Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-02-10
Our Temperance Laws.

We give the following extract from
the proceedings of the House, on JAN
uary 81, in order to show the temper
Of that body in relation to any change
in our State Laws on the subject OF
Temperance. The remarks OF Messrs.
Wilson, OF Tama, and Russell, of Jones,
were decidedly appropriate and sensi-
BILE, and we shall be disappointed if it
is found that they do not represent the
general feeling OF the State on this
subject:
Mr. Apologize presented the follow
ing:
WHEREAS, TIE law to suppress the
sale of intoxicating liquors or wines in
the State, is violated on every day in
the year, in nearly every county III the
State, therefore, be it
Resolred, That the Committee on the
Suppression of Intemperance, be in
structed to enquire what legislation
may be necessary, If any, to the end
that all laws which are openly and per-
slstently violated throughout the State,
be either repealed, or SO amended as
to command the respect OF the people.
| move its adoption.
Mr.. Wilson. | move it be referred
to the Committee on the Suppression
of Intemperance.
Mr.. O'Donnell. I hope the gentle
man will not urge his motion, as this
is simply a resolution OF instruction,
to a committee, and it would be rather
anamolous to refer it to the committee.
1t should be either adopted or rejected
by the House.
Mr.. Wilson. do not intend to sup
port anything touching the temperance
question that does not come from this
Temperance Committee; and then l
do Mt support anything unless it suits
my individual ideas. l am pretty well
aware that each year the laws relating
to the suppression OF intemperance are
being more ana more observed, and
gradually as the people rise higher and
higher in the scale OF Intelligence, in
temperance is disappearing. We have
a better city here now than we had two
years ago; and two years ago this city
was quieter than it was four years ago.
! see no occasion now for touching
our temperance laws at all. Unless
some gentleman will draft bill that
will more ettectually suppress intern
perance, l do not propose, by my vote,
to slaclsen our present laws. Ii the
gentleman insists shall have to move
TO lay the resolution on the table.
Nj. Russell am satisfied that the
majority OF the people are satisfied
with the law as it now stands.
1t is true, perhaps, that in some OF
the river counties, the law is to some
extent imperative; but Go not see
any reason, therefore, for passing this
| resolution. do not think we can ac-
compiish anything by it, or arrive at
any better system tor the suppression
OF incompetence than that which We
have already adopted.
The best way to suppresa intemper-
ance is to put the law in force; If the
gentlemen will do that, they will ac-
complish the desired result. 1t Is the
fault OF the people that the law is mop
erative; they have it in their own
hands.
In the county that I represent we
execute the law, and we find it all that
we desire on the subject l do not
think you can 90 into house in Jones
county, and openly buy glass OF wills
key, or anything intoxicating except
ale, beer or wine, which the law does
not prohibit. The result is, we have
very little intemperance, and very few
open violations of the law.
Let the men in those river towns see
to it that the laws are put in operation,
and they will find them all they need.
With this view of the case, move the
resolution be laid upon the table.
| The motion to table was adopted.
| The vote stood
Yeas-Ball, Bonew,tz, Brown, of
Van Buren,, Campbell, Carver, Cuts,
Dickerson, Dudley, Dumont, Durham,
Evans, Faville, Harper, Hartshorn,
uobssn. Hopkirk, Hunter, Jones, kas-
son, keabIes, ketchum. Lacey, Mahin,
| Marks, McGavren, Niles, of Wayne,
Willard, Miller, Morrison, Murdock,
Noel, Norris, Rosser, Sanborn, Snow,
Spencer, Stanchiield, Stewart, Stone,
TAFT, Taylor. Teale, TUFTS, WATSON,
| Wilson-4G.
Nays-Applegatc Beatty, Bell,
Bercsheim, Bundy, Butler, Butterteld,
Carpenter, Christoph, Crawford, Day,
DeGroat, Gibbons, Green, Harrison,
Hartenbower, Haycock, Herschler,
Hood, Hopkins, Irish, Lommen,
McCoun, Mills, ODonnell, Parsons,
Pratt, Rogers, Safer, Satterthwait,