Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-12-30

J gone. let US nope never 10 IStuIil' liz
red light district has been turned into
a district OF modest homes. vice is be-
ing put to rout everywhere in the state.
court expenses are diminishing. and in
most Of the counties of the state crime
is decreasing.
Under the sheriff and county at
torney acts, most OF the saloon drug
stores in the state AVE been put out
of business, the liquor solicitors in dry
counties driven out of the state, the
b~ootlegger's business mad so anger
Gus and improbable that this individ-
ual is making his last stand. his only
support now being the laws of the fed
eral government.
Under the bill recognizing the at
torney generals department more good
has been accomplished in cultivaiing
respect for the law r obedience TO its
mandates than could have been ac-
complished in a lifetime under the old
SYSTEM"
Attorney General Byers here re-
Several Cases Cited.
viewed extensively the Mabray cases,
and the cases against mayors of Mar
engo and wa and others and con-
,inuing he said:
Prior TO the prosecution by this de-
par.nent of the cases at Marengo. Coun-
Gil Bluffs and Otiurwa. We were receiv-
ing almost daily complaints from some
of the cities charging misconduct to loca!
officers. Since these trials. as / now
remember II. we have not had a single
complaint from the cities. not even the
so-called river cities. and I an sure
thar the conditions that existed IN
Counc;! F;ufs and Other cities % Iowa
prior 10 the rial OF the Rich~ood case
can not be found TO exist in a sinrle CITY
Of this state. All this has heen brought
about under the removal law wihouf
harm 20 a~y innocent man ~ log'inate
business. Surely 10 good citizen. any
where, with knowledge Will land further
-4spectab:,i.y 10 the efor- that i being
made in some quarters - dfsc-eSst u.
Nov 70 sum UP TIE general effect OF
these laws thruou. the state:
ON Sept. SO. 1905. just prior 20 the
hesinr:ng OF our first term. there Were
<orty-three counties in the state IN
which the mu!ct law was II ope-a.i'n;
40 cities and towns with 1.17o saloons.
On Sept. 80. 1905. there were 30 counties.
219 cities arI towns. with 1912 saloons
sep- 80. 1910. there we're 81 counties,
2os cities ana towns. with 1852 saloons
and the number az this time we DO not
believe will exceed 1900 saloons ans
after July next when new petitions of
consent are required 70 be on fla the
number Of counties operating Under
the muict law. in MY judgment will be
reduced nearly il not quite haf anc
under the operation OF me Noon law
when properly interpreted will not eX-
coed 200 IN the whole state.
proee,ut;on Of DRUGGISTS.
ION Dec. 81. 1903. there we're in use
in his state $50 druggists permits To
sell liquor. To-Day there are not 10 eX-
ceed 400. a decrease in two years OF
nearly zoo, and our reports show that
there is less boot!egging carried on in
the so-called dry counties than ever
before, all OF which shows a steady and
certain advance toward the ideal or no
saloon condition. Good men may n
do differ as to the hes: method Of deal
ing with the saloon question. Some
favor regulation, others prohibition:
there Is however substantial agree
ment that the institution is an evil, and
that every effort possible should be
made to minimize and reduce the harm
that comes TO every community in
which j. exists.
The saloon and the gambling house
are bad enough and have taken toll to
the limit, the house OF i'll fame is worse
and counts its victims by the scores Of
thousands, and while TO let up in the
fight against these evils should be en-
couraged there are other evils that need
the immediate and earnest attention OF
every Law enforcing officer as well as
Of every good citizen. Much is being
said nowadays about the white plague
AID much good is being accomplished
toward wiping il out. is victims, how
ever. are numbered by the hundreds
While the victims of what has recently
been termed the yellow finger plague
can DE counted by the thousands. and
the shame Of i is that a large per cent
of them are boys under p years of
age. Fifteen or more years g the
sale of cigarets was made unlawful
in this state and it is against the law
today 70 sell them anywhere in Iowa.
but Notwithstanding this. the signs Of
the use of this deadly weed are OBJ
se-vable on every hand. and only a
short time ago one Of the greatest
railroad systems Of the country issued
IN order that after a certain date no
! person with yellow fingers should be
employed or retained by that system.
Then there IS the adultered feed
and short weight men; the Illegal COM
oine to mairtain unreasonable prices.
and many other things that need con-
slant attention.
so far as the liquor and cigaret
question IS concerned the law enforcing
machinery of he state is now in splea-
did working order. All we need TO
COMPLETE ii is some fe1e-al legislation
authorizing the state authorities to daai
with interstate shipments ard prohibit
ing me issuance Of government licenses
to persons doing business in so-called
dry counties and there is no good rea-
son WHY we should not have this fed
eral legislation in the immediate future
Amendments Suggested.
There are manv other things tina
this department has TO deal with that
might be mentioned. but this reoo-t is
already too long; however before clos
ing it I feel it my duty to suggest the
following amendments and changes in
our Ia Tvs:
First. a general revision Of the law.
covering practice and procedure in the
courts Of the state. Simplify court
methods by revealing every provision
80 $50