July 31, 1917

Respectfully,

SAMUEL TU . CKEit, Mayor.

LYON COUNTY.

EM.PORIA, KANS., January 8, 191'1. Senator WILLIAM H. THOMPSON,

Washington, D. a.

- DEAR SIR: Your communication regarding the efficiency <>f prohibition in Kansas came duly to hand. I have been police judge of Emporia for nearly three years and so have had some experience with the prohibitory law in this State. Coming from an Illinois town to Emporia, I have bad some opportunity for comparison of the two general policies represented in these two States, and I have no hesitancy in saying that the liquor business in Kansas is a mighty poor business to engage in, as compared with that same business in Illinois. If I were going to engage in the liquor business, with my experience T certainly -would not choose Kansas as a promising location. For instance, in looking over the police-court docket for the month of December, 1916, and including both holidays, 1 find that there were only four cases of drunkenness coming into the 'POlice court. If Illinois can produce a town having about 12,000 inhabitauts with a record like that, they would be compelled to choose some other town than the one I lived in for 14 -years. The greatest value of the prohibitory law in Kansas, in .my judgment, is the -removing from the towns the open saloon, which keeps our boys from becoming famillar with this evil. There are plenty of grown young men in Kansas who have never seen an open saloon. This I account a great gain. ' My experience of 11 years flatly contradicts the claim made by the enemies of prohibition that it is a failure. Wishing you every success in your thls county.

fight for nation-wide prohibition, I am, Most si.p.cerely, JOHN H. J. RICE,

Police Judge, Emporia, Kans.

1)1ARION COUNTY,

HILLSBORO, KANS., January .t, 1917, Hon. WM. H. THOMPS<>N,

Washi1~gton, D. 0.

DEAR SENATOR: In answer to your communication of December 30 as to failure of prohibition in Kansas, will say that KansaB is greatly benefited by prohibition. I-ts failure exists only in the written · pamphlets of lts opponents. Resubmission in Kansas would ouly increase its dry vote. I am not opposed to the use of liquor by those who are able to use it. I do not know what else I can add.

Respectfully, yours, H. BRUNIG,

Mayor, Hillsboro, Kans.

MARSHALL COUNTY.

BLUE RAPIDS, KANS., January 8, .1917.

Hon. WILLIAM H. THOMPSON~ Washington, D. a.

l\IY .DE.AR Sm: Your favor of the 30th read with interest. • we have punished abouf"14 cases of drunkenness and disorderly cases the last . year, our · docket sllows; possibly as many more escaped . . In most of these cases the cause we attribute to being · brought from · a Nebraska saloon 30 miles to · the north of us. While these -cases have caused some trouble, we fee! thankful we have no saloons in Kansas. ;u whisky-bouse literature sbould be prohibited from usin~ the mail system, it would cut our trouble m half. We think also when the Neb:raska. · saloons are · closed our trouble will be over entirely.

You are to be congratulated upon the · work you are abot1t to undertake. · With th-e assistance of . good -officers you will succeed. · no doubt; we ue ready to assist you - in every way possible. Do not fail to Wt'ite me if anything can be done to aid · you.

With · kindest xegards, I am, ·

Very truly, A. · R. DE.AN, Mayor.

MEADE COUNTY.

MEADE, KAXS., January 8, 19l1.

Hon. WM. H. THOMPSO:s, Washington, D. a.

MY DEAR S:mN~T()R : I am in receipt of yours of recent date. inquiring concerning the · operation of the prohibitory liquor law in Kansas. In reply will say it has been my · abservation during an experience of 10 years as eounty -< attorney 'that the prohibitory liquor law does not prohibit the use of intoxicating liqqor any more than the Laws defining and punishing larceny prevent stealing. 'rhe prohibitory l.aw is violated, and • SG are all of our criminal statutes, and, so far as I can see, one is ..respected about as much as another.

If it were not for that fact that it is so easy to obtain intoxicating liquors by express from points outside the State, there :would be no more difiicnlty . in enforcing this law than in enforcing the laws .against homicide. And if the -shipment of liquor into dry territory were absolutely prohibited, the sale of liquor in Kansas would be as rare a.s homicide

Prohibition does pronibit, and anyone making statements to the contrary ~:>hvws either woeful ignorance or willful desire to mislead.

Very truly, yours,

FRANK S. SULLIVAN,

Ootmtv Attorney • .

