Prohibition in Kansas.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 82, 3 October 1896, Page 2

Prohibition in Kansas.

There were from 350 to 400 persons in the Volunteer Hall last evening to hear an address as to the working of Prohibition in Kansas, U.S.A., from Mr R. S. Patterson, a visitor from that state to New Zealand. Mr Stubbs, of Palmerston, was voted to the chair on the motion of the Rev. J. Cocker, and introduced the speaker. Mr Patterson prefaced his remarks bystating that he came to the colony on a visit to relatives, and referred to the annual expenditure of money in dnnk and gambling in New Zealand, describing it as money wasted. He described the methods of settling the land in the United States. In 1873 there was a great depression throughout the. States* and the farmers set to work to find out where one profits from farming went to./ They arrived at the conclusion that the liquor traffic drained them of a lot of money, and then they worked bard for its prohibition. They found that with the prohibition of the liquor traffic gambling disappeared. He said that 50 per cent, of the publicans in Kansas were now doing well and were glad that Pro* hibition was carried. Those who used to drink were now the most strenuous in their efforts to keep the liquor out, and the people had become more wealthy. There were 105 counties in Kansas, each having its own attorney, who received 25 dollars for every conviction secured for any breach of the Prohibition law. In his county there were 25,000 people and they grudged paying the gaoler his salary, because he hadn't a prisoner for the two previous months, until he should secure one. If a man took whisky into Kansas he would be making a bee line to gaol, for everything was so constituted that the Act acted for itself, and if a farmer saw a person with liquor the latter was immediately given in charge. The statements that liquor was sold in the State were inconsistent, and it was a lie that Prohibition was a failure. In reply to questions from the Rev. J. Cocker, Mr Patterson said that the majority of the poor houses in Kansas were empty. Each of the 105 counties in Kansas had a poor farm of 920 acres with comfortable buildings set apart for paupers, but the majority of these farms were let as there were no poor people. The rates were reduced to about onehalf since 1881 owing to the increasedl population and valuation of the land. As to drunken people being seen in the streets of Topeka, that town was a greatrailroad centre and men who were fond' of whisky might bring some with them and get into the streets a little the worse* for liquor, but they would be immediately arrested. Some of the States had! Prohibition in their, constitution and' others made it a statute law. Constitutional Prohibition meant that Prohibition could not be reversed without » two- thirds majority vote of the people r when Prohibition was on the statute books it could be taken off by the legislature at the end of two years. In Kansas they had constitutional Prohibition and an attempt had been made to get the vote reversed. Eventually it was arranged that the vote of the people should be taken as to whether the question of voting for and against Prohibition should be re-submitted at the end of two years, and the vote resulted in confirming the existing law. They had probate judges whose duty it was to> license druggists, who were permitted to sell alcehol only to persons supplied with a doctor's certificate, such person and druggist having to sign an affidavit as to the bona fides of the case. The names of persons purchasing were published each month. Any druggist found guilty of supplying alcohol contrary to the Act lost bis permit and the drug store was held as security for costs of the prosecution. In reply to Mr F. Flavall as to what they took in Kansas as a substitute for alcohol, Mr Patterson said they took water. Votes of thanks to Mr Patterson and the chairman terminated the meeting.