Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-16

Al view VI the pIopdulS 0ouIu <AlTACdH
this fleet is to be enlarged.
observation-disclosures
8 LOOKER-ON IN IOWA 81
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
For the Times-Republican.
Milford, Sept. 15.-The talked-of IL |
quor commission to be made part OF !
the official machinery of the state of
Iowa by the next legislature. strikes the
general voter as a possible good ar
rangement. Strange as it may seem.
Mr.. Abrams as self-appointed liquor
commissioner, or even under the aus
pieces of the State Enforcement League.
does not receive the support in many
temperance communities one woulG |
naturally expect. There is feeling
that he is sticking his nose into other
peoples business. Only last week the |
writer heard a good temperance man
complaining of the cost Abrams had put
on the county and then wished that
Abrams would stay at home and mind
his own business. This, from a good,
reputable business man. Again, in q
town not so far from Britt, after the
reverend gentleman's crusade in thatl
town, the anti-prohibition crowd actual
ly prepared a stock of eggs too old to
ship to Chicago for his benefit in case
he should extend his trip into that burg.
In other words, few towns and other
communities in Iowa are anxious for
Mr.. Abrams to visit them and carry on
the good work he feels called upon to
do. The reason is only small percent
age of the voters in any town seem to
care whether the mulct law. the phar
macy law or the prohibition law is en-
forced, disregarded or lived up to. Con-
sequently he is only backed by the few.
the ultra-t temperance people. and if the
majority do not actively oppose him ana
his work they certainly fail to give him
the financial support necessary for a,
successful enforcement campaign.
Now some conservative temperance
people reason this way: They say the
fish commissioner of Iowa has compare
lively but little trouble in detecting ano
convicting violators OF our game and
lsfish laws, and the reason is the people
know he is a legal enforcer of the law
He is hired by the state os Iowa to dc
this work, and if he fails he will lose his
job. There is the same general lndifer-
ence in regard to the enforcement of our
fish and game laws as there Is in re-
gard TO our liquor laws, but when the
| fish commissioner arrives In town and
l.convicts dozen men the general senti.
ment is ii serves them right No stale
! egg reception awaits the fish commits
sioner.
L
Talking with druggist, he said he
would favor the appointment of liquor
commissioner. He would favor such a
| commissioner either as an adjunct or
/ substitute for the present pharmacy
/ board. Recently the writer talked with
! another druggist who said the reputa-
BILE and law abiding druggists of Iowa
/ suffered more from the saloon druggist
than any one thing. He favors a liquor
/ commission with power to take away
the right to sell liquor. if an examina-
/ ton of books or good evidence shows
4 illegal sales Another druggist veal
ago told the Looker-on he had given uI
/ the sale of liquor entirely because of the
4 free selling of competitor and thus
this would-be conscientious druggist
was accused by the community of sell
ing to drunkards, minors, etc. IT car
be assumed a large percentage of thu
druggists of Iowa would favor the ap-
pointment of liquor commissions
with power to act. Again. the creation
. of such an official will be bitterly tough
by the saloon druggist. the man wht
has a stock of $3.50 worth of druggis
sundries and sells $50 worth of intoxi
eating liquors daily.
Once more, a large percentage of tn
saloon men will favor the appointment
of a liquor commissioner. The prohibi
ton crowd will not believe this, but tn
reason why they favor such Legislation
is self protection. The class of saloo
men who try to run saloon right
i suffer from competition tremendously
: The competitor starts a free lunch tdi
a rectly illegal under the mulcD, but no
body complains and this would-be de
! cent saloon man" is compelled also I
: transgress the law or go out of bust
: ness If he closes at legal hours an
the other fellow keeps open an hour Ia
ter then he loses trade. If the othe
% fellow sells on the quiet on legal hol
e. days then he has to, or lose trade.
e the other fellow sells to minors an
e common drunkards get full then he
Is supposed to have filed them up. An
e then when a saloon man is paying any
where from $1,000 to $500 a year IL
:, the privilege of allowing men to satisf
- the drink habit he feels "he has SON
= rights. some protection from the ma
Sc who will ruin his business and mai
it the town go prohibition at the next Gil
At election.
NIL Therefore, with the appreciation of Il
druggists, the saloon men, Mr.. Abran
and the Looker-on, 1t would seem TIL
- the law the temperance people are no
drafting for presentation to the ne
y legislature ought to be enacted in 1871
N 1t goes without saying there is gre
o. need of enforcing all Of the liquor lay
f. on the statute books. There is gre
need of such work all over Iowa.
will be "a continuous performance"
isl the liquor commissioner OF Iowa. Int
a dentally 1t can be mentioned that Re
- Mr.. Abrams will not be an acceptat
~ appointee first to AL the chair.
e. e, ar 1zve.
~ 10 Il ~ I, q u II