MIAMI C0l1NTY.

0FF.ICE OF SHERIJI'll' OF MIAMI COUNTY,

Paola, Kans., JanuaY'.1J 4, 1911.

H. THOMPSON,

Washingtcm, . D. a.

DlnR Sm: I ..received your letter of December 30, 1916, relative to the prohibition que tion in :Kansas. At the outset I desire to say that tt is no longer a question in Kansas. Prohibition is a fixed institution that not only prohibits the sale of • intoxicating liquors but has dispensed with drunkenness and made crime a minimum, . · J have seen more drunkards . in t Kansas City, Mo., in one day than in Kansas 'in my entire term of office of a little over two years. The majority · of the crime committed in:this county as we!l as in tl!e county north of us, which is in close proximity to Kansas City, Mo., Is caused by the criminals and drunkards that t'Ome out of Kansas City, - Mo. I live in the border county, and considering its close proximity to whiskyinfested Missouri, will say that the percentage of crime committed in this county is unusually small. The prohibition law is enforced r in this county as well as in other counties of this State that have come under my observation. The people, as well as the officers of the law and the courts, insist upon enforcing this law.

Although you and I are not of the same political faith, I .heartily agree with the fight that you are .making in behalf of prohibition, and should you desire to )JSe this letter i:o answer the charges .tl?-at are made against the proposition of the enforcement of the prohibitory law of this State you are at liberty to do r so. . . 'Yours, very respectfully, M. 'E. · STEVE~"'SON, SheNtr.

MITCHELL COUNTY.

BELOIT, KANS., January 6, 1JJ1'1.

Hon. WILLIAJII H. THOMPSON, United States Senate, Washittgton, D. a.

DEAR SENATOR : Beg to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 3d. Replying thereto will say that the writer has been city attorney of Beloit. Kans. for about eight years; also county attorney of Mitchell County, KanB., for four years. Prior to this the ~riter was deputy county attorney in this county for some time, and pnor to that deputy sheriff for some time.

Beloit is a town of about 4,000 . population, but its trade district extends over quite a bit of territory, for it is the lax:gest town in the sixth congressional ' district in this State. My eYperience and observation as enforcing officer of this State is decidedly in favor of prohibition. The following are some of the things that caused me to express this v · iew : . First. During the past 25 _ years we have had but one murder <;ase in Second. For several terms of our district court we lla ve had no cr~i­ nal cases whatever. The present bar docket shows not a single crllDinal case. · ·. Third. - we scar..cely average two cases a month in our police court, and sume years have not averaged more than one a month.

Fourth. We have beld · public " meetings, such as barbecues__ and the like in this town in which there were over 10 000 in attendance without having a single pollee court or a county criminal court case arising therefrom or in connection therewith.

Fifth. The three banks in this city have deposits aggregating one and a half millions. ·

SL"{th. Our pauper list is almost nothing. Our mayor informs me this morning that those receiving aid from the city are only three in nure~~nth. The county poor are also · very few. The county clerk informs me that there are only five persons on the county at this time. Eighth. The population 8t this county is about 15,000, and the number of automobiles registered is 1.756.

Ninth The writer nelieves from observation that this county will be bett& as soon 'as the dry · law goes into eft'ect in Nebraska, .and this for the · reason that we are close enough to the line tha:t liquor has been in some mstances brought across from the saloons in Superior, Neb:r., and severai · of our drunk cases and . other · cases have been directly traceable and caused by parties coming from these saloons in Superior, Nebr. I might add that the writer has - had - occasion to -visit r in · a numlwr o:( other States. aud has had legal pl'acticc ' the1·e, ana · by wa"Y of comparison I will give y6u just a • few - outside - experiences :

First. · In Butte, Mont., before the militia took charge, following '-the miners' union dynamiting deal, the average was 50 cases a day :in the — police court. :When the saloons were closed, the court went as long as 36 hours without a single case. .

Second. Butte, as is well known, has one ot - the largest pay rolls per capita, and boasts of being one of the richest towns of its size, and has . as many saloons as the most ardent saloon advocates would recommend. and yet at the above-mPntloned time the city's income was approximately $30,000 a month, and its .expenses were approximately $35,000 pe: month, and it was difficult to cash a city warrant unless it was about two years old. In many cases "city warrants were being heavily dis­ down. counted for cash. Some of the above came under the writer's personal observation and others were given by parties apparently in a position to know the facts.

