The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-01-12
IOWA PRESS COMMENT.

! SeudI VoPl0S 4SCRACAASsAAA'
going out of office Governor Clark
left several requests. one of them
that after his official death the legis-
lature shall repeal the primary law
| IL tote which he pronounces a
failure in operation. What change
of sentiment we have here. How
/ few years ago II Is when all the re-
! formers were insisting that the pri-
mary would save all the people and
doom all the politicians to obllv1ol.
We have never had more politics
than under the primary, and the
am cunts of money that have been
spent under that law exceed all
previous records -Meredith's con-
fessed $4,000 being the high water
mark of the power of money in Eoll-
tics. Or rather, it should be called
the lack of power, for all his moneys
got no returns.
Sioux City Journal: Most os its
original supporters who now cr1ric,se
the primary suggest that 1t ought 10
be amended. Governor Clarke coes
not stop at this half way station.
He is for repeating the. primary law
and starting all over again. Not only
would he repeal the state primary
law, Oul AC Woulu 6SS hAo - 49,
presidential primary, which he de-
scribes as a farce. incidentally he
would repeal the non-partisan judi
ciary primary and election Jaw,
which. he says, has put the judges
into politics instead of taking them
out of it.
Marshalltown Times-Republican: 1T
Is to be feared that Speaker Pitt
promises too much in talking of
seventy-day session of the lcsisla-
ture II the thirty-seventh assembly
does all 1t can do in good work no.
body Is going to kick II it lasts the
full hundred days
Burlington Hawk-Eye: Governor
Clarke summarized the prim,r! cleo
ton law without warning.
Council Bluffs Nonpareil: In view
Of the fruitless efforts of the Next
can-American commission what rea-
son has the president for thinking
q conference would end the Euro
pean war?
Muscatine. Journal: The ruling Of
the supreme court on the Webb
Kenyon law has not altered the
status Of liquor use in the state OF
Iowa. States still retain the right
and privilege to make their own
laws as to the use Of intoxicants.
That the sustaining of the law may
prompt Iowa drys to attempt the
passage Of bone dry legislation is
likely.
Sioux City Journal: To prevent i'm
portation in interstate commerce OF
liquor for personal use hereafter it
will be necessary only for state
legislature to forbid the keeping of
liquor in ones possession for per
sonai use or the importation of 1t for
that purpose. West Virginia has
done the latter. and there can be no
more legal importations In that
state. Other states, have passed
laws limiting the amounts that may
be imported for personal Use. III
such states only shipments to author
lied persons and in legal amounts
will be possible under the Webb.
Kenyon law. After the Iowa, South
Dakota and Nebraska legislatures
have adjourned, it will be their fault
/. the interstate transportation OF
liquors remains nuisance in these
states. The Webb-Kenyon law now
does all that could be reasonably ex
pected of the federal government IN
the premises.
Cedar Rapids Gazette: Basing the
conclusion on the number of times
Chihuahua City has been looted it Is
believed that il the place was GOV.
! cred by glass and heated by steam
the loot could be harvested and sent
I to market every day. Even now II
/ seems to be the center Of the grow
| ing loot industry.
! Ottumwa Courier: Governor
| Ciarke's message is undoubtedly
| prompted by sincere desire TO De
! OF service to the state, from whose
employ he departs after many years
! His terms in the legislature, as lieu
/ tenant governor and as governor fol
! four years, surely make him a com
! petent critic. His message prompts
| but one regret, viz: that he lid not
himself, try to accomplish the main
projects outlined, while he was gov
| ernor. The dominating feature oil
the message is the arraignment nj
| the primary law. Though he, him
self. was a successful candidate a;
more than one primary election, Gov
ernor Clarke does not hesitate to
! point out it's weaknesses and is fali'
ings. In this he is joined by those
men who firmly believe in represen-
tative government and in securing
efficient and high class officials for
conducting the public's business.