The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-08-14
THE LIQUOR QUESTION IN IOWA

When the present mulct law was
superimposed on the Iowa prohibi-
tory liquor law it was hoped that the
liquor question in this state had been
settled for all time Very unwisely the
Democratic party in its recent state
convention at Ottumwa declared for
local option as substitute for the
existing arrangement, and thereby
opened UP the matter anew AS be-
tween the mulct plan and the local
option contemplated by the Demo
cratic platform the advantage is all in
favor of the former. This is clearly
brought out by local correspondent
who thus writes this paper:
To the Editor of The Gate City.
Our Democratic friends in their
state convention have again opened
the liquor question. Republicans do
not fear the issue but take up the
gauntlet thrown down and at this
falls election will settle this ques-
ton politically forever in Iowa The
present law on this subject-ex
the word "Mulct"-is the best of its
kind in the country 1t is local option
pure and simple without the expense,
annoyance and excitement of election.
The resolution in the Democratic
platform is based upon the cowardice
of the people of this state to person
ally assent or dissent by petition to
personally and openly express their
opinion on the liquor business in
fair and manly way. This resolution
imposes upon the people of the state
the expense, excitement and irritation
of an election to engage In a private
business that is now provided for at
the expense OF the persons who de-
sire to engage in the business
1t is the duty of every patriotic citi-
zen to meet all local questions in a
fair and manly way. with all criti-
cisms. fair and unfair. Until con-
gress legislates more clearly on the
liquor question prohibition is imprac-
ticable and snare.
The points made by our correspond
ent are well taken. Under the local
option proposed by the Democrats
every community in the state would
be thrown into turmoil every two
years over the liquor question This
would involve not only unnecessary
agitation and irritation, but also con-
siderable expense which would have
to be met by the taxpayers. And to
what end2 Simply to determine
whether certain private individuals
should be permitted to engage in a
certain private business or not The
mulct plan is simpler and better in
every way. Under it all agitation,
irritation and expense to the COM
munity is avoided If certain men de-
sire to engage in the sale OF liquor
they must circulate petitions of con-
sent at their own expense. Thus the
matter OF the sale of liquor in a Civ
en- community is put up to the indiyid-
nal citizen In 2 direct and personal
way. and it is for him to say wheth-
er the traffic shall be legalized or not.
This is local option in its simplest
and best form and it has been found
TO work well in practice. The people
OF Iowa have had less trouble with the
liquor question since the enactment
of the mulct law than ever before To
set this admirable arrangement aside
and substitute for 1t an arrange
ment calling for an election every two
wears with its attendant excitement
and ill-feeling as proposed by Iowa
Democrats. would be an act of SUI
preme folly.