You . are perfectly at liberty to use this letter in your fight, and I shall be glad to giv-e you any further information that is possible for me to <>h-e. ·

Most respectfully, yours, A. E. JORDAN,

City Attorney. BELOIT, KANS . , January 3, 1911, Hon. W. H. THompson,

Washington, D. C.

Dear SENATOR In reply to yours of December 30, 1916, w ' would say the prohibitory law is a good law but needs the cooperation of the Federal Government so the violators will not get off so easy. I believe we should have no Government stamps in a dry State, but as it is it keeps our boys in check frcm what it would be if our :state was a wet State. 1 really believe a Nation-wide prohibitory law would be the best remedy.

Yours, truly, JOHN W. HAYES, Sheriff.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

CHERRYVALE, KANS., January G, 1911. Hon. WM. H. THOMPSON,

United States . Senate, Washington, D. 0.

MY Dear SIR: Your letter asking me as to my opm10n regarding prohibition received, I will say that there is absolutely no comparison as to conditions in our State compared with other States having no prohibitionary laws. I ha:ve read with pleasure the stand that you have taken and -your efforts in the Senate to bring about national prohibition, and I heartily recommend you for it. ·

• * · • . · Tlie writer, who traveled before being elected to the office of mayor of Cherryvale, . Kans., made Missouri as part of his territory; and I want to say that there were 50 drunkards in Missouri • to 1 in - Kansas, and that there were more prostitutes · and other bad characters in like compnrison.

Prohlbition in Kansas :s not a _ failure; it certainly has lessened crime, up1ifted morals: our people have lived better, dressed better, which fact 1 attribute to prohibition law. Kansas has demonstrated the fact that Jiquor is n menace to ev.erything that i good, upright, and honest; and that people can get along without liquor. I know that in our city our people would vote 0 · to 1 in favor of national prohibition. Commending you for your efforts to secure national prohibition, 1 remain -

Yours, very truly, MILTON CooK,

Mayor of City of Cherryvale, Kans. CANEY, KANS., January 8, -19i1. Hon. WM. H. THOMPSON, .

United States Senate, Washington, D. 0.

MY Dear SENATOR: Rep•ying - to your very kind inquiry of December l:lO permit me to say that I heartily approve of the fight you are making in the Senate against the misrepresentations . that are constantly being made harmful to the good name of our fair State and Hon. WILLIAM her prohibitory liquor law.

The prohibitory liquor law of Kansas is not a failure any more than the laws against murder and horse stealing are failures . The law in each case is a good one, and laws that tend to make our State a better State in which to live and rear our families. This law, like all others, is broken and does not always prohibit the sale of intoxicants, but it does prohibit a numberle"s amount of sales; it does prohibit much drunkenness and distre s among our people; and it does give them many moral and economical advantages which they would not have to enjoy were the law repealed or had , .it never' been enacted.

Those of · us who iive move, and have our being within . the borders of the great SunHower State, rejoice in out few other things as we do in the knowledge that our boys and girls are free from the contaminations that always go hand in hand with the free and unrestricted sale of booze We rejoice to know that the good people of our State are making i:w honest effort to maintain and strengthen . this condition, and that in the e efforts we are receiving much encouragement and assistance from the sister States of our Union and the men who represent them in our National Congress.

Locally the conditions are not just as I would have them, but a marked Improvement over a few ears ago is evident, and the. enforcement of our liquor law is being aided greatly by the other nearby , States getting · into the d.ry column. National prohibition is the next forward step we of Kansas expect t see along this line. And may its coming be hast~ned · by the action of~ongress.

Very truly, yours,

T. C. HANSEN, Mayor. CHllRRYVALE, KANS., January 8, 1917. !Ion. W. H. THOMPSON,

United States Senate, Washington, D. 0.

MY DEAR Sir: I . n reply to your favor of January 2, 1917, asking about the effect of the prohibition · laws of Kansas, as they have been brought to my attention in this city, I have to say there is no comparison to be made between the condition of the people and their condition when the prohibition law took effect 35 years ago.

We have no poor, shivering, barefoot children here ~qw _ in winter, and many families who were destitute then because of liquor, are, and , __ have beE-n for years, . well to do, owning their own homes, and their children educated and respected citizens. , I have been carefully over my docket .for the years 1915 and 1916, and give these actual facts :

Number of arrests made for drunkenness in two years, 53. Number of inhabitants in Ch,erryvale, 4,500.

