Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-02-20


property owners OF the payment OF iegt'-
mate taNesg fetiti s not true that tho IL
censing OF saloons reduces taxation, for tho
! Increase In the expenses OF the courts, poor
I houses aud prisons far exceeds the tax col
! leoted from the saloon. Besides, three
| fourths Of the losses aud bad debts cured
by business men can be traced directly ora
! directly TO the evil OF .ntemperance.
H. however, the mere payment OF high
license fee were calculated 10 lessen the evils
/ effects OF the traffic In into Sicauts an ample
| neld OF labor would be afforded those VINO
| believe so Ia endeavoring TO secure an increase
| OF the federal retail liquor tax from Ss5 to
$3.50 or even $500, All could then work for
the same cause, each en- his own line,
IL 10 claimed that We cannot enforce our
law, aud should therefore repeal H.. This IL
| not eredttahlo TO tho people OF Iowa, who as
rule nre law abiiing citizens, The arpu.
ment would apply with equal force TO gam
| bling places aud houses OF III fame. While ~
lsa lamentablo feet that such places exist In
many Of the elties Of Iowa, no Que would ad.
Wise the repeal OF the laws against them,
The enforcement OF the prohibitory law has
TO encounter the opposition of those who are
either directly or Indirectly Interested In tho
| profits OF tho sale OF liquor, o, those who
desire It's use as n beverage, of those who
| value political success above principle, OF
| those who believe that IL cannot be enforced,
! and OF those who claim that 10 Is damaging
| to the material welfare OF the state. Yet In
| spite OF all this opposition the policy mas moro
| and moro gained the confidence OF our best
| people, Thousands of those who voted against
| tho constitutional amendment IN tho belief
| that such y law would provo q dewi letter. arc
now convinced that II can be enforced, and dc.
| mand its retention, Sioux city, Bts Muiues,
Cedar Rapids and ottumwa huvo hanishad the
| saloon, aud ct they are among tho most pros
porous cities In tho state. TIE law In all its
| features has been tested In tho highest state
and federal courts until the Ingenuity OF its
opponents Is nearly exhausted. These tests
have fully established the principle that tho
state has the right 10 prohibit tha manufac-
ture aud sale OF any article the traiho In
which Il may consider Injurious TO the
common welfare. TIE benefits which have
resulted to the state from the enforcement OF
this law are tar reaching, indeed.
II IL well recognized fact that crime IL on
the increase In the United States but Iowa
does not contribute TO that increase, while
the number Of convlcts IN tho country
at large rose from one In every
3,ii2 OF population In 1850
TO ore In every 500 IN 1850,
the ratio In iowa is a, present only one "a
every ,iB0. The Jails OF many counties are
now empty during good portion of tho year,
and the number OF conVicts In our peniten.
iiarles has been reduced from $50 In March,
1885, TO 00i, July l, 1880, ~ Is the testimony
of tho Judges OF our courts that criminal
business has been reduced from 80 Co rs per
cent, and that criminal expenses have dim'n-
ished In like proportion, There IL n remarka.
bio decrease In tho business aud fees OF sher-
IFS and criminal lawyers, as well as In the
number OF reQuisitions and cxtradition war.
rants Issued We have less paupcrs aud less
tramps In tho state In proportion to our popu.
lation than ever before. Brewores h ave been
converted into oat meal mills und canning
fun nd mn utal IA 40 raj
owners. The report OF tho superintendent OF
public instruction show an Increased school
attendance throughout tho state. The poorer
classes have better fare, better clothing. bet
ter schooling and bettor holses, The depos.
It's In Dalks show an unprecedented increase,
and there are everywhere indications OF a
healthy growth IN legitimate trade. Mer
chants and commercial travellers report less
losses Ia collections IN Iowa than elsewhere,
It's safe 10 say that not one. TENTH and
probably not One.twentista, az much liquor
IL consumed In the state now NJ was Ave years
ago. Tie stan lard OF temperance has been
greatly raised, oven In thohe cities where tho
law Is not yet enforced Maya man formerly
accustomed To drink and treat In IA saloon iias
abandoned this practice In Difference to pub-
| lilo opinion. when u bill wBs introduced In
the Seventeenth and Eighteenth general
assemblies providing TINT no saloon license
should be granted In o city OF tho nfst
these cities voted almost unanimously against
| the measure, doubtless because they regarded
such mn amount exOrbltant. IL appears that
| these communities arr row prepared To sane
| ton n law liking $500 as u minimum lioensc
fee. n would be dI'IoLlt 20 HAD n better
Illustration OF the growth OF public sentiment
upon this question.
