Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-03-03
LAW ENFORCEMENT
is NOW The RULE
Iowa Has Entered Upon a New
Era Under Conditions That Sat-
! isfy Nearly All Persons.

enforcement and law observance,
said an Iowa state official the other day.
1t is not new or strange thing in
Iowa, for as a matter OF fact Iowa has
always been q state in which obedl-
ence to the law and observance Of all
reasonable laws prevails over al else
There has never been any element
in Iowa primarily disposed to lawless-
ness. There has never been any ques-
ton about the attitude OF Iowa peo-
pie toward law and order and the reg
ular thing in society. They believe
in the state and the nation, and so be-
lieving they are and always have been
upholders of good government anu
ready to aid in making government
come up to the best ideals.
There have been differences OF
opinion as to this or that policy TO
pursue, a contention as to what is and
what is not the best in government,
and out of this has grown some mis-
understandings which have been an
noying. But whenever the laws OF
Iowa have been bottomed on hrm
and enduring basis, with fairness TO
all and the best good OF the whole pro-
vided for, all have been earnest sup
porters of the law.
In recent years there has been
great deal OF controversy over what
is best in the way of having handled
the sale of wine, beer and intoxicating
drinks. 1t has taken a long time to
this world-old controversy; but it APP
pears that now in Iowa there is such
an agreement among all who have any
knowledge whatever of the conditions
and circumstances surrounding the
business. While perhaps there are
few who are ready to declare that
Iowa has the best laws on the sub
ject, there are few who will not ad-
nit that in principle Iowa has been
going along the right track, namely,
giving the people what they want and
then providing for enforcement Of the
laws of general application.
After all the true test of a law iS
in it's enforcement and effect. There
are laws which can be, or have been
enforced, but which have not lessened
the evil at which they aim, or have
developed ether and perhaps greater
evils. Then there are laws of such
a character that it is found to be i'm
possible to secure their uniform en-
forcement, sometimes for one reason
and sometimes for another, and where
this condition prevails no permanent
good can come from keeping such
laws on the statute books. The law
that commends itself to all reason
able people as good and sensible, the
law that can be enforced by the ordi-
nary processes and without straining
the machinery of government, the law
that is in fact enforced without re-
sort to any Objectionable processes
such law is a good law.
There does not seem to be a particle
of doubt that the system of regula-
ton of the traffic in liquors and bev-
erages of all kinds, as it has been
worked out in Iowa, while it is con-
fessedly clumsy and perhaps lacking
in clearness, obtains substantial JUS
tice. 1t gives every community de-
gree of responsibility over it's own at
fairs. 1t permits of varying the con-
ditions to suit the people. 1t is uni.
form in it's general principles, but
leaves sufficient leeway so that local
conditions can be met. In it's prac-
tical workings it secures fair meas.
ure of local control.
But the best of it is that with the
laws as they have been steadily i'm
proved and changed in recent years
there is provided sufficient machinery
for law enforcement, and it is found
in practical operation that law en-
forcement is the rule in the state
This is the long forward step which is
worth so much to the state.
From every part of the state comes
the information as to improved con
ditions and more satisfactory settle
ment of all mooted questions. 1t is
because law enforcement has been
coupled with a better understanding OF
the laws themselves.
The era of law enforcement in Iowa
means above all else that there is
more nearly an agreement as to what
should be done than ever before. Sc
long as men were quarreling about
what to do, and some of them getting
mad because of so much being done
and others angry because of so little
being done, there was no real prog
ress. 1t is different now. All are
uniting to bring about the best pos
sible conditions and in this harmony
and concert of action best results are
being attained. No one moved By
patriotic motives could wish to dis
turb this condition and return to con
ditions as once they were. Far bette
TO join in the movement for the bes
possible enforcement of laws.
There is another advantage in tn,
present situation in the larger cities
of Iowa. 1t has been found absolute
ly necessary, on the part of the reputa
BILE business men of good standin,
and some property, to get togethe
and to insist upon every dealer in liz
nor, whether retail or wholesale
whether in one section of city or an
Otner, cOHlOIHilHS sIiiCIy W INC ict.o
of the law. Now it is a fact that Their
is always the tendency for some eS
ceedingly uutrustworthy men gettinI
into the business. The irresponsible
person has, in the past, found 1t cas-
to start saloon. But under our pres
See The Prince of Sweden, March 10