The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-01-11

The term Flaw enforcement" cannot
be qualified.
An executive officer has no proper
concern with possible reaction occa-
stoned by honest and uniform en-
forcement Of law. To say that to
enforce a law may lead to its repeal
IL but to say that we live In re-
public, 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 fully so as If you had en-
acted it originally.
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
inaction, 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 derelict in your du;y.
therefore, if you do not vest in those
charged by the constitution, and
yourselves, with the duty of carry
ing your will into effect, every power
necessary to discharge that duty.
The method by which you shall
accomplish this is, under the const1-
tuition, for you to determine. l have
but to say that real law enforcement
will be worth whatever 1t shall cost,
and to urge you to let no false econo-
mics stand between you and the &C
complishment of this prime purpose
of government.
If have any skill to read the
public 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
unanimity against the tendency which
has filed our statute books With
hastily drawn and half-digested meas
ures of every sort. There is feel
ing that governmental activities touch
the individual almost daily, in in
Vulnerable petty ways, without hav-
ing produced any substantial better
ment in living conditions, or in stand
ards OF conduct.
Too Many Laws.
What the people OF this state want
is fewer laws. plainly written. easily
understood, and we'll enforced. They
expect you to ~reduce the number of
laws; expect you to put them in
such shape as that the average man
may read as he runs. and patriot
cally obey. This is a task too large
for single session. I therefore
recommend that a body be provided
by this legislature. to report to the
succeeding one, in harmo ny with
this thought, their findings for action.
urhAv, lou hon ho r.ninpo1 n
readable limits, they will be under
stood, and respected, and, so, easily
enforced.
| In the same way. and evidenced in
the same way, Is a demand for reduc-
ton of public expenditures, and for
economies In the expenditure of such
funds as shall be necessarily ex-
!, pended.
- They expect you to reduce the
number of persons employed il gov
ornamental activity, wherever pos.
sible, and to reduce, or at least to
net increase, the present burden of
taxation.
Legislation during the past few
years has resulted in an enlarg ,rlent
of the activities Of the state Yovera-
ment. There are instances in which
the same powers are being exer-
cised by representatives of the CEN
trail government and by the local
governing bodies. The limit Of the
activities of these officers should be
well defined. In the interest of econ
omy there should not be two sets of
officers to perform a single function.
suggest this subject for your con-
sideration and that you correct this
condition where you find it.
D,,h1 hac 1rov n
the system by which the printing and
binding for the state lis being done.
In my opinion, based upon some
study of the matter, the present sys-
tenn is an improper one. 1t is as
serted. not only that the system is
wasteful and unduly costly, but that
abuses of it exist, resulting in further
loss to the state. 1 suggest that you
take steps to inform yourselves
thoroughly in this matter and to
check any waste, and to improve the
system.
There is a defect in our pres It
system Of taxation through which an
increase Of valuation has resulted in
putting into the public treasury mil
lions Of dollars not contemplated by
the levieses which produced the
money.
No dollar of money can be. raised
by taxation in this state without
your express permission and
authority. You are responsible,
therefore, for the total expenditure
in the state, and 1 recommend such
change in our laws in this respect
as shall insure that no permission to
raise money. by taxation shall be
givenAby the legislature. to any gov
ornamental agency until the legisla-
ture shall have before it in dollars
and cents the total amount of pro-
posed and necessary expenditure to
be made by such agencies. The rate
o, levy should be gagged by that
estimate, and be required to be made
upon a valuation then fixed.
The provision of our constitution
that legislative. judicial and execu-