This is about 1 arrest to each 170 inhabitants in one year. Eleven of these were put off trains here, intoxicated, and were not our citizens.

Several are repetitions, three · or four · as many as five times. Deduct repetitions and transients put off trains becam;e they were intoxicated, leaves about 30 of our own individual citizens who have been drunk here in two years, 15 average for each year.

This is not because arrests have been avolllecl when they should have been made, and any · officer allowing ·• “drunks” to go free here would be discharged immediately.

'!'here . is no ·• boozet·" among our dty officials from the mayor There are no ·• joints," and the bootlegging is confined to the lowest type of whites and blacks. ·

Individually, I have not seen a drunken person . on our streets for . two With highest personal regards,

I remain yours. ns evet·,

REnr.o NEWTON, Police _ Judge • . CHERRYVALE, K.\!'\S,, January 5, 1911. Hon. WILr.IA!II H. 'l'HOMPSON,

United States _ Senate, Washington, ,D. 0.

DE.AR Senator THOMPSON : I am in receipt of your letter of - January 5, asking for my experience, observation, and views as law-enforcement officer of the prohibitory law of the State of Kansas .

I have been city attorney for about 10 years and am firmly of the opinion that the present law which is in force in this State is successful and has accomplished great good.

As you know, the State has enacted several prohibitory laws, and the present law torbiddlng the sale of intoxicating liquors for any pur ­ pose has accomplished wonderful results in lessening crime-and drunk- enness. It has resulted in families having more- happiness and pleasure in life than they had before.

When the drug stores had · permits to sell intoxicating liquors the police court of this city tried n large number of cases, the greater per cent of which were drunkenness. Since the enacting of the law herein referred to our police courts have. been idle, with the falling oll' · -of 95 per cent of cases that were before It under the permit system. Out· court records will bear me out in the statement above.

Wishing you . much success, 1 am,

Yours, truly,

J. A. BRADY, City Attorney.

l\IORTON COUNTY.

RrciiFJELD, KANS., Ja111wry 'i, 1911. lion. W. II: THOMPSON, I

- Washington, D. 0.

Sm: Yours of December 30 at hand. Will say in reply that I am heartily in favo1 of national prohibition. But as Kansas is now she is in a hard row, as the shipments are heavy in the little towns and no way of stopping the shipping. It is a poor grade of whisky, most pt which JS poison. If we could get national prohibition it would stop the making of all kinds . of liquors. We have a g()od many drunks on liand-made whisky. Fight it ha!·d _ . Let's get national prohibition in four years from now-in 1920.

Yours, truly,

J. C. FGLLEXWIDEil.

My time expires January 8.

?.!'PHERSON COUNTY,

LTNDSnbRG, KAr\S., January 6, 1917.

H. THOMPSON,

Washington, D. 0.

DEAR Sm: Having held the office of -police judge in the city of Linds· borg Kans., for over 20 years, I have had the opportunity to observe the working of the prohibitory liquor law as applied to Kans2.s. As you know. individuals can order whisky and have it shipped to them for their own use, and our prohibition law acts more specially to prohibit the saloon than the use of liquors. ·

There is no question in my mind but that the law was a wise measure and that it has saved thousands of dollars for Kansas people to be applied to the buying of the necessities of the home circle instead of going into .the coffers of the whisky dealers.

I have taken the trouble io look at my docket for the past seven years, from January 1, 1910, to January 1. 1917, and I find that I have heard 86 cases, of which 47 were for drunkenness.

Our population has ranged from 2,000 to 2,200 during this time. I will venture to say that I believe that one saloon in Lindsborg in three months' time would have brought more business to the police court than I have had in seven years.

You can not fight the demon ru.II\ any too hard, Senator, and at least hit the - saloon - hard ani keep on hitting is my very earnest desire.

Very truly, yours,

ALLEN WILDER.

Police Judge, Lindsborg, Kans.

NEMEHA COUNTY.

SABETHA, KANS., January 5, 1911. Senator WILLIAM H. THOMPSON,

Washington, D. 0.

DEAR Sm: Replying to your inquiry. concerning the enforcement ' or the prohibitory law in Kansas I will g1ve you my experience as polictJ judge which office I have filled since--May, 1914.

