PROHIBITION.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8780, 28 April 1894, Page 8

PROHIBITION.

" Prohibition does net Prohibit: Doesn't if.'" formed the title of an address which' ■was delivered in the Oddfellows' Hall laafc ■ nifthtby Mr 0. W. Yorex, who was \le- ; s-jribed in the advertisement as "The man who tracked Gilbert Stringer, the Liquor Ring's Faid Ag«ut, through the Prohibition States." The admission to the meetiug was free, and thero was a Urge attend ance. The Roy. F. W. Isiu presided, and briefly opened the proceedings, und after hiving done so challenged the liquor party lo produce Mr Gilbert Stringer to meet Mr "Yerex, a challenge which later iv the evening Mr T. K. Taylor emphasised, * and in which Mr Verex acquiesced.

Mr Yekrx, who was well received, commenced with a reference to the different phases of prohibition, and announced his sympathy with those who desired to leans the truth, which truth he said h« would endeavour to give thorn. His name had appeared iv the newapapors iv connection with that of Mr H. Gilbert Stringer; and he would refer to some of the writings of that gentleman. He, however, did not * wish the peoplo to think that he had been ft sort of sleuth-hound tracking Mr Stringer. - Mr Stringer had gone through the prolnbitiou States in one direction and he had gone over similar ground starting ia the opposite direction. Mr Stringer went; through Kansas, Maine and Vermont; Mr Yerex took the opposite course. The aildreea dealt chiefly with prohibition in Kausw and touched upon the .States of Maine and Vermont, and was in great p«rt a contradiction of the painpnlet published by Mr Gilbert Stringer to the effect tha.t prohibition was not a success, Mr Ycrcx stated that the population iv Kansas bnd increased under pi-ohibitiou between 1837 and 1891, excepting during three years, when drought and the opening up of In<l inn free couutry .caused an exodus. For years the question had come up at the. elections, and eacii successive time prohibition had gained a larger mnjority. Mr Yerex gave information he had gained fioitv the son of Mr J. Charleton, J. P., Lawrence,' and read a letter from Judge A. C. Patty, both of whom were meptioned in thej pamphlet, to show that Mr Stringer's statements were unreliable,

About this stage of the proceedings the Chairman requested a mau sitting near the , froub to desist from interrupting. I The man said the speaker was not giving . the proper State and country. : A little altercation ensued, and ended in the offender being forcibly ejected amidst J loud applause and a few groans. I Mr Yerex proceeded to the end of hia ! address, which lasted over two hours, with|out further interruption. He quoted {authorities toeho.v that Mr Stringer had not fairly represented tho condition of the prohibition States; and, while admitting that there was violation of the law, asserted that the violation was less frequent in prohibition than in licensed States. A whole* sale -liquor merchant in Kansas had " stuffed " Mr Stringer ; Mr A. A. Cooper, a J. P., had told him (tho speaker) that, portions of tho pamphlet were nonaonee, ami other portions misleading ; and Mr Trainer, of the Express Company, had positively eaid that for one teaspoonful of liquor carried now , into Kansas from bordering States, a gallon it used to bo taken when it was licensed. Then at Lawrence prohibition wae, on Mr ' Stringer's own statement, co successful that> ■ "you had to swear your owu life away to get a drink of whiskey." Mr Yerex".nexb dealt with the nature of the:,plain Stringer mixed with, and in aria* or to' opinions obtained from them, Mr Yerex, gave opinions obtained from others tbtitja Kansas, Maine, and elsewhere, prohibition was preferred to a licensing law. He read ' letters from Proiessor Gleed, Kansas, ex attorney • general, Hon. B. Bradford, and Mr M.. C. Clarke, for thirteen years wholesale liquor dealer, Texas, to prove the efficacy of prohibition, which ' was verified by a testimonial signed by forty of the principal citizens, and presented to Mr Yerex before he left.

At the conclusion of his address the speaker was accorded a. Hearty vote of' ' thanks. A similar c%npliment to the chuiri . terminated the meeting.