In the early 1900s, Kansas was a battleground in the fight against liquor. The state’s prohibitory law, enacted in the hopes of ridding its citizens of the demon liquor, seemed to be a beacon of hope. But as the years went by, it became clear that the law was little more than a hollow promise. In the rural counties, the law was often ignored, and whiskey continued to flow like water. Open saloons may have been nonexistent, but the local drug store, livery stables, and seedy restaurants were more than happy to fill the void. By the mid-1900s, it was estimated that in one-third or perhaps even half of the counties, the law was barely enforced. In these towns, the once-promising fight for prohibition had devolved into a farce, with the law being more of a suggestion than a reality. The people of Kansas had been duped, and the whiskey trade had emerged victorious. As one observer noted, the spectacle of a town or county formally casting out the liquor traffic was a tragic sight, with the fine emotional expression of its better quality soon giving way to dazed cynicism. The law had failed, and the people were left to pick up the pieces.
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Key Facts
- State: Kansas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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