Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-02
GOVERNOR ISSUES OPEN LETTER
REGARDING MULcT LAW
REPEAL BILL.
DID NOT
REPRESENT MAJORITY
Public Sentiment Against Saloon,
Personal Sentiments Could Not
!&@ co"nser 70 viii OF Majority.
Special to Times-Repub!.can


Des Moines. March 2.-Many hun
dreds Of kilograms and letters were re-
ceived at the governors Office suggest
ing the course that should be taken
with reference TO tine dill repeating the
mulct law. Hundreds of these are so
framed that they require an answer
Because OF the great number and be-
cause the matter is of public concern
the following Suggestions by the COVER
nor, il is hoped by him, may lie taken
as an open letter and answer TO all.
The Clarkson bill was passed by an
overwhelming majority of the general
assembly. Both parties supported it
by a remarkably large vote. In the
house a mos, persistent effort was
made TO extend the time Cor IT, to take
effect. Every proposed amendment was
rejected by a crushing majority. Thus
was expressed the sentiment. of the
legislature.
Did this reflect the sentiment of the
people of Iowa? It mus. be said,
think. that when their reprc sentatives
thus speak they do voice the will of a
large majority. AT any rate this must
be assumed.
The wave Of public sentiment
against the saloon and the liquor bust
ness has been rapidly rising higher
and higher during the las: five or six
years. What has happened in Iowa
was inevitable sooner or laeer. That the
saloon was a doomed institution that
not word could be SAID IN its de-
tense, that il was a menace to society,
had come TO be the settled conviction
of a vast and rapidly increasing num-
Der OF people. This ought to have
been apparent TO liquor men a we'll as
10 all even casual observers of the
trend of public thought. The storm.
so long gathering and so plainly in
sight, has at last broken. Al appeal to
NE as governor for shelter and proCec-
ton was made l was called upon TO
turn back the tide, if only for two or
three years.
Personal Views Don't Count.
Putting aside any personal views 1
might have as to the situation or as TO
the liquor question. was i right To
ask me to throw myself into the
breach and to take upon myself the
whole responsibility either by return
ing the bill demanding an extension of
the time Of its taking effect or by
vetoing it, as was urged 70 do. The
temper of the house on tie time ques-
ton had been fully carried out. 1t
would have been an irnpertnence on
my part to have thrown the bill back
20 it with such demand. Could there
have been any justification for veto
Of such bill, passed as IL was and
rejecting as it did, the will of the peo-
pie, if their Representatives can know
and express their wiil2 1t violated no
constitutional provision. 1t was but
the determination Of the people as to
their method of controlling the liquor
traffic. The legislative department
having determined hat question Of po-
lice regulation, it was not Cor the exc
cutive department to interfere.
The governor Is such for all OF the
people OF the state, and not for particu-
lar sections of it only. l appeal to any
man who has urged me to return the
bill with a demand, or to veto it. 70
say whether, under all Of the circum-
stances and after reflection, he would
have done what he urged upon me to
do. Let him answer to his own con-
science.
Laborins Men Suffer Most From Liquor
Representative OF labor from some
Of the cities Of the state called upon
me in person and many wrote to me
urging me TO veto the bill because
they were employed by liquor and allied
interests. To all such men. and 70 Ia
boring men in general, I beg to say
that Of all men you ought TO be the
last to urge the continuance Of the
liquor business. The laboring man
and his family suffer most from it.
IA ily nm NV ray from the "a n;+ol ~
the evening have seen laboring men
stopping at the saloon and crowding
the bar, drinking, spending the money
that ought to be used for the support
and happiness OF the wife and little
children. The men engaged in this en-
ployment ought to take a long look