The opponents of the law endcavor to con
vince us that the roe ult OF the last election y
n verdict against prohibition, and over some
OF It's ardent supporters were At nrst Inclined
| TO accept thls Interpretation. Nothing car
| be- presented, however, TO warrant such a
conclusion. In four general elections follow
| ing the enactment OF prohibition tho people
Enthusiastically expressed their approval OF the
| law, and an analysis OF tho vote OF tho last
| election tails to reveai any delidea change In
| public sentiment upon this question. IL Is
| true that tho agents and adherebts of tbp
| liquor Interests, encouraged by the recent de-
ieBt OF prohibition in several eastern and
| southern states, made another EFFORT 20 break
| down the prohibitory law OF Iowa, while our
| temperance people, resting secure IN the be-
| lief that prohibition was tho settled Policy Of
| the state, took little or no part In the canvass,
| and thousands of them did not even 20 10 the
| polls. Moreover, many who did 60 hnd their
attention fixed upon other impot tant Issues
involved In the election. IL Is, therefore, an
unwarrantable claim that the vote implied
rebuke to prohj oition
The present law WIS enacted In response to
| q popular demand, AS evidenced by tho ma
jurity OF 80 900 votes cast In favor OF the pro-
hioitory amendment. There can be no doubt
| as TO the meaning OF that election. Had the
women OF lawful age been permitted 10 vote,
| the majority would probably have been more
! than 200, 900. tits the duty OF the legislative
power 10 respect the rights of all citizens OF
the commonwealth, Of non voters as well ms
OF voters cannot impress upon you 100
strongly tho enormity OF the multifhrious
| evils radiating from the saloon, and the neces-
sity OF wise action on your part. great
public policy once adopted should be retained
sufficiently long TO be thoroughly tested. The
law can DO enforced throughout tho state
without any radical change In our methods.
That 10 can now be enforced In the cities
where 10 Is most obnoxious, II only the Of
ncers OF the law are disposed 20 30 their duty,
has been demonstrated during the past year
by Mayor Irwin, OF Keokuk, and Mayor
| Chase, OF Clinton. All good citizens are liz
| terested In the promotion OF temperance. aud
1t Is their duty 10 Il nd their best efforts To the
| enforcement OF whatever laws are enacted to
| further that cause.
Our courts show a marked improvement In
dealing with this question, nearly AL OF the
| judges being now disposed to enforce the law,
| whether they are In sympathy with H. o. not.
| In those counties where the law Is not en-
| forced the fault lies almost invariably with
| the executive officers The con titution
| provides that the governor shall take care
that tho laws arc faithfully execuseJ, and
| the statutes authorizes him TO suspend any
| slate officer for cause. But county officer
may wilfully neglect bis duty, and the
governor has no power TO call him TO account
| IL provision were made for the purpose OF the
s,IspendIng for gross negligence OF such Off
| GERS as are charged with the enforcement OF
| the law, and ample funds we're placed mt the
| command OF the governor TO aid prosecutions,
! the saloon would soon be thing of the past
| In Iowa.
think the law shonld be amended so as to
| prevent undue searches of private houses,
| and malicious prosecutions; but no copIprom-
| ise should DO made with tho saloon. Liquor
men favor high license against prohibition,
| low license against high license, and no
| license against low license. They know no
| party In politics save that which does theiI
| bidding. Prohibition should, as far as post
| Bile, be emancipGted from the party caucus
| and its Influences, and different policy onght
not 10 be adopted until Tie question has
! again been submitted to the voters OF the
| state at non'partisan election. Such u
| greas moral movement should be- intrustee to
| H. friends and should not be Permitted to i'm
| pair political parties.
The law has beer moro successful and by
far riort beneficial than it, most hopeful
| friends anticipated, Its enemies have en-
dgaynrpd n create the iIupre ale n beyOud our