Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-10
+ LOOKER.ON IN IOWA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Traer, Dec. 10.-Nothing in all of the
affairs of the Estate of Davenport has
caused more comment, than the petit
ton of the ninety saloon men of that
city, to the mayor asking him to en-
force the laws of the state now in OPP
GRAFTON in Davenport, according to an
agreement among themselves. 1t is
taken as saying in so many words,
make us obey the laws Of the state
excepting during the hours we see mt
to keep open our saloons. Compel us
to obey all of the provisions of the
mulct law excepting we will keep open
till II p. m. and open up Sunday at
p. M What a mayor and what
town. A mayor that has to be asked
| by law breakers to enforce the laws
they pay no attention to, and a set of
law breakers that openly say they will
openly break the laws of Iowa, by OPP
emily disregarding the Sunday law
concerning the closing of saloons.
This is local option with VEN
geance. AS one man here today said.
and he was German by birth, the
nerve of this crowd" ITO say to the
world, to say to the other citizens OF
/ Iowa, we will observe just what part
of the mulct law that suits us and no
more" There's not an overwhelming
prohibition sentiment in Traer but in
no town has the writer heard stronger
condemnation of the lawlessness of the
! Davenport saloon men, than here. An
other citizen here says that what's
good law for Traer is good for Daven-
port The mulct law should be en-
forced in Davenport if it takes all Of
the state militia to do it.
In Belle Plaine there's an observing
attorney, that thinks this Davenport
affair will result in the reelection of
Senator Allison. His idea is that the
primary vote would have been very
close anyway, under all circumstances.
But Governor Cummins has lost hun
dreds of votes by saying two things.
First that he was not in favor of pro-
hibition, and is not now. Secondly,
that the state laws must be enforced,
not only in Davenport, but elsewhere.
The idea is that Cummins' anti-prohi-
bition sentiments will lose him the
votes of the radical, temperance voters,
and his enforcement platform will lose
him the votes of the saloon crowd all
over Iowa.
He goes further, and by the way he
lis strong Cummins admirer, and
saws in his opinion, this whole enforce
ment agitation was fostered and
sprung just at this time, "to get Cum
minis in hole" He's damned If he
does and damned if he does not. He
thinks that the combined prohibition
and saloon crowd vote that will be
cast against Cummins in republican
primary voting booths will send Mr..
IAllison back to Washington This
scribe suggested that. perhaps the tenn
perance element in the republican par
ty would rally to the support of Cum
minis, when "the true inWardness" of
this political scheme became apparent
and was publicly known and discussed,
No sir, the simon pure prohibitionist
will never vote for Cummins, and now
} that the saloon crowd has been antag-
onized, the political enemies Of Gov
ernor Cummins will win out.
And this Belle Plaine attorney is
very much or the opinion lHdl llls
whole Davenport business was a cut
and dried plan. That the preachers
fell into the trap and worked their
part of the deal. "to the Queen
taste" That the anti-Cummins press
caught on and howled like pack OF
wolves. And now the standpatters are
no longer opposed to the primary
That in the first statewide primary
Cummins and friends will get dose
that will make them wish this reforri
had never been suggested or made
law"
With all of this enforcement talk, the
writer has yet to hear, altho there are
many in favor of it, Of any desire u
start resubmission prohibition
amendment. The failure OF enforce
ment of Iowa's prohibition law, is still
fresh in the minds Of the people. The
idea is, If we cannot enforce the mulct
law in Davenport what can we gam
by prohibition. But it can be said and
this too without any politics in 1t, that
, the people are ready in Iowa for a
+ man of the Folk make up to enforce