Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-07-02
SIOUX CITY LOGIC ON COSsoN.
tSioux City Journal

II is gong 10 be hard for Attorney
General Cosson to escape the logic OF
the suggestion that he should stay in
his present place for another term.
The good friends who have been
urging Mr.. Cossons election to the
governorship are a bit mixed in their
figuring. They say that il is neces-
sary to have strict enforcement OF the
proi1ibitory state at the outset to avoid
prejudicing the case OF constitutional
prohibition. which is to be tried IN 1918
They argue that il is necessary 10
make Mr.. Cosson governor to enable
him to bring his best efforts to bear
for law enforcement. Clearly this is
poor logic Granting that il is of vital
importance TO the eventual success OF
prohibition in Iowa that there shall be
strict enforcement during the nrst Two
or three years, il amounts to citing a
reason why Mr.. Cosson Should not be-
come governor Just now. The gov
ernorship is not the state Law. enforce
ment office. The attorney general
ship is.
The governor appoints few law,
enforcement agents and hands them
over to the attorney general to use for
the best interests of the state. It is
the attorney general upon whom VIII
rest direct responsibility for en-
forcing the liquor laws prior TO the
referendum on the CONSTITUTIONAL
amendment. II is mainly upon the
attorney generals activity, AFFINITY ana
sincerity that the record Will De mace
upon which the success OF the prohlpi-
ton experiment will ne judged. Inc
governor might he the best pfohipi
zionist in the world, and yet the recoru
for law enforcement might De poor IL
the attorney general happened 10 De
out of sympathy with the law. Inc
record for law enforcement might
still be poor if the attorney genera
meant we'll, but happened TO De easy
going or incompetent.
a number Of new enforcement meas
ures are about TO go into eject. Auor-
ney General Cosson practically oic-
tated the code Of enforcement statutes
needed to make prohibition practlce.
All things considered, it is not over
stating the fact to say that a record OF
more efficient law enforcement coulo
be secured with George Cosson as at
torney general than with any othet
man in that office. II, then' the sue.
cess of prohibition is the all important
thing as so many OF Mr.. Sossoh
political supporters assert, the pest
way 10 insure it to keep Mr. Cossoh
where he is.
II Mr.. Cosson should remain attor-
nev general for two or even four years
more and build up reputation LOT
| himself as the man who made pronipl-
ton success in Iowa, he need 90
no worrying about his political future.
He would become Iowa's leading pup
lie man. Nothing could keep him out
| of the governorship. That onlce misht
be the stepping stone to the senate.
And happily Mr.. Cosson is young. he
| can afford to wait without the slightest
danger of growing too old for the
realization of any political ambition ne
| may have in mind
! While the retention OF Mr.. Cosson
| in the attorney generaishsp would De
convenient politically in some respects,
the main merit of the plan lies else
where. It is found in Its probable enect
| in increasing the chance for making
pronibition success. Disregarding
| individual goyernorship ambitions. The
| Journal ventures guess that II the
luuestion could be submitted to rel
lerendum OF the temperance people OF
Iowa, with full understanding that the
attorney generalship is the important
law enforcement office, very large
majority would be rendered for the
proposition to keep Mr.. tosson on
duty where ne is.
| A Sensitive Soul.
minister must be very careful in
choosing his words il he is 70 give no