During this time I have tried 21 liquor cases in my court. However, of this number - one man was tried four times and two others thr'ee times apiece, reducing the number of persons before me to 14 for violation of the liquor laws.

we are not troubled bv bootlegging, the source of supply being found in the border towns of Nebraska, which are easily accessible by automobiles from Sabetha.

This bE-ing a town of about 2,000 people and a fine farming country, well settled, I believe that Sabetha · enfcr('es the liquor law as well as any town in Kansas: · · -

Am glad to know that you are taking the right step , for the betterment of our State, and the good people of this part are with you in yom' · fight for tl1e good cause. · ·

Yours, very truly, J. L: :MuSGROVE,

Police Judge.

SABETHA, KANS., January l, 1911. lion . WILLIAM H. THOMPSON,

United States Senate, Washington, D. 0.

DEAlt SENATOit: In reply to your letter of December 30, 1916 1 relative to your inquiry as to whether prohibition _ in Kansas is a failure or actually prohibits, I will say that in our city we . are strictly en- · forcing the prohibitory law, and we have very little drunkenness, and as a consequence our police court has very little or nothing to do. Fights. crime, and immorality, the usual results of drunkenness. are absolutely unknown in our community. I can therefore emphatically . declare that prohibition does prohibit, and you may use this · ln · any manner you see fit. You may rest assured you have the strong support of your State and hearty approval of your stand on this important question. With the best wishes for your success, I am,

Yours, most respectfully,

A. S. Ross, Mayor. SENECA, KA~S ., January 4,' 1911. Hon . WILLIAM H: THOMPSON,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C . .

MY DEAR SIR: Replying to your inquiry of date December 30, 1916, would say it appears to me useless to multiply figures and quote statistics to prove that the prohibition law in Kansas lessens drunkenness and crime and that its result is morally and economically ·to the advantage of thepPople of the State. Very few really believe that it does not have this effect, except those who are directly interested in the liquor traffic or profit indirectly thereby. There is no one so bard to convince as the person who does not desire to be convinced. •

The best argument for the success of the prohibitory law in Kansas is that the sentiment of the State is overwhelmingly in its favor. All political parties unite in indorsing it, and the last attempt of a candidate, even in a commercial center, seeking indorsement . from the voters upon a platform of resubmission met with inglorious failure. I suggest that it would be a very pertinent inquiry for you to make of the opponents of prohibition whether or not they could cite you to any other law which : they claimed to have been a failure and yet which grew in popular favor as the years went by.

1.'o say that the law absolutely prevents the sale or consumption of intoxicating liquors within the State would be folly. As long as human nature is fallible and avarice is characteristic of some individuals, the E~~~!~~tory law, as well as other criminal laws, will occasionally be In all the northern a"nd eastern tier of counties in Kansas much embarrassment in the due enforcement of the law has resulted from the fact that the States of Nebraska and Missouri were both "wet territory." In the northern tier of counties this embarrassment will soon be relieved as the result of the recent election in the State of Nebraska. It still exists, however, in the eastern tier of counties.

As I suggested above, it seems to me that the necessity for figures and argument has passed. Prohibition is an on-coming tide, and it is now time for action rather than talk . The greatest . menace to a proper enforcement of the pt·ohibitory law is the tacit partnership of the United States in the liquor traffic and the thwarting to some extent of State prohibitory laws hy interstate traffic. Congress should enact legislation that will permit the prohibition of shipments of "wet goods" into "dry territory.' Local laws and sentiment should not be permitted to be set at naught by this bogie of interstate commerce.

Kansas approves your fight upon this question and looks to you, as one of its Representatives in the United States Senate, to do all in your power to further the interests of prohibition, which is firmly established in our State constitution, upon our statute books, and in the minds and hea~:ts of the people . ple of the State you have the honor to represent.

Sincerely, yours , HORACE M. BALDWIN,

County Attorney.

NEOSHO COUNTY.

ERIE, K.~:-;s.; January 5, 1911'. lion. WILLIAM H. TIIOMPSOC\ T,

United States Senate, Washington, D. 0.

