The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-02-20
Byers and His Bills.


Representative c. w Millers Des
Moines letter to the Waverly Demo
crat: The only thing that looks like
personally conducted political
propaganda down here Is that which
is engineered by Attorney General
Web Byers, and if he should succeed
in his plans of legislation before this
general assembly l want you to note
the easy manner in which he will at
tain to the governorship and thence
proceed . seat in the United States
senate. | am we'll convinced using
the language of former state official
that have it "all thunk out"
Mr.. Byers is a small man, about
tho size of the late Napoleon, and If
his plans succeed history will get him
place as the Bonaparte of Iowa pol.
4 itics. He knows more law than any
other man in Iowa. At least l think
he does, but should not like to have
! the impression go out that he or any
body else ever told me so. 1t Is just
conclusion | have gathered from my
personal observation. | have noticed
that whenever the legal fraternity of
/ the state is vexed over knotty prob
lem Mr.. Byers always gives an opin-
ion right off the bat that is at once
revelation and a great food OF light.
III have observed him on more than
one occasion to unburden himself Of
so much law at one stunt that you
would think it impossible that any
more could remain in his system, and
then take a new start and hand out
four times much. / attended a
sleight of hand show the other night
and saw fellow take enough hand
kerchiefs from a hat to stock a dry
goods store, and follow the astonish-
ing feat by taking from the same hat
flags enough to equip all the navies
: of the world He reminded me of Mr.
Byers in action, except that there is nc
tnecromancy about the way the latter
produces and unravels his legal skeins
. He hands out only straight goods, too
;. and so far as my knowledge goes the
y supreme court has never overrulet
;, him.
:, That Mr.. Byers knows human IA
"a ture as we'll as he knows law is shown
by his bills, which are In charge o
Senator Cosson. late assistant in thu
attorney generals office. One of thes'
v bills would make all of the county at
II torneys of the state errand boys OF thu
g attorney general. placing him at thu
head of political machine that coul'
only be exceeded in power by tina
which would be made for the governo
1t by the other Cosson bill giving tn
$ chief executive the right to remov
sheriffs for engaging in an inferio
kind of detective work with referenc
IS to violations of the liquor law.
n To appreciate what power for pei
If pctuating himself in office or reacf
If ing higher that this would give GOV
ernor inclined to play practical pol
tics. one must understand that Their
h are not a dozen counties In this stat
a. where it has rot been demonstrate
I'll that sheriff has to wear binders a
Of to the booze business in order to r.
tain his place at the hands of the PEI
pie. If he had to get between tn
is people and their booze to retain n
he place at the hands Of the governo
st see what a fine devil and deep Sc
rt ouandary a sheriff would be in, wit
his constituency for the law but ag
it's enforcement, which is the stu
lg ton almost universal throughout tt
ad state.
at Mr.. Cosson, who has these wonde
Id full bills in charge. Is scared lookir
young man who sincerely thinks TIL
he has mission and that the ide;
he contained in these bills are his own.
an