The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-10-08
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theories, t0Oue8nd9 OF Republicans on TINS
question alone have abandoned their old party
ties and affiliations and voted their sincere
and honest convictions with the democratic
party and against prohibition. Other issues
investigated with like oAndor and elaboration
have contributed 20 the result until two
years ago that grand tribune Of the people,
Horace Boies. was elected chief mag
istrate OF the state, and one year ago demo-
Gratis achieved . signal triumph In the lows
congressional elections. II 10 because Of
this steady loss OF the best members of their
party through years of argument from known
facts, that these party managers ana dissoul-
blere have determined this year to run tho
Campaign on sentimental cant, and on the
assumption that oil who are opposed to them
are morally dsbased and engaged 10 fostering
pauperAge and crime by open rebellion
against the laws OF Iowa.
Right Of the People - Repeal Obnsxious
Laws.
This peculiar body OF moralists would strike
at the foundation OF all popular government,
and deny the right Of the people to agitate by
peaceful and orderly methods tor the repeal
OF obnoxious and unwise laws. And Jet the
right Of repeal does not admit of debate. 1t
10 40 sacred - the right Of original lesisla-
tion, and the liberties bf the people are do.
stroyed whenever that right Il taken away.
Tho republican managers deny that right
here and now, in this campaign, and because
the repeal OF prohibitive regulation By tho
duly or lained aud constituted course of leRis-
tion, 10 agitAted and discussed among the
people In their halls, their school houses and
their places Of business, these would be do.
tators declare that ''the issus 10 law against
defiance of law: subordlnation against insub-
ordination" IL .thls law 10 . good one let
them convince the people Of tnat fact By
reason, By argument, BY accomplished re-
suits. and the law will be retained. Buff thu
law 10 . bad one, 1t 10 not only the right, but
the sacred duty OF the people to md some
better method, and IL 10 IN insuls to the intel
lisence Of every citizen OF the state for any
set OF men to issue the arrogant proclamation
that IL IL defiance OF law" 10 discuss this
statute, and to vote for some other In Its place
AS judgement and conscience may dictate.
The people OF Iowa arc not Law defytng
people; nor are they SO craven - 70 surrender
the right of discussion OF sn laws and all
legislation. They are little accustomed to
having the right of free discussion and free
action aesailed In this higa nan Jed fashion,
and they are little likely 10 tolerate IL from
self constituted guardians OF the people. who
would take away the right Of private juds.
ment, under the claim that its exercise 10
defiance OF law" The men Who hAvs thus
assumed to dictate what statues Arc too
sacred for discussion, have made grave
mistake, and do not understand the temper
OF our liberty loving citizens 20 we'll - they
will when the election returns come In next
November. and they hear sbe popular verdict
on their pretentions.
Meanwhile there will DO no hesitation In
giving facts and arguments to show thar pro-
hioitive regulation Is unwise and Injurious.
Ii this 10 ''defance OF law let those who
falsey assume to be the keepers OF tho law
put In motion It's strong arm. which II always
ready to mete out punishment 70 those who
defy Its mandates.
The real question -, what form of RogulA-
tion IL most elective?
Democrats, no less than republic Ans, Insist
upon the regulation and restriction OF the
liquor traffic. They have public and private
morals, the general prosperity and tho public
good, quite ~ much ~ heart ~ their repub-
lican neigh Ors and friends. They know, 90
all men know, that in the absence Of effective
regulation and control. the evils of this
traffic alAfmtngly increase. But they also
know. as every candid citizen must admit,
that this 10 ~ true under Ineffective prohibi-
tive regulation, ~ under q tax or license
system which designedly leaves the
evils of the traffic untouched. The real
."esti0n with democrats 10 not. ~ IL
Falsely p,ytended BY their op ponants. how
can We do the most for the saloonf gut ha1
can We bLst frame laws which Will taFe tbs
admitted e-ils of the liquor trAfFe By the
throat and ch kc them into subsection: An
ineffective lice nse system viii not do this.
But no more will Ineffective prohioitory
enactments do 1t. TIE result Is fres whisky
rs much In the one ,.se as in the other. A
change of name will cot produce change of
conditions, and the Same conditions will
bring the same results. no matter whether
those conditions exist under prohibition or
some other system OF legislation. We ind
this illustrated in states long under republl.
can domination. Ohio has provision In it,
constitution that the sale OF intoxioants shall
never be licensed in that state. Instead OF
proving effective TO restrain the tranic. this
provision brought the reign OF free whisky
curing thirty years OF republican control
In that state.
When the evils OF this state Of Affairs BE-
came too intolerable to be longer endured,
the republican leaders still refueed to take
any effective steps, but imposed small tar
on each saloon with the result OF one retail
liquor dealer to-day for every 2el inha0itants
In that state. This 10 what Ineffective prohi-
bition, followed by IN Ineffective license or
tax system, has done for the people Of Ohio
under Republican misrule. Certainly We
want NO such state OF Affairs In Iowa. under
any political party, NOR under any system OF
regulation, or systematic absence of regula-
ton
On the other hand, In republican Pennsyl-
vania, no sem blance OF prohi oition has been
Wv III kOTCC uuGIbk tuo B0UcFhllOu tuO F0puOs
licans have controlled the affairs Of the state
A license system % designedly ineffecSive
was maintained that the days arc hardly past
when Phil8delphiA had . saloon for every
twenty votes. The same evil existed
In = modified form throughout the state. A
remedy became of nrst importance. Prohi-
bition was submitted to popular vote, aud
WAS defeated by an overwhelming majority
under the lead OF republican managers. An
effective license system was then enacted and
put into operation with good results, which
sre nothing less than astonishing. For In
that very state where saloous were formerly
SD numerous, tbs records OF the internal rev.
euue department. tor 1890 showed that there
was only one retail liquor dealer for every
record for the same year showed that prohi-
bit,on Iowa had = retail liquor dealer for
every ass Of our population.
License the Most Effective Methea.
This 10 what two years Of effective license
has done for Pennsylvania, against what
eight years OF the moat rigid AID brutal 1t.
tempted prohibition has done for Iowa. We
hav. moro retail liquor dealers per capita
today An this sister state which 90 long
wAllowed In the mire Of drunkenness under
republican rule only to redeem ifself by
adopting tho very system Of dealing with In
toxicatns which the democratic party OF Iowa
insists II more effective than prohibition.
Republican Massachusetts abandoned PROFIT
bition after many years Of unsuccessful ex-
pcrments With that empirical system. In
1880, under IN effective license law che had
only one retail liquor dealer to every GA In
hAbltants against ono to eYofy ass In Iowa.
And thts Is only the beginninE OF the over
whelmlns showing against the tklss and rock.
less claims made on behalf OF prohibition.
The Test
Tho test Il simple one, ana there 10 no
escape from the demonstration. In 1890 the
population iC Iowa was l,0ll.3s6, accord z
10 the government census: while tho ofici II
returns Of tho internal revenue department