Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-11
HARDING PROMISES TO
ENFORCE IOWA WIS
Prob btory Amendment
Accept of ederalA Aid Construction Of
H;qhua DefendsN National Guard


issue Was dominant. ana the voice o:
the people as to it had no uncertain
toue. That Issue was whether the
state. or am OF its governmental oil
visions, should enter into any long.
time Indebtedness. under any guise,
for extensive work in experimental
road building. The verdict OF the
electorate was Enthusiastically against
any such course. and for making our
road improvements out o. funds pre-.
viously raised by normal taxation,
and in such manner and to such en-
tent as should be determined by those
who must furnish the money 10 pay
for them
To the extent that ] have power in
my office il shall be employed in all
legitimate ways to enforce this pro
gram for which believe the people
have clohen.-and hope toc Your co.
operation.
There are honest differences as 10
the details OF the legal machinery
which shall be employed 10 that end.
ana the adjustment OF these difference
es is essentially a legislative func-
ton 10 be performed by YOU without
interference by the executive. unless
YOUR adjustment OF them shall violate
these prin ciples. 10 which conceive
this administration TO be pledged.
With this thought, | am content TO
leave this problem for the present,
for your patriotic endeavor. and with
confidence that il will be solved by
you with a decent regard for the CON
victions OF the people whose servants
you are. rather than by consulting the
dictum OF theorists and irresponsible
publicists, whose inspiration is less
secret than a scandal.
Congress had appropriated moneys
from the Federal Treasury, TO be
used under certain conditions, by
states and smaller governmental d.
visions for the improvement OF high
WAYS. and these funds may be secur-
ed by the states. or its agencies. when
they shall have raised for themse selves
certain other sums, TO be applied
upon the same work. ~h!s is called
Federal Aid" In my opinion it is
a form OF lottery for the extraction OF
money from the pockets OF the peo-
pie, under conditions only temporarily
painless II is sedative, administer
ed to the taxpayer, under tine influence
Of which he pays for the prize out OF
his own pocket.
To the extent that permitting our
public agencies 70 participate in the
distribution OF these funds is An en-
couragement to further activities OF
this sort by the Federal government,
or by the state, accepting such aid
as a dangerous expedient, while not
availing ourselves OF it involves the
patent injustice OF contributing TO a
fund from which we get no benefit.
Our choice. therefore. lies between
two evils and | trust 10 your wisdom
to choose course IN this respect
which will not lend encouragement 10
this wasteful form OF appropriation
and expenditure. while securing TO
ourselves some crumbs from the feast
We have been forced to spread.
Ours is a government of laws. and
bottomed on profound. and just,
distrust Of vesting large discretion in
any executive officer. Least OF all
should there be discretion in any one
charged with the duty Of enforcing
the policy o, the State. deliberately
embodied in its statutes by its repre-
sentatives in legislative assembly.
Euphonious phrases. used 10 quail
~ law enforcement. are but excuses.
lacking humility, employed by those
charged with sacred trust. TO divert
attention from their hack OF courage.
The term Law enforcement" cannot
be qualified
An executive officer has no proper
concern with possible reaction occas-
ioned by honest and uniform enforce
ment OF law To say that TO enforce
q law may lead to its repeal IS but TO
say that we live III Republic. and
that the citizen is sovereign.
You will be responsible for the
existence OF every statute which shall
be in effect when you adjourn. and as
July so as II you had enacted il orig
inallv.
The question Of law enforcement
rests primarily with this legislature.
for, so far as it lies in the power Of
this administration. no officer shall
usurp the power OF repeal. by mac
ton. or resolve any doubts against
the wisdom or virtue OF any law
which shall remain upon the statute
books when you shall have adjourned
You will be dereict in your duty,
therefore. If you do not vest in those
charged by the Constitution, and your
selves. with the duty Of carrying your
will into effect. every power neces-
sary to discharge that duty.
The method by which you shall &C
complish this is. under the Constitu-
ton. for you to determine. / have
but to say that real law enforcement
will be worth whatever it shall cost.
and to urge you to let no false econo-
mics stand between you and the &C
con- piisnment Of this PT.Iis purpose
OF government.
II have any skill to read the pub
lie mind, it seems to me that men
and women in every walk OF life feel
heavily the burden of our too many
laws, and that there is practical una
nimity against the tendency which
h;.z G!!aa emr statute books with hast
ily drawn and rlaII-digested meas uTes
Of every sort There is feeling that
governmental activities touch the in
dividual almost daily, in innumerable
petty ways, without having produced
,nv .uhcfontia1 hefferment in Twin o