Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-11-16
STATEMENT BY
The Governor
CUMMTNs ISSUES FORMAL REPLY
SETTING FORTH DAv.
EXPORT SITUATION.

Des Moines, Nov. IA. - Governor
Cummins yesterday issued statement
summing up the result gained through
the conference Of the ministers of Des
Moines and the governor at the eXecu
tive offices at the state house Monday.
This statement was submitted by the
governor to the committee on public
morals of the Des Moines association
of ministers at mis- office yesterday
afternoon and was heartily approved
to them and by the other cl9rgymen
who accompanied the committee to the
conference
The statement was gone over line
by line and perfect accord and unani
nifty was manifest. The ministers
were in conference with the governor
about an hour and half and during
That time INDUCED in general dis
cussion of the subject and in debating
the details of the legislation which all
agreed was necessary in order to en-
power che governors Office to see to
it that laws are enforced locally.
Many questions of detail arise in re-
spect to this matter.
! An Agreed Statement.
The statement as issued by the gov
|
ed and DR.. Medbury and others assent
ed with approval, after hearing it read.
follows:
Executive office, Des Moines, Ia,
Nov. -. 1907,--Rev. A. G. Douglas,
Rev. Orien w. Filter, Rev. Elias B. UT,
Rev j. H. String, Rev. Finis Idleman,
committee of the Ministerial associa-
ton, Des Moines, Gentlemen: |
earnestly hope that some good, not
future good alone, but immediate good,
shall come out Of the conference held
in my office yesterday, and in that
hope make these suggestions, as the
result of the statements and discus.
sion of the conference.
We are of one mind as to the made.
quacy Of existing statutes bearing up.
on the power of the governor in the
enforcement of the laws of the state,
and l heartily agree with you that
the governor should use all his inf1u-
ence to create a public sentiment that
Will insist upon complete obedience,
not only to the liquor law, but to every
law, In every community of tnis state.
Recognizing as always have this OBJ.
legation, | am very grateful TO you for
your approval and commentator of
my public and official utterances in
this regard, and assure you of my
continued purpose to uphold all law
to the very limit of my authority.
Give Governor Power.
| am glad to find that you believ.
that the law should be amended so
that the governor shall have the
power to remove unfaithful county Of
flcials who do not and will not enforce
the law. ! have been urging this
change for two years and am conf
dent that with your help the next gen
eral assembly can be induced to con
fer upon the executive this essential
authority.
1t was said yesterday that the peo-
pie Of the state ought to know that
any peron lawfully engaged in up
pressing the illegal sale of liquor
would be protected from mobs. riots
Or other forms of turbulence. To this
most emphatically agree. have de-
clared it SO often that 1 supposed that
they all did know it; but this is a
good time to reiterate 1t and I say
to you, and through you to every citi-
zen of the common wealth, that I will
employ every soldier IN the national
guard to protect tho hum5!cst man or
| WSlAio1 IL IhS StdC6 t1ShApSs Tie
ference of mob. II the local police
cannot or will not insn.. peace, goud
order and safety to persoa honestly
attempting to enforce this liquor law,
can and will do II through the mill
tia. This has been my policy end
VIII be as long ns n'n governor.
It must b, n1.t'>rs'ocd, however,
that cannot &c. without information
a.ii I must kn,x NJ have larsen to
believe that tho local peace ulcers
are either unable or unwilling to give
the protection which all persons In a
country like ours have a right to ex-
pect.
Remission Of Fines.
With regard to the policy Of the Of
flee respecting the remission Of fines.
l. stated my views fully yesterday, but
after hearing your opinion, | have
this further to say: The aggregate Of
fines RENTED which had been inlpos-
ed for violation of the liquor Inv, as
compared with the aggregate OF fines
RENTED which had been imposed for
!. other offenses, is accounted Tor by
the fact that in the counties from
which the large proportion of the ap-
plicatfons come the fines inflicted By
the courts are nearly all In liquor
cases. I have tried to Judge each pc.
tftion fairly, and have tried to secure
all the information could but am