Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-11-22

community In Iowa with equal prompt
ness and strictness. "should be repealed
1T is not state law"
Charles City Intelligencer.
This Is a sample of the thoughtless
or specious assertions that are thick
as the leave, over Iowa just at present.
We have fallen upon n time of eX-
IRENE expression and mouthiness,
wherein men are exceeding each other
In complaint, clamor and loose, care
less and calculated assertion of vir-
tues they do not possess, criticism
that is uncalled for and charges that
are unfourrded In this symposium
much is being said that is idle and
untrue and much is being demanded
that is impossible Of Immediate full
fllment. 1t is time that the news
papers Of the state, and especially
those given to open battle or to BUSH
whacking. took counsel of their better
Judgment and of the decent reputation
of Iowa.
It Is not true that law generally
observed but violated at times and IN
particular places. should be repealed.
This principle II acted upon would,
IL we are to count instances and par
ticular violations OF law, as good cause
FOR It's repeal destroy the law against
lynching whenever Charles City turns
out to hang another man to the
bridge. where it but recently hanged
Cullen. 1t would have repealed the
law against liquor when Charles Guy
was noted "along the read" as a place
where travelling men with thirst
could SUNDAY" and get such supplies
OF bottled beer as their appetite ana
nurse demanded 1t would have re-
pealed the fish and game laws OF the
state wren violations were open all
over the Chicken country of north
ern Iowa, and when communltles
ch,pped in for a seine and dragged the
rivers az inclination and fish hunger
impelled. 1t would still compel the
repeal of all the Sunday laws. IL
would enable Council Bluffs and Sioux
City gamblers to secure repeal OF the
laws against gambling. The law
against prostitution would have to go.
And vet there is in Iowa, general OBJ
servation Of all these laws.
What the Intelligencer meant 70
convey was that all laws should be en-
forced o., repealed. 1t didn't mean, al
that that there would be no law vio-
lation nor that the obduracy of a COM
munity Or section, where long custom
and general conviction that law was
an invasion of personal rights obtains,
should he good reason for the repeal
of a law that Is In advance of the sem
timent Of the community or should be
a. bar against the continuation OF an
advanced law upon the statute books.
Nor even that inability to strictly en-
force every provision of every law is
common or has ever been common.
What il. meant is that law observance
should be general and law enforcement
an official motto Without attempting
to think or speak for the Charles City
paper. all this Is naturally inferred
from the general quality Of the Intel
ligence,. and it's intelligent view of pub
Tic matters in general. But why didn't
it say so?
Simply because we have fallen upon
time Of loud assertion and recrimina-
ton when serious charges against the
state administration are made without
foundation and bushwhacking the ex-
ecutiye mansion Is the order of the
day. ,rhe Intelligencer should not lend
itself to the guerilla pot shooting d.
rected from the bushes in Sioux City
and Council Bluffs-two cities most no-
torious from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific for collision with law breakers
and from Cedar Rapids and Burling-
ton. whence enlisted men fire at will
against the executive mansion.
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