Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-04-23
ATTORNEY GENERAL MAKES
STRONG SPEECH BEFORE
cHuRchMEN At WATERLOO.
DEFINES REAL PROGRESSIVE
As PROGRESSIVE IN MORALS
Says legislature Appropriated Money
Tor Another State Fair Building But
Refused to Give q Cent Toward Vice
crusads-soeial Evil Developments
Appalling.


man who belongs to the church, or
contributes to it's support. never dark
ems the doors Of the saloon, but acts as
q go-between," said Attorney General
Cosson. in his address before the semi
annual convention of the Northeastern
Association Of Congregational Minis
ters and Churches at the First Con-
gregational church last evening. The
subject Of Mr.. Cosson's address was
THE Real Progressive" and what he
should stand for.
I'VE hear a great deal in these days
about Jeffersonian democracy. Invisi-
BILE government, standpat republican
ism, progressives. ETC., that desire to
speak briefly on the real progressive.
] do not come here in the interest of
any political party nor to further the
interest OF any faction In the interest
Of good government. There are but
very few people who are not progress
sives in some line, but there are a very
few who are progressives in all lines.
! might illustrate by calling your at
tention to one OF the greatest advo-
Gates of peace and reform the country
has ever known, and who has utterly
failed to raise his voice in behalf OF
the negroes of the south. Or might
mention that great statesman from
the north who came SO near the pres-
idential chair, who has championed
great progressive measures in progress
siye railway legislation but who failed
utterly when 1t came to the liquor
; question. r
Taft and Liquor Interests.
.Our ex-presfdent seemed about to
start his career with the passage OF the
Payne-Aldrich tariff bill. and while he
stated in my presence that he would
work for a revision of the tariff down
ward. vet he vetoed the bill when pre-
sented to him for his signature. The
hill, hurt no interests except the liquor
interests, And yet this man was one
of the greatest progressives in peace
movements. Therefore It Is seen. that
while a man may be progressive IN
certain lines, unless he is progressive
in all matters, he is not real pro-
gressive.
"a real progressive is one who WORKS
for the welfare Of his own communltS
more than his party and STANDS py ms ms
own people but who also comedies tna4
tfo welfare Of the people Of the entirs
state II paramount to any seiffsn m
ferests OF his own COMMUNITY. One
Who wants no selfish advantage m
legislation, who believes in universal
neace. and believes that all men are
aona, REGARDLESS Of color and place OF
residence. =
Il want to call your attention to
few Of the things our legislature did
and failed t. do. There was very
little progressive legislation enacted
taking the matter as a whole. the
legislature did. however, make real
progress on the school question, IN
fact more progress than has been MADE
during the past twenty years. Another
matter deserving Of special mention
was taking the judiciary out OF politics
and giving the board Of supervisors
mower to assist in building hospitals
for patients suffering with tuberculo-
sis.
"The millage tax is not fully under
stood by the people and newspapers
of the state. believe this measure
is Of vast importance to the state ana
viii, be the means thru which great
good can be done in certain lines; TOT
instance, in the matter OF caring for
prisoners who have been sentenced to
a short term in city or county 1ails
where they lay in idleness and among
vicious characters until released. had
the pleasure Of inserting into this bill
that 1t be extended to provide for dis
+ric+ judicial farms where these pris-
oners can be taught the value of in
dustry and be among surroundings
that will make for better citizenship,
rather than be confined within the
dark and dingy walls OF some city or
county Jail.
Tho Social Evil.
cit has always been a source OF
great pride with me that Iowa was the
first state in the union to completely
abolish the segregated vice district.
These districts commercialize vice and
when tolerated even tho against the
law, there are always to be found.
persons who will take a chance on
trafficking in the lives of girls. 1nves-
tigation has shown that about one
third of the girls in these districts
were employed as domestics. large
part Of them we're never driven to lead
a life Of shame. but did 50 of their
own free Will, a very small per cent of
these slaves were forced into white
slavery will admit, however. that
wage conditions have had little to Go
with the cause.
"The last general assembly failed
utterly and without excuse when the
matter of providing for investigation
Of vice was presented 1t. The mem
bers of the senate passed the bin, but
it failed in the house, the excuse be-
ing that 1t carried an appropriation
bur the house very obligingly passed
measure calling for an appropriation
Of $4,000 for another building at the
fair grounds. While am in favor
Of extending our fair grounds improve
ments, / do believe that about s70,-
600 would have been enough and the
other $1,000 could have been used in
investigating conditions that are ap-
palling and II you people knew what
has been brought to my attention dur
ing the past three weeks you would
hold up your arms in horror and ex-
plain that conditions of this kind
seems impossible.
Morals Of q County Attorney.
..There has been brought to me evil
dence that is unquestionable, that
certain county attorney in Iowa has
actually been accepting blood mones-
from the mother Of one girl whom she