Temperance by Jas. A. Troutman

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 8, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 18.

Temperance.

By Jas. A. Troutman

Prohibition in Kansas—Result of Thirty Month's Trial.

ON the 4th of December, I mailed a series of questions to every county attorney, county superintendent, and police judge, in the State, for the purpose of learning the effect and present status of prohibition. Replies have been received from over one-third of the six hundred letters sent out, constituting a full report from sixty-six of the eighty-one organized counties of the State, including all the populous counties. These replies demonstrate three facts favorable to prohibition: 1. That it has materially decreased the number of saloons; 2. That an unusually large per cent. of prosecutions under the law have resulted in convictions; 3. That the principle of prohibition is growing stronger.

It must be borne in mind that these figures come from the officers of the State, without reference to their views upon prohibition, and are therefore not subject to the imputation of being the product of fanaticism. In our letters we stated that we wanted the facts, whether favorable or unfavorable to prohibition. We believe the facts were given, and that the figures presented are as authentic as can possibly be obtained.

In these sixty-six counties there were 708 saloons prior to May 1, 1881, the date the prohibitory law took effect. There are now, in the same territory, 313 saloons—160, or over half of which, are in Leavenworth; leaving but 153 saloons in the sixty-six counties, not including Leavenworth. Prohibition, in less than three years, has closed 395 saloons. During this time the population has increased 12 per cent. If our saloons had kept pace with the population, we would now have 792 saloons; so that in reality prohibition has prohibited 479 saloons in the territory named.

Prior to May 1, 1881, there were saloons in every one of these sixty-six counties. To-day, the 313 saloons in existence are confined to twenty-five counties, over half the number being in a single county. Prohibition has therefore absolutely driven the saloons out of forty-one counties, in which they existed under license.

"You can't convict the saloon-keepers," has been so often repeated that many regard it as an axiomatic truth. In the early stages of prosecutions, it was difficult to convict. But the reports of the officers who have charge of this class of cases, show that, as a general proposition, it is far from the truth. In the district courts of these counties, there have been 460 cases tried, resulting in 351 convictions, 47 acquittals, and 62 hung juries, or seven convictions out of every nine cases tried.

In justice courts there have been 572 cases tried, with 378 convictions, 65 acquittals, and 59 hung juries, or convictions in three-fourths of all the cases tried. In these cases the fines imposed amount to $95,200. In addition to these fines, there have been 81 saloon-keepers imprisoned for various periods of time, aggregating 137 months and 19 days, or 11 years, 5 months and 19 days.

There has been a larger proportion of conviction in whisky cases than in any other class of cases tried, as reference to the criminal docket of any court in the State will prove. There are now pending in the district courts of the State 218 cases, showing a vigorous determination to complete the work so well begun.

In fifty-one of these counties, the reports all agree that the principle of prohibition is growing stronger with the people. In seven it is reported weaker, while it remains the same in eight. This, of course, is a mere matter of judgment. If prohibition can accomplish these results in thirty months, who can say the experiment has failed? Or, how long will it be until the unyielding sentiment of loyalty will crush out the 313 struggling saloons still running?—Jas. A. Troutman, Sec'y State Temperance Union.