IF PROHIBITION IN KANSAS PAYS, WHY NOT IN MASTERTON?

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3038, 7 November 1908, Page 5

IF PROHIBITION IN KANSAS PAYS, WHY NOT IN MASTERTON?

The Hon. C. W. Trickett, the distinguished Attorney-General of the State, has set at rest any doubt which anti-prohibition might arouse Ly the following statement of actual facts: — This city is the metropolis of Kansas, with a population of about 100,000. The inhabitants are largely wage-earners, and represent every nationality. We are located on the border, onlv an invisible line separating us from Kansas City, Mo. The city ranks fifth in the list of manufacturing cities of the United States. One year ago there were 256 saloons in this county, 200 gamblingdens, e.nd about 60 houses of social evil. hTo-day there is neither a saloon, open gambling-den, nor a disorderly house. It is the largest city in the world without these dens of vice, and as we have now existed about twelve months without them, it affords a living example of the fact that a large city can grow and prosper without such evils. At the commencement of the contest, a large number uf people thought it would ruin business an-] destroy our prosperity, but it has stimulated business in all lines. Our population has increased at a greater rate than ever before. The deposits of the banks have gained by one and one-half million dollars. The merchants upon our streets have had to employ additional clerks. The attendance at our public schools has increased largely, and we have had to employ eighteen additional teachers. The teachers inform us that the increase is largely of boys and girls of from twelve to sixteen years of age, who prior to the closing of saloons were compelled"to assist in supporting the family by reason of the father spending his wages for drink. The charitable institutions report a reduction of more than two-thirds in the demand for aid. The juvenile court, which has the ca'-e ot dependent children, had but two applications in the last eight months, while prior to the closing of the joints from eight to eighty-eight children required aid and assistance each month. Prior to the closing of the joints, we sent from fifteen to twenty young men to the reformatory each year. In the twelve months since closing we have sent but two. The expenses for prosecuting criminals have been reduced 25,000 dollars per annum. Expense for the police force has been reduced as much more.

For the first time in twenty-five years the Court of Common Pleas of this county opened its term the first Monday in May without a criminal case. The city courts, created for the express purpose of trying petty suits for the collection of rents and grocery bills, and formerly crowded with a black docket every day, have now practically no business, for the reason that people are paying their bills instead of being sued for them. A year ago this city was trying to devise ways and means to spare the money to build additions to our city gao's. To-day the doors swing idly upon the hinges, and we have no use for those we have. One year ago, not more than two business men on the principal thoroughfares of this city would have favoured the closing of saloons. Today there are not two who would favour op3ning them. Twice since the saloons were closed we have held a city election, at which the issue was presented to the people, and at each election the people have indorsed present conditions. Every banker is loud in praise of the present civic situation, The city is clean, crime is at a minimum, merchants prosperous, real estate advancing. The city is now the experimental station of the world. If Kansas City, Kan., can close its saluons and keep them closed, and if the closing produces prosperity, happiness, and contentment, then it is reasonable to assume that such results will follow a like policy in other large cities.—"National Advocate."