Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-03
HaRpIKe's ADVANCE "s1ATEMENI"

Lieutenant Governor Harding mas
felt il incumbent upon MIN 10 issue
statement Of the leading issues OF the
De assumed that the statement is
rather an indication Of issues which
shall be uppermost in the primary to
select a republican nominee as Mr..
Harding is being mentioned and urged
by his friends as candidate for that
nomination He speaks oc the tariff
as one of the issues in an Introductory
way and is quoted thus:
The people of the state. in my
Judgment, are tired OF government by
commission and are going to demand
that they be given a voice in the
spending Of their money and directing
local affairs Mr. Harding said
in order TO have law enforce
ment" he added. it is first necessary
TO have respect for the law. The way
to create it is to reduce the number
of laws and especially repeal foolish
laws-laws that can not be enforced.
The trouble with Mr. Hardings
alsIIlSIl Oh lSSitS - i-lGl II -
scarcely definite enough. It needs ex-
planning. The reference to commission
government in view of the reports cur
rent as TO the lieutenant governors
efforts in favor of the Johnston bin
may be naturally accepted as referring
10 the highway commission and his
issue a return TO the methods of road
work which have oeen SCI aside as
antiquated. That would scarcely be
winning issue. Mr.. Harding should go
farther and make himself clearer if
only in behalf of ais candidacy.
But the lower para graph holds the
meat in the cocoanu1. His proposition
to reduce the number Of laws and 10
repeal foolish laws will without any
manner of doubt cause many voters to
recall the attempt in caucus TO turn
over all committee appointments to the
lieutenant governor at the beginning OF
the legislative session. L will also
cause them TO scan again the appoint
which had to do with temperance leg
islation a wet balance and set people
asking whether temperance laws are
| those classified by him as foolish in
this statement by \ candidate for the
| Iowa governorship. The lieutenant
governor should be more specific a to
he no q
power, those which he considers i'm
possible of enforcement and Classics
as foolish. The active temperance SEN
/! timent Of the state is apt to jump to
the conclusion that restrictive legisla-
| ton against the saloon and the liquor
| traffic are included in his list.
! Mr.. Harding's Statement and Mr..
Bryan's letter which both appear to-
day in the ne wspapers afford oppor-
tunity for speculation. Suppose that It
were possible for a candidate to COM
bine successfully ene liquor vote, the
| disgruntled vote over highways and
! capitol extension and the like and cap
luIS Lie lcpUDiiS1iA " AioiAAiao
ton; suppose further, that Iowa demo-
Gratis should take the advice of their
peerless leader, declare for temperance
and law enforcement without mental
reservation as to classification of stat
utes as foolish and otherwise and
| nominate one John T. Clarkson; how
| long under such circumstances would
the Iowa democracy be without gov
ernor? Or. to go On supposing, sup.
pose that with d republican candidate
and a democratic candidate equally
faithful to liquor interests Clarksor
were to run Independently? OF course
all that is speculation, but in these
days Of change and party incoherencs
speculation is spelled with big "S."
There will be universal anxiety fol
a key to Mr.. Hardings statement
What laws would he repeal. If he could
and what laws would he neg.
tlect or refuse to enforce q!
t"fo0iish.' If l.e were governor
And which does he consider more dan
Igerons, commissions with definet
powers under the law OF governor
who would assume to revise the cod.