Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-04
TEMPERANCE BILLS
Do NOT FARE WELL
Only Triumph of Anti-saloon
Forces in Legislature is in
killing Off Bills
LIQUOR INTERESTS ON GUARD
Retaliate for Some of tho Measures
Proposed-Need Of Revision Of the
Penal Laws Apparent-some Les
sons Learned by investigation Of
Pardon Petitions-one Parole Granted
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, April 4.-Thus far this
session of the legislature the only
complete triumph OF the temperance
people has been in killing off bad bills
A bill by Ritter of Des Moines county
which provided that the consent oil the
property owners within fifty feet OF a
proposed saloon must be had shall ap-
ply only to property owners facing on
the same street as the saloon, was
killed. The temperance people pointed
out that a property owner having a
building facing on street one side OF
which was on an alley could not un-
der the proposed bill prevent the own
ers of the property across the alley
from turning the front of their build
ing the other way and then havinS
the back Of the saloon up against their
property. Another bill amending the
law so that only a majority OF the
voters in a county should be had in
stead of IS per cent in signatures TO a
mulct petition, was also killed. Inc
bill by McManus to allow shipments OF
liquor inside the state OF Iowa was also
killed. In addition to these one Or two
other anti-temperance measures were
also put to sleep thru the efforts Of the
Anti Saloon League.
In retaliation. however. the liquor
f.%& i,tI1 In lneP n
bill protiding that when a petition Of
consent is circulated in county or city
thirty days notice must be given by
publication in the newspapers. This
was measure introduced in the
house by Hanson, chairman OF the
committee on suppression Of intem-
perance. 1t passed the house but was
killed in the senate.
The officers of the Anti-Saloon
League are now working for the pass
age Of three bills, but judging the fate
of the other bills, these may not pass.
One is a senate bill by Turner which
prohibits the selling of liquor within
two miles of any army post or military
reservation. Down south OF Des
Moines, near the army post, q. colony
of Italians has located and it is feared
that in a few years it will be Il second
Little Italy" with all its corruption
and drunkenness. The bill Is in this
session early so as to prevent the coll
ony ever becoming such Another is a
senate bill by Giliilland which pro-
yides that express offices and all COM
mon carrier offices which deliver liq-
uor G. o. D. must pay the mulct tax.
A third is house bill by Meredith
which prohibits under penalty any one
selling or giving liquor to minor or
a drunkard.s The law now prohibits
saloons or drug stores doing 80, but
there is no law preventing any other
private citizen from furnishing the
liquor.
The legislature has the past few
days given once more the greatest
possible evidence of the need Of a
complete revision of the penal system
of the state and the adoption by Iowa
of a modern code in relation to the
treatment of criminals. Yesterday the
senate considered three parole cases.
Jasper Mason was recommended for
parole solelyson the ground that he has
been in prison over thirty years, vet
as a lSatter of fact he is the victim
of survival Of ancient laws, and if
had been tried under the code of Iowa
as 1t exists today he would never have
been convicted Of anything worse than
granddaughter. The cases of Betsy
Smith and Orman Mcpherson caused
much discussion. The Mcpherson case
illustrated how poorly fitted is a leg
iSl fr1ro n fol orf tn No OF ,,,;y ict~
ton of justice. A few members OF
the committee on pardons had really
learned something about the case, but
most of the senators are wholly in the
dark as to the merits Of the case. The
issue in the case is whether or not
the convict committed homicide with
malice toward his victim It was
shown that this could hardly have been
true. Yet some senators argued that
since the courts once passed on the
case it could not be disturbed, ignor-
ing the fact that the constitution
places; a responsibility on the legisla-
ture regardless Of the courts. Then
others refused to grant a pardon be-
cause few persons living near where
the crime was committed are bitterly
opposed to it. One senator actually
spent some time discussing the fact
that Mcpherson had revolver at the
time and therefore probably meant to
commit murder. Senators Peterson
and Gillilland alone rose to the occasion
and discussed the question on its mer-
its. Then the parole was refused. The
fact is that legislature is absolutely
unfit to consider pardon matters, can
never inform itself on such questions,
and members who understand the sit
uation desire that the legislature shall
he relieved of this burden. The Betsy
Smith parole was also refused.