MY DEAR Mn. THOMPSON: Replying to your l ette r of recent date concerning the question as to whether prohibition in Kansas is a failure or whether it lessens drunkenness and crimes, will say that I have had some experience in prosecuting the offenders in the State of Kansas during six years of the eight. ‘The first two years of my experience was as city attorney of Chanute, Kans., a city of about 10,000 population, during which time we prosecuted a number of parties in the police court for selling intoxicating liquor. Following these two years I was county attorney of Noesho County, in which county the city of Chanute is situated, and I prosecuted a large number of offenders against , prohibitory liquor law during those two years. I am now closing my second term of office as county attorney, and will say that during the past two years I have prosecuted a number of offenders against t htc;; law: and it has been my personal observation that in every city in .this county where . the officers do their duty in enforcing the laws intoxication is greatly decreased . and all of the crimes attending intoxication and strong drink have been wonderfully lessened ; and I know that the prohibitory liquor law in Kansas lessens the sale and use of intoxicating liquor and lessens many other classes of crimes, such as immoral conduct, assaults, murders, bu rgl ary, larceny, and highway robbery, for these are several of the classes of cases that intoxicated men or men craving intoxicating liquor are most likely to commit. I have talked with a number of lawyers who have practiced in . this State at a time when intoxicating liquor was quite freely used and have also practiced ever since . Some of these men had quite extensive criminal lawbreaking when whisky was freely used in this State, and everyone that I hav e talked with has told me that when intoxlcat in;; liquor left the State, or when the prohibition liquor law came to the State, crime was so lessened that the law business for . the criminal ployment. lawyer almost entirely ceased. I believe in prohibition and temperance, aDfl I will be glad to see the day come when we will have made prohi !Jit i on anll when the Government will be entirely out of the booze busiJ H'.-; and will in no manner connive and give its assistance to intemperance and in .no way tolerate or help to make the · rum traffic easy. You will have my permission to read this letter, all or in part, quote from it verbatim, or use any expression or suggestion from it in your fig;ht upon th e floor of Congress or in any other place. The people of Kan ,:;as are with you and behind you in your fight for national pro hibition, and everybody in Kansas ought to be proud, and most of f.V--357 them are proud, to ha ;e a United States · Senator from K:a · n J as who __. stands fOr SqUare · aDd · national prohibitiOn and fOr morality. I 1 '

If there is anything that I can do to help you · I shall · only be too glad to do so. Next Monday I begin serving my third term as · county attorney in this county, and during the next two years, if there is anything that the county attorney of Neosho County can do to help, I want you to know that I stand ready to do so. .

With kindest personal regards, I am,

Very truly, yours, R. B. SMITH,

· County Attorn e y.

NESS COUNTY.

NESS CITY, KA~S., January 6, 1911 . Ron. WILLIAM H. TII O MPSOX, )

Washington, D. 0.

Dear SENATOR: I received your letter of recent date in regard to prohibition in Kansas, and in reply will say that I have been on the bench in this dist.rict for more than five years. In that time · every bootlegger or other person charged with the sale of intoxicating liquors that have been brought to trial in this district have been convicted, with the exception of two.

So far as my experience of prohibition goes, whisky se lling has been driven-out of this State, except in case of transient bootleggers. I do not believe there is a single place in my district where liquor is kept for sale, and it is a rare thing to see an intoxicating person in any of the nine counties to which my duties call me.

I am with you in your fight to uphold the honor of Kansas in the question of enforcement of prohibition law, and out here we are hoping that in the near future we may have national prohibition. Practically all the trouble that we have now is from transient men who come here from Missouri and sell cheap Missouri whisky from suit cases.

Yours, very truly, ALBERT S. FOULKS,

Jullqe. Thirty-third Judicial District. ~ NESS CITY, KANS., January 4, 1911. Senator WILLIA.M II. THOMrsox,

Washington, D. a.

DEAR SE 'ATOn: Your letter to county attorneys of December 30 was duly received. asking for my opinion on the prohibition situation. I have been engaged in prosecuting the laws of the State for the past 10 years, and of course have found violation of various laws of the State. Owing to the peculiar conditions surrounding the liquor traffic there is perhaps more inducement to violate the prohibitory law than any other law in the State.

