Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-04-07
SALOONS MUST Be AS
GOOD AS PEOPLE WANT
Present Methods In Iowa Pro-
duCe Good Results in All
Localities.

'The saloons of Dubuque are just a:
good as the officers OF the law want
them to be-" said resident of Du
buque the other day, And the Oil
GERS of the law reflect the sentiment
OF the majority OF the people, SO that
We have substantially Just what we
want in the way OF provision for the
sale OF drinks. 1t is local selfgovern.
ment in the truest sense OF the words.
That about expresses the situation
generally in the cities OF Iowa. 1t is
found that under Iowa laws the stua.
ton can be handled with ease There
is desire in Dubuque, for instance,
that there shall be a reasonable mum,
maintain a certain high standard, that
they shall be kept orderly and be free
from everything distinctly objection.
able to their patrons. For long time
there was disposition to feel that the
restrictions of the Iowa laws were too
harsh, and that the law unnecessarily
interfered with some of the customs
and traditions OF the patrons OF the re-
freshment places. The dealers have
themselves brought about a condition
highly creditable to themselves and
the state. They have sought earnest.
ly to find out just what the law per
mits and what it does not permit and
to comply Herewith. They have sue.
ceeded.
1t was found, for instance, that
some of the saloons long established
and always well conducted, patronized
by the best people and free from every
thing obnoxious, violated the law i'm
some minor or technical way, as by
being too close to church or not be.
ing on level with the sidewalk or be.
cause of having insufficient windows.
The owners of these business houses
employed good lawyers and secured
from them exact information as to
all these requirements OF the law and
caused to be made canvass of the
city to discover every possible infrac-
ton of the law. They went to work,
every one to get his own business into
the best possible condition, and also
to see to it that every other dealer
obeyed the law to the letter.
Out of all this has come a changed
state of affairs in Dubuque. There is
not a saloon in that city but that is
conducted in strictest conformity to
the law. Every detail of the law has
been observed in securing the legal
formalities. Every place has all the
safeguards that the law contemplates.
Nothing has been left undone that
seemed to be necessary to bring about
just the conditions which are contem.
plated in the laws Of the state.
The result is gratifying to all the
best people of the city Everybody is
satisfied with the settlement of the
matter. 1t puts an end to controversy
and makes quareling impossible.
Those who believe that the sale of
liquor should always be under strict
est regulation are nightly pleased,
The few who believe that the common
beverages should never be offered for
sale anywhere, have to admit that
what they regard as the evil of the
business is reduced to minimum
Those who believe there should be
just as few restrictions on the sale OF
LIQUORS as on the sale of sugar and
gunpowder, are satisfied that the best
thing has been done. There is ground
for a mutual meeting of all interested
in the general welfare of the people.
In Davenport, which city was long
of the state law, and in Sioux City,
where for years the drastic laws of
the state were ignored completely,
there has been revolutions in condi
lions in recent years. So also in all
the other cities of Iowa. in many of
which there has never been any pre-.
tense of closing the saloons, or If there
has been there has been resort to the
clandestine sale of liquor without re.
striction. In all these, practically
without exception, there has been such
material improvement in conditions as
to cause revolution in sentiment.
"What we want is results" said a
strong opponent of saloons a few days
ago. "And under this present Iowa
law, to which has been added certain
features looking to better enforce
ment, we are able to get results. This
is an excellent thing for the state. 1t
clears our state Of any possible impu-
tation of being lawless. It permits
the locality to have saloons If they are
desired by the great majority of the
people. If they do not want them,
there is no way Of forcing the saloons
into their midst. And then we have
the advantage that with clean enforce
ment of the laws there is no chance
for the ignorant and irresponsible
bootlegger to get in his work"