Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-09-17
The Larger Issue Of Law.

GRINNELL, Aug. %. 10 the Edi-
tor: II the conspicuous state issue"
this year concerned only one law OF
Iowa, demanded by largo majority
OF the people for their protection and
welfare, and enforced with ordinary
success, it ought to call out the votes
OF all law abiding citizens TO sustain
the law.
IL the object OF the statute we're one
OF merely ordinary interest the peO-
| pie should rally resolutcly and say in
thunder tones, 1.-The law shall stand"
II it had appeared on the statute book
under ordinary circumstances, the ef-
forts OF the governor and other officers
OF the law 10 break it down, in the
face OF their oaths OF Office, ought TO
cali out the indignant opposition OF
| the mass OF voters and such ma ori-
ties for candidates loyal TO the law in
/ every county and precinct as have
never been given since voting began
in Iowa.
But there was never such a popular
demonstration in favor OF any law we
ever had, never so extraordinary..a de-
mand for 1t, as in case OF the law
which the democracy, the brewery
and tie saloon are making such an ef-
fort to repeal as were never made
against any statute before. Laws are
ordinarily enacted through the inter-
est and influence with the legislature,
OF comparatively few persons or in re-
Spouse to local petitions sent up to
Des Moines. Now and then someone
elected as representative or senator is
virtually instructed o. pledged to Sc
cure the passage OF one. But the ORR
gin OF our present prohiOitory law
was uneXampled. The people OF Iowa
at state election by special vote in
structed the assembly TO enact it. We
have no other such law on our statute
book. In exactly the same words
both houses of the assembly twice
voted to place the proposition before
the people, ia words not involved in
the supreme courts objection to the
amendment OF 1882, and by 80, 900
majority whether they put the
amendment into The constitution or
not-the people instructed the sue
ceeding Legislature to give us the law
which tue Democratic party now
strives 10 destroy. How can we ever
secure laws that will stand, as this
has done the better part OF ten years,
il this is now OverthrOwn? Shall
tho-e officers created by law and
charged 10 enforce it, first break their
official oahs 10 sustain il, and then
obtain its repeal?
Then, too, the objects OF this law
are OF extraordinary Importance. II
enfOl ced everywhere, as it is in more
than eighl.ienths of Iowa, it would
prove an ncstimahle benefit TO all we
prize, whether, pubic or private. A
trivial law might 90 by the board,
but not such one as this. II we can
not secure interests so precious by
even such an uneXampled move
ment of the people, can we secure any
thing?
Blu, the sacred existence of law it.
self is bound up in the present issue.
No other statute will ue respected,
much more obeyod, if we cannot
maintain this. We can enforce it If we
can keep it. That is demonstrated.
1t is just the prospect that lawless 10.
calities are going to be brought into
line. il the people are firm and elect a
loyal governor and legislature, that
makes such localities desperately i'm
patient to break it down.
The issue before us is far larger and
wider than that OF this particular
statute. The very principle of gov.
crnmcnt by law is at stake. 1t never
so needed to be strengthened ia Iowa
as it does to-day. Whether our future
history shall be brighter and on still
h CHER plane, at the very head OF the
nation. or lOWer than that OF our
neighbOrs and our own past is TO be
decided in November. II law is sue
cessfully indicated by the verdict OF
the people at tn polls. noble, irtelli.
geat, temperate Iowa goes higher in
the scale than ever.
The republican platform and state
ticket are perfectly consistent with
the whole history OF the party since ii
was organized in this state in 1856 as
"a branch OF national republicanism.
On this account it desires in Novem-
Der The support not only OF every
republican who does not agree with
The great mass of us on prohibition,
but every demOcr at wEo respects law,
though lie does not agree with us on
tariff. silver coinage. etc. Will he
throw away the maintenance OF law
in Iowa for those other issucs--Com-
paratiyely speaking, outside ones?
Suppose tariff laws and silver laws 60
suit him are passed by congress, they
must for their enforcement lean on
the same principle Of respect FOR law
which the Iowa democracy is now
helping the saloon To- break down.
That every prohibition democrat
should support the law in November,
in the only way in which any any man
in Iowa can do it, viz: by voting Tor
Wheeler, Weaver and the rest, is too
plain for word. From its Organiza-
tion Iowa republicanism has stool for
law and the democracy for lawless
ness. Over a dozen years ago this
issue was so clear and broad that our
platform said Just what we say to-
ddy--"Ihe republican party is the
party Of order as opposed to lawless-
ness. in whatever quarter the same
may arise, in whatever form it may
appear What is a law abiding citi-
zen thinking OF vino votes against 1t
and for tho saloon?
GEO. T. MAGoUN.