In the first place there is a weakness of mankind cultivated by years of habit and social custom for intoxicating beverages to be overcome. Then there is the economic influence of the great liquor interests, which is brought to bear on every community in a great many ways. The moral pervert, the selfish criminal, desires to profit from bootlegging. The foreign distillers and brewers force their wares into the State with the assistance of the United States Government. All of these . things have to be fought back by the Representati>eR of the State and the public sentiment of the citizens. Other statut es pro- . hibiting certain evils . have not these things to contend with, but in spite of all this the prohibitory law has been and is being enforced in Kansas. ' ·

In the 10 years that I have been prosecuting in Ness County, Kans . , there has not been a saloon or a joint operating. There has been occasional bootlegging , which has been easily suppressed as soon as known. At present our greatest and only hindrance to the prevention strictly of the drink habit in this county is the right under the interstate-commerce laws for the brewers and distillers to unload their wares here on express mail orders. We need two national laws to make prohibition an actual fact in Kansas. We have the State law and all the sentiment back of the law that we need, but we need a law prohibiting the soliciting of orders in the State of Kansas by mail, and we need a law making liquor shipments into the State subject to the State laws on their arrival at the State line. Surely if · our national legislators knew what a valient fight the citizens of Kansas have made to make prohibition a reality and to protect its citizens against this nefarious liquor traffic they would give them such national laws as would enable them 1o regulate their local affairs in this particular and make prohibition an absolute fact.

Sincerely and co rdiall y, yours,

A. W. WILSON,

County Attorney. You may use this for any purpose.

NORTON COm'iTI:.

NoR·ro~. KA~s., January 5, 191'1.

Hon. W. II. THOMPSON, Washington, D. C.

DEAR Sm: I am in receipt of yours of the 30th ultimo, concerning the operation of the prohibitory law in Kansas. .

Now, I have never been able to see where the saloon is any benefit to society. It is not in any sense a social nor is it an economic asset. The fact that it is licensed in all cases where it exists shows that it must be an ~vll, and that it is simply tolerated. I can not see that the absence of the saloon i$:> any detriment to any State or to any com- ' munity. On the contrary, it seems to me that such an absence should be, and that it is a benefit.

I have visited other States where saloons exist, and I do not find as much drunkenness as was evident years ago, but I attribute this to the fact that the Gt!f' of liquor is not as general as it has been in the past, and to the further fact that many employers forbid the use of intoxicating liquors by their employees, and such employees are compelled to refrain from the use of such liquors in order to command emThe very fact that there is no saloon in Kansas evidently prevents drinking that would otherwise take place, and the fact that there are men and women that have grown to maturity in Kansas without h : having seen a saloon is a circumstance that can not be ignored in the discussion of the question of prohibition. I hope that Congress will pass a law prohibiting brewers, distillers, and liquor dealers in other States from sending intoxicating liquors into States that have enacted prohlbitory laws. I think that all such States have a right to be protected from shipments of intoxicating liquors from such other States by Con - ... gress, as Congress bas the sole power so to do under the inter sta te commerce rl:rus4' of · the · Constitution. Esp cinlly should this be done. since so much of the territory of the United State is now · SUbject to prohibition, ' which ·ll proves that the move i not a mere temporary wave and not liable to suLs:ide at :wy time. Prohibition seems to have taken up its permanent abode in this country, and all would do well to recognize this fact and to govern them elve:, accoruingly.

Respectfully,

L. H. WILDER,

County Attorney.

OSAGE COUNTY.

OSAGE CITY, KANS., January ~~ 1917.

Hon. W. H . THOMP.!'IO · '· Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR Senator: · Your inquiry regarding the question as to the success of the prohibition law in Kansas , beg to reply: My ob ervation, dating back almost 35 years. would suggest that wee the drug-store saloon has been legi late<l out of existence the people ' ple have ..,g.. learned to respect and enforce tlu~ prohibitory law. The very minimum ~ f drunkenness IS apparent. and while prohibition is not a positive success, yet 'a it exi t · in tb1 locality 1 would say conditions compared to open saloons is 99 per cent in favor of Kan as . I am no prohibitionist and ' not hy trrical on the que tion, yet must say prohibition in Kansas looks good to me. · ·

Your , BE~ HEILBRUN,

Mayor Osage City, LY ·no:, KA.·s., January 12, 1916 . Hon. WILLiaM H. THo:ui>soN,

United States Senate, Washington, D. 0.

DEAR .. EXJ.TOR: Your . inquiry re.Lative. to prohibition in Kansas, addressed . e<l to me at 0 age City received, and in reply to same will state that in my opinion while our prohibitory law, of cou.r e, does not entirely prohibit, it nnqu tionably les ens drunkenness and crime . Tbi is a mining county, and we are troubled a great deal with "bootleggers," but a drunken man .i a . rare sight. I usually am in Kan as City two or three days a month on an average and will see much more evidence of drunkenness in Kansas City in two or three days than in this ' county in three or four weeks. I spent three years in an eastern city wh . where prohibition w=l~ not at all popular a.ud the conditions there as to drunkenn Ps were the same as they are in Kan as City, Mo.

