Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 3.djvu/200

 hundred fifty in March, 1886, to six hundred four, July 1, 1889. It is the testimony of the judges of our courts that criminal expenses have diminished in like proportion. We have fewer paupers and tramps in our State in proportion to its population than ever before. The poorer classes have better fare, better clothing, better schooling and better houses. … It is safe to say that not one-tenth and probably not one-twentieth as much liquor is consumed in the State as was five years ago. The standard of temperance has been greatly raised, even in those cities where the law has not yet been enforced. The present law was enacted in response to a popular demand, as evidenