Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-17

to the questions of the Davenport
Times as follows:
First--Why, Mr.. Byers, do you let
the Elks' club OF Des MONIES. of which
it is understood you are member,
sell liquor at all hours? Why, If the
Davenport Commercial club has to
pay the mulct tax. does not the Des
Moines Elks' club have to pay this
| mulct tax?
| / am not member of the Elks club
| Of Des ,Moines but have the word OF
| several reliable members that the
club has to pay the mulct tax"
! am not member of the Elks
| club of Des Moines. but have the word
| of several reliable members that the
! club abandoned its bar under some
arrangement with the ,Anti-Saloon
league several months ago and has
| sold no liquor since.
"Second-If the Davenport Turner
society has to pay the mulct tax and
close Its place in conformity with the
| mulct law regulation, why Is 1t. Mr..
| Ryers, that the Des Moines Turner
| society pays no mulct tax and sells
| liquor to members at all hours?
| was not aware that Des Moines
had Turner society until gentle
man from Davenport called my at
| tention to 1t few days ago, nor has
| any one ever suggested to me that
liquor was being sold by such a So
| ciety contrary to law. Since reading
your editorial have taken this mat
| ter up with Mr.. Lawrence De Graf,
the very faithful and efficient prose-
- 9a1J how hio
promise that the mulct law shall be
enforced to the letter in his city and
county.
"Third-n the Davenport CONNER
| cial club has to observe the provis-
| ions OF the mulct law, why is it that
you, Mr. Byers. allow the Commercial
club at Dubuque to operate without
paving the mulct taxi"
If there is Commercial club at
Dubuque operating a saloon or SELL
ing liquor to it's members, as your
question would indicate. 1t will have
! to comply with the mulct law, and the
county attorney of that county has
already been called upon by this de-
partment to enforce every provision
! Of the law against every person or
association violating It,
"Fourtfl-Why is it that. If you In
| sist upon Davenport saloons closing
at 10 o'clock, you allow the Burlng-
ton and Dubuque saloons to close at
II o'clock?"
The saloons in both Burlington and
Dubuque are required to close their
doors at 10 o'clock at night. II they
are not doing SO they will be prompt
ly prosecuted.
"Fifth-Why is 1t, Mr.. Byers, that
you allow as many as thirty DRUG
stores in Des Moines to sell liquor
contrary to their permits, at all hours
Of the night or day, when even The
Register and Leader editorially has
called attention to the fact? That
liquor Is illegally sold by Des Moines
drug stores is matter concerning
which there is no doubt. Then why dc
you not put stop to it?"
| Actions are now pending in the dis
trict court of this county against f1f-
ty-three drug stores in this city where
| it Is claimed, liquor is being Illegally
sold, and the county attorney and his
deputy are working overtime in their
efforts to compel compliance with the
laws of the state.
"Sixth-How does 1t happen that
representatives of your office have
been sent only to Davenport, While as
a matter of common knowledge the
LIQUOR laws are violated at Council
| Bluffs by clubs and saloons, at Sioux
City, Dubuque. Clinton and Cedar
Rapids? Did you ever send represen-
tatives of your office out into Des
Moines to ascertain whether the law
is being violated there, or ever write
letters to the Polk county attorney
concerning law enforcement?"
I have sent my assistants to such
cities only as have asked for them
Up to date they have visited Burling-
ton and Davenport. If their services
are needed at any time in the other
cities mentioned by you, and a re-
| quest is made for them, they will be
sent. Barring your editorial, no COM
plant of any kind has reached this
office from Cedar Rapids or Sioux
City.
"Seventh-How does it happen. Mr.
Byers, that when you were invited t?
Davenport to make an address on law
| enforcement many Of those who heard
YOU went away with the impression
that you were inaugurating a cam
paign for the governorshtp? Your ad-
dress so impressed many here Sun
dav. Can 1t be possible that you, too
have Joined in the game of playing tt
the understanding your appeal tc
the dry counties without doing any
thing at the same time to enforce the
laws in other places where some sup
port might be expected, but, where
/ the liquor laws are violated"
This question Is unworthy the man
who wrote it and the paper that pub
| fishes it, 1t Is based upon an untruth
and contains an innuendo that is con.