Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-30
SPRINGFIELD
like OTTUMWA
ILLINOIS CAPITAL CITY is Elk
PERIENcE A BITTER POLITICAL
WAR FOR OFFICES.
ISSUES ARE SANE AS HERE
Republican Candidates Stand For En-
forcement of Laws, While the Demo-
An Open Town.

Springfield, Illinois is in just such a
political battle as Ottumwa is to-day
law enforcement candidates eelng
pitted against those hwo stand upon a
platform that provides for the VIDE
open town. The contending parties
have the same principles as the Re
publican and Democratic nominees
o, Ottumwa and while the war waged
is perhaps not as bitter as in this city,
the campaign of the Republican can
date, Judge Lawrence Y. Sherman
takes him into every voting precinct
of the city. In an address last night
Judge Sherman spoke on law enforce
ment. making it plain to a large num-
Der of voters that 1t is the duty of Off
cials to compel leaders Of crime to live
up to the statutes, and the lesser evils
will soon disappear.
Judge Sherman spoke for an hour on
the question Of so-called blue laws
and Insisted that the acts which were
put on the statute books half CEN
fury ago have not been repealed by
the tide at times. The fourth ward
voters applauded the mayorality can
didate. when he hit at lawlessness eX-
listing in Springfield. The speaker
touched on the large amount of work
connected with the office Of mayor.
Duties of Office Strenuous.
"a man who enforces the law and
looks after the business Of his office
will find little time to lean over the
back fence and gossip with his neigh
bors,' the speaker said. There are
number of ordinances on the statute
books which some people do not like.
The voters have a perfect right to pc
tition their alderman and have them
repealed.
''Sone discussion on the saloon ques-
ton has been had. lived in dry
town for many years, but there were
nine drug stores The records Of the
city do not show that a single person
suffering from snake bite or malaria
died. / will also say that no man in
that town ran on ticket which was
gotten UP for the purpose of allowing
some man to violate the law
Won't Hurt Legitimate Business.
1T have no intention of hurting
legitimate business. If there is
legitimate business that cannot live
and obey the laws it had better die
now.
1T is an Old saying In the west that
If you want to tame your cattle, go
after the old bulls of the herds. and
not after the cattle. That is exactly
what 1 intend to do, If elected mayor
Of Springfield. I will go after the old
bulls IF the herds. They talk about
slot machine. Why, 1 know what a
slot machine is. / have seen them for
years. If a person wants to gamble
he can gamble on a peanut rooster.
You can gamble on guina egg. have
seen farmer boys do that. They get
an egg, guess on the number Of spots,
gets the jack pot But what is the
use OF talking about little things?
KNOCK out the old bull of the herd
and the others will soon disappear. If
you start after them in the right way
there will not be enough of them left
H..
that the smaller evils will die with the
greater ones.'
Judge Sherman referred to the Sun
day closing of saloons, and also dis
cussed the dives" which, he said,
long for the time when they may
grasp the young boy, and lead him
from the straight and narrow path.
Burke Favors Sunday Closing.
Thomas Burke, formerly a member
of the executive board of the United
Mine Workers of America, was called
upon to deliver an address by'Otto Ell
lott chairman of the meeting. Mr..
Burke Is now commissioner for mine
operators in Montana and Washington.
He said he favored Sunday closing of
saloons, and branded those who cried
against it as one who fears he will be
forced to go to work.
II want to tell you now" said Mr..
Burke, "the man who will not tell you
what he intends to do when he rs a
candidate for mayor of a town like
Springfield will be handled by some
one. I am for Mr.. Sherman because
he was my friend when / was a mem
Der of legislative committee several
years ago. He assisted in bringing
about the repeal of the So garnishment
bill, and | have been under obligation
to him ever since. He tells you he
will close the saloons on Sunday and
he will keep his promise.
Sherman has said what he is going
to do, and even if he fails, it would
not be the first time we have been
fooled A man who will not say what
he intends to do will let matters go
along as they are
"Fears Sunday Closing, Fears Work!'
THE man who set up cry against
closing saloons on Sunday is the man
who is afraid he will have to go to
work. He perhaps has conducted a
place for brewery, and knows If he
does not make good he will be put out
of the building. He did not have any
thing when he commenced and will
have nothing when he leaves. If a
voter goes to the polls and defeats the
man who says he will close saloons on
Sunday he will defeat himself
What more right has the saloon
man to evade the law than 1. If I get
drunk on Sunday and am arrested by
policemen I am held to blame. But
why should this policeman arrest me
and allow the saloonkeeper who is
violating a law to 60 The man who
BELLS the liquor Is as much to blame
rs l."
THROWN IN SINK.