Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-02

men and women, whether they believe
in prohibition or in the regulated sa-
! loon, will unite in the one demand
that the law shall be obeyed l am
| conscious that some of our citizens
have fallen into the habit of thinking
that this particular law, because it
has some features to which they OBJ
ject, need not be obeyed. They are
swift to insist upon law enforcement
on every other subject. and l want to
which must inevitably follow the vio-
lation of any law. 1t is too true that
| there always will be, until nature IS
revolutionized, law breaking. l am
not speaking of the surreptitious law
breaker. who escapes punishment only
thru the inability of the law to find
him, or to convict him when found. L
am speaking Of the continuous law
! breaking which recllrs day after da'
and month after month, either with
the agreement Of those whose duty it
! is to enforce the law, or without any
effort to bring them to justice. Such
| law breaking is not only treason to
the state, but it disintegrates the whole
| framework of our institutions. This
is country of constitutions and or
laws. All our rights, privileges and
| liberties are guaranteed and protected
in these constitutions and laws. Ihe
men Of property have no other safety.
The men of labor have no other as
surance. Anarchy in the reign or
might alone, and to that chaos every
community which defies the law in
vites the state and nation. We are
expending every year, half of the rev.
enue resulting from taxation in every
form, in the maintenance of our
schools. from the kindergarten to the
university we are expanding this
vast sum for no other reason than that
our boys and girls may be strong
enough morally, intellectually and
physically to. bear the burdens that
will be imposed upon them In a gov
eminent of free people. Our work In
the training and the preparation OF
these boys and girls is in vein If we
cannot make the government one Of
order and law.
Press Has .Misrepresented.
Il am aware Of the misrepresenta-
tions with which the press has over
flowed with regard to my attitude upon
the subject. 1t has. however. not
changed by a hairs breadth. During
the whole time that I have been gov
ernor, have never lost an opportuni-
ty to exalt the sovereignty of the
law, and to appeal for the highest
standards Of life. I have contributed
what little could toward the awaken
ing of the conscience which is now
manifesting itself. have used and
shall continue to use all the power
vested in my office to punish the
wrongdoer. #s
At the beginning Of his term, ] said
to the present attorney general to
employ all the authority he had to
compel obedience to all the laws OF
the state, and he stands ready to pros
ecute, in Davenport or in any other
city, any proceeding Instituted either
against the man who is violating the
law, or against the public officer VINO
wilfully neglects his duty. 1t must
be understood, however, that he cannot
do this upon his own initiative. me
law must be enforced only thru the
law, and by the methods specified IN
the law For him or for me to use an
authority not given to us by the stat
ute would be to commit graver
wrong than could be committed by
any other law breaker. If you do your
part we will do ours, but under the
law YOU must move first.
mrhe illegal saloon-and by that
mean the saloon that does not COM
rly with all the requirements OF the
statute-must be and will be sup
pressed. If it is not done under the
law as it is, intend, and l want this
statement given the utmost publicity,
I'd renew my recommendation to the
general assembly that next convenes,
to so strengthen the law that enforce
ment will be swift and certain
A Word About the Prize Fight.
81 have one word to say about the
prize fight which lately occurred In
YOUR midst. Being informed that an
alleged sparring ev,,'bition was to take
Mace 7 asked W sheriff to investi-
gate the character of the contest and
advise me of his opinion. He did SO,
and reported that 1t was his Judgment
that it was not to be prize fight but
that it might be a boxing match when
would violate another section OF the
statute, and he asked me whether 1
desired him to enforce that section OF
the statute ALSO l Immediately replied
to him that it was my position that all
parts Of the law should be enforced,
and earnestly requested him to do his
full duty. In the meanwhile, entered
upon an investigation for myself !
procured the advertisements of the eX-
hibition, and came into possession Of
the newspaper accounts of what it
was to be. 1 learned the price of the
tickets of admission. I was informed
Of the contemplated outpouring OF
Chicago visitors. Taking all these
things. together, came to the conclu-
sion that it was to bea prize fight, ana
rot,sa lawful sparring match. Know
ing that my judgment did not concur
with that of your sheriff, and having
no power to direct him to do anything
whatsoever, I ordered the captain Of
the company Of the National Guard to
stop the prize fight. 1 am not here 20
express any opinion with regard to The
conduct of the captain. That is for an
other tribunal. I can only say that
was deeply chagrined and much hui
INFLATED with the result. am not ON
niscient. Prize fights may occur In the
state Of Iowa without any opportunity
on my part to arrest them. must lc-
papd ,,non the good citizenship of tic