Ourl egislaturP I at this time con idPring measures that will mean much for absolute prohibition, namely, making the place of delivery the place of sale, but of cour e we will never have absolute prohibition until Con~·e s gets actively into the game.

. -' ny figures or statistics I could gather for you I will be only too glad to send you. Wishing you all access possible in your fight on this important question and a uring you that as far as I am able to judge the people of this State are solidly behind you, I beg to remain, · Sincerely, your , •

RALPH T. O'~EIL,

. County Attorney.

OSBOR.rn COUr.'TY,

It seems almo t foolish b for men to talk any more that ' t prohibition does not prohibit. It does prohibit in Kansas and always will. I trust we' will see it national soon. · B. F. CHILCOTT,

Mayor Osborne, Katzs.

PAWNEE COUNTY.

LAR::s-ED, KANs., January 6, 1917. Hon. W. H. THO liP. ·o~,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR E:oTun: You ask me what my opinion is as to whether the prohibition law in Kansas is a success.

You know and I know and every man who has the sense of a last year's bird's nest knows now and hav' knowl! for years past that prohibition in Kan as is a success, nothing more, nothing less. .

The writer is not a teetootler and never has been, I believe I am not a crank, but as a public official for the greater · part of my buslnc s life, having been a re ident of and a voter in this town for ;J:3 years past, I nm free to say that there never has be-en a law more abused by the lawless element nor a law that has been as beneficial as the very same prohibition law ·.

It is true tbere have been violations of such law, so likewise have ther e been violations of oth~c>r laws, larceny, homicide, arson, Pte., but the cold fact remains that the people are better, morally, financially, ph~sically. and otherw;. e by reason of the exi tence of the prohibition law and the · further fact that it prohibits sale and consumption of strong drink. I do ' not say that "booze" is not shipped into Kansas · and that considerable is used, but I do maintain that it has been t·e­ duced to a minimum. Whenever the laws can be so made as to prevent the shipment into the State none will be consumed therein.

It may sound seemingly as being a bia d a s rtion, but as a public pro ~c nt'or aurl dfi ial o more than ordinary experience I make the public statement tuut, in my opinion, strong drink is directly and indirectly responsible for more than three-fourths of all the crime committed in the United States; that it is respon ible for at least :!5 per •cent of the poverty and a large portion of the sickness, immorality, and degradation.

Is it possible that in this day and age any intelligent man wherever he may live will as ert that "booze · is a good thing; i it po ible that any man will as .e rt that prohibition is not? _ One .thing certain, anyone ·who ba ever lived in a prohibition State and visited another State that did not have prohibition can quickly and readily see the benefit. of prohibition.

Yours, re pcctfully, GEOll<ID W. FINNEY,

County Attorney.

PIIILLIPS COUNTY, rHILLIPSBUllG, RJ..rs .• January 10, 1911. llou. W. IT. 'THoMpson, ·

Senate Cl!aml,cr, 1raBhinato11, D. C.

. D~R ~Ill: Your letter directed to the county attorney came to my hands wlltle in otllce a::td :::Ullect to an wer same, us was too busy. 1 ' was county attorney until Monday this week and have had ' some experience with lawbreaking in this . county. "·e are located OI;l tbe Nebraska. line and much of · our violations of the liquor law is caused by the importation of liquor from Nebra ka · by auto road. We are L.~rt • unly tbank:ul that Nebt•a ka is dry or· will be soon.

I feel - positive that the proillbition law is a success and we have many young folks who do not know what a saloon is. as they never saw one. We have a f \'v drunks but I tell you they take to the woods qmt·~ rapicfly, cr their friends take ' hem there. Kansas is overwhelmingly for prohibition and 1 feel sure that we cc.uld not po sibly think of going uaek L:lto the dark ages of high license. We are looking for·­ ward to great result from the recent decision of the Webb-Kenyon law. We certainly expect the Nati-on to go dry right away, and thos c who do not see the light enough to know that it is coming will surely ~ the lo ers . Keep up the fight, Senator, or we do not want you for the job.