Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-01-28

composed Of representative citizens OF the
state The inaugural procession was very
impressive pageant. A platoon Of mounted
police led the way from the West Side business
center 10 the capitol, followed by u shining
array of militia led by the Iowa State band
Arrived at the capitol, the party hled IN and
were seated, rrcllmnarles, including an i'm
prcssiye prayer by Chaplain Lloyd being
completed, the oath was administered 10
the governor by Justice Robinson,
whercupou Governor Boes, bowling In
dignited seriousness 10 the large audience,
delivered his inaugural address, as follows:
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
Fellow Citizens, Gentlemen Of the Senate and
House Of Representatives:
Grateful 10 the people of my state for their
continued confidence In me- and with humble
reliance upon the Author Of our being toguldc
me in the discharge Of my duties, have come
before you 10 assume once more the formal
| obligations which the constitution OF our state
prcscrlbcs to qualify one elected TO the Office |
nm called 10 I'LL, to enter upon the discharge
| of his official labors,
In putting aside like obligations assumed by
me two years ago want to express the graft
tude feel towards those who have willingly
aided me In the great work 10 which was
a mantle Of charity the mistakes inevitably
1 made In the performance of the multitude of
| duties that fell To my lot
| In renewing the same obligations at this
| time can only promise that In the discharge
! of official duties will bring to my aid the
best Judgment Of which am possessed, aud
see that II is guided by an honest desire to
| promote in the highest possible degree the
| welfare of all the people of our state.
II has been my privilege AS II Is made my
| duty To communicate TO the legislature my
| views upon various matters that win demand
| It's attention during the present session.
| | need not stop here To refer TO many OF
! these farther than 10 say that such recomnicn-
datons are advisory only, That they furnish
| no obligation either moral or legal on the part
| Of single member of that body TO adopt the
same, and he should not adopt them unless
they coincide with his own Judgment after
! mature dollberation on his part
! There are, however certain questions with
! which the present legislature must deal Of
| such general interest To all our people that
| they may properly receive attention In an adj
| dress OF this character,
| Among the first of these In point Of import
| ancc is the question Of the duty OF those who
arc clothed with authority 10 make or repeal
| the laws of u state.
| ] cannot avoid the conclusion that we lcgls.
| late too much
| There are certain natural rights which every
| man possesses aud certain obligations which
| he rs member OF society owes tn the public,
| II is clearly within the province Of the lcgis'
laturc TO enact laws for the protection Of the
! former and enforcement Of the latter,
Beyond this IN statutes that are designed TO
regulate the conduct OF inen Il Is, | believe,
| generally unwisc to 20.
| II Is safe to say the wisdom OF man has
| never yet been sufficient 10 enable him tU de-
wise practicable means for the enforcement OF
strictly moral obligations,
So long as the conduct Of men Is restrained
within limits that admit Of no encroachment
| upon the rights of Others IL should he left to
| the regulation of their own Consclcnccs, and To
| the control Of the laws that cmanate from n
wisdom superior TO our own
But under such definition, the field Of
! legitimate legislative action Is not restricted
| within BARROW bounds,
10 be able to guard with jealous care the
rights OF ono class without cncroaching upon
| those Of another requires the exercise OF wis
| dom not always youchsnich 10 man
To Judge correctly between the natural
rights Of the citizen, and his obligations AS
such 10 that organized society that protects
| him IN these, demands 4 comprehension II
each, more accurate THAI mortals always
| possess.
II follows from necessity that many OF our
| statutory laws are little more than expert
mcnts, 10 be continued rs part of the per-
mancnt system Of our government II they
| prove successful or to be repealed II they
prove otherwise
Legislators may rightfully disagree Ms to
whether an experimental statute shall bc
enacted. II enacted and II proves failure In
whole or in part they cannot rightfully dlsu'
gree as TO whether or not II shall be amended
or repealed.
OF all the dangers that threaten any form Of
human government none are so great as those
that come from n Wide spread disregard Of law
by the citizens thereof.
A policy, II one Is ever adopted, that for
any reason or on any prcteXt, will tolerate
such condition either In the state or nation
will inevitably lead 10 anarchy and the final
overthrow Of the wiscst and best institutions
ever planned by man.
No duty Of the law maker IL 80 plain as that
which demands Of him the repeal VI amy law
whenever II is demonstrated by reasonable en-
pertinent that II fails 10 accomplish the pur-
pose for which II was enacted, and no demon
| stration bt It's failure Is SO complete ms that
which is furnished by the fact that III COIN
try like our own, among people the most en-
lightencd Of any on the face of the earth,
whole communities unite In ignoring II, and
| willingly consent 10 It's open aud continued
violation.
Among all the criminal statutes OF Iowa
| there Is one, and one alone, that ~ openly,
| VIGOROUSLY, and continuously violated with
the tncit, II not the Publicly expressed con-
sent OF vast majority Of whole communities
Of our people, who are In every other respect
as moral, as law-abldng and as desirable cltl-
zens rs any within our state.
For years and years this condition has ex-
lsted 10 The positive knowledge Of every state
officer, aud Of every well informed citizen OF
Iowa,
That the evil has grown with the years Is
unquestionably true. That II viii continue u
grow until the law Is changed, or ne. nhd rs'
traordihnfy methods for its enforcement are
provided, Is equally true.
There is left but one remedy for the enforce
ment Of this law that has not already been
tried, and that remedy involves the sacrifice
OF principle that is the very keystone OF the
arch on which our form OF government is
built, the right Of the people TO rule.
IL for any reason or on any pretext we es-
tabllsh the precedent that any one OF the
units Of population may he deprived OF the
right Of local self.governmcnt In matters that
pertain exclusively 10 their own welfare, that
even the least OF their officials may be selected
In opposition to their wishes by others than
those over whom they are called TO preside,
we will have driven an entering wedge lntn
the very foundation of this republic that will
lack nothing but repetition On broader scale
TO rend IL In twain forever.
In the presence OF such danger IN 10 not
time that We pause and see II we cannot dis
cover q reason for a condition that all should
deplore, and that none can rightfully consent
shall continue to exist.
Is II not true that here, at least we have
undertaken to substitute for the conscience OF
men criminal law Of the state. That in this
respect we have invaded the realms Of natural
right and subjected the conduct OF the citi-
zen TO the control OF penal statutes, before
such conduct inyades any possible right OF
anotheri
Here 10 this place at least we should be able
to put aside the contracted view with which the
mere scntimentalist is able 10 consider this
question We should comprehend the elect
Of the law not upon the saloonkeeper alone,
but upon every human being within its jurls-
diction. We should recognize the fact that II
Is not those alone who by reason OF age OF
habit are legitimate objects Of paternal care,
that are made the wards OF the state and
taken under its control by this law, but In
stead thereof, that II reaches beyond all these,
and so far as the use Of Intoxicating liquors AZ
beverage is concerned, that the very spirit
and purpose Of the ] aw Is TO subject every