiary was steadily decreasing. Many of the jails were empty, and all showed a marked falling off ia the number of prisoned confined. The dockets of the Courts were no longer burdened with long li Btß °f criminal cases. Ia the capital district, containing a population of nearly 60,000, not a single criminal case was on tv « docket when the present term beg an « ' A he business of the police courts of fc he larger cities has dwindled to one fou'th of its former proportions, while m cities of the second and third class tbe occupation of police authorities was practically gone. These suggestive and convincing acfc 8 appealed alike to the reason and the conscience of the people. They had reconciled those who doubted the success, and silenced those who opposed tho policy of prohibiting the liquor traffic." Evidence such as this must surely outweigh that of a mere visitor like Professor Goldwin temith, and may indeed he regarded as I conclusive.