Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-02
L0okey-On In Iona
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
| Maxwell, March Probably we
have never had meeting of the leg
islature in which the general pubic
took SO little interest, as the present
one. Newspaper readers comment on
the war news, but talk with the aver
age voter shows he has little little at
tention to what has been done. or what
| it is proposed to do in this legislature.
To this statement an exception must De
made Of those who are particularly IN
| terested in some bill referred to COM
mittee. Even so radical and Important
matter as the repeal of the mulct law
| excites little or no discussion In the
| depot, hotels or on the passenger trains.
It seems as tho the voters expected 1t
| and therefore are not surprised What
follows Is repeated in this colum as
few things from person scattered over
a dozen counties and by no means
unanimous or universal.
There are quite number of real
temperance people, generally republic
| can, who say that the repeal of the
| mulct law was a big mistake. One man
says that law gave US seventy-ssven
dry counties, condition never reached
| by prohibition. Another favors national
prohibition and yet thinks it an impos-
| sibility. Even doubts Senator Cum
| Minis the saloon must CO. Quite
number say the mulct law should have
been left for the statute books till after
the people had voted on constitutional
prohibition. An observing doctor sees
no difference between statuatory and
constitutional prohibition excepting the
fact it will be less subject TO change.
Two or three men express the fear that
this repeal will once more give US a
democratic governor. legislature and
local option law, which implies anoth-
er amendment to knock out the present
amendment if passed. Such men base
their arguments on our previous ex-
perience with statuatory prohibition
Now all this does not alter the fact
that prohibition is in the air. one can
almost taste and smell IL. Sentiment
ally the people are with Senator Cum
Minis the saloon must co.
curiously enough Is that while the
majority want prohibition. said major
ity wants no state constabulary to en-
force it. Cosson's state sheriff and as
sistant attorney general to enforce all
laws. his bill of that nature finds few
hackers excepting a radical element
who would send the state militia to
Dubuque if necessary to enforce the
prohibition law There's strong feel
ing against outsiders j. e., state Of
fcials coming into any town or county
TO enforce the road drag or any other
law, and when il comes 10 having state
constables or assistant attorney gen.
-irh fy f1f-
icials even if they fail TO perform their
duties there's general opposition. Re-
moving mayors for cause iTTitates no
less than TO have the attorney general
active in preventing raffles Of auto
mobiles. The feeling OF county rights
is on parallel with the feeling of state
right. I'VE can attend TO our own af-
fairs once expressed in a sheriff's Of
fee when the attorney general took
hand in local matter, completely
voices the sentiment.
Perhaps the greatest amount OF in
difference shown is concerning the
woman suffrage amendment Let
them vote if they want to- remarked
one old fellow. they'll feel nice when
on some jury with a lot of men, and
the case is off color. Another young
man thinks il will cause a lot Of di-
vorces, he didn't tell US why only it
would. There is no real opposition and
just as little enthusiasm in its favor.
II il fails the latter part Of the pre-
ceeding statement will explain it.
There is one matter in which the
people take some interest, and that is
to close the private bank in Iowa
Object lessons have been many. State
and national banks are all we need IN
Iowa, say the voters. And here's an
other striking feature concerning
private banks. The writer has talked
with scores of state and national bank
officials, and not one seemed to favor
the killing Of private banks. Wonder
why. And for some kind of a law TO
protect depositors in all banks, there's
a general demand for it.
And for some reason the average
reader OF a daily paper seems to care
little for good roads 1t is safe to
assert there are many more good roads
men in town than in the country. AS
this is written the roads out OF this
town are impossible. Farmers only
come TO town in light rigs Livery
men Will not let out teams Auto
mobiles are out Of commission and yet
not man, not voter, not a farmer,
not business man, suggests condi-
lions if we had good roads out OF
town today. II IS true we have many
good roads men in Iowa and yet If this
present legislature should omit any
good roads legislation, there will be
little satisfaction.
There is here and there man who
says, what are we going to do with all
of the self evident candidates for the
governorship and lesser offices. Some
Of these critics wonder how much
publicity bureau costs the dozen or
more prominent republicans and demo-
Gratis who get their names in the pa
pers every day in the legislative re-
ports to the daily and weekly papers.
we shel! have 70 create come new
boards Il all get their reward for such
activity in passing such laws as are
now proposed. To tell such men, that
leaders are necessary and that really
less than a score of men constitute any
legislative body, is useless. He re-
plies "they can't all be the next gov
ernor Of Iowa"
a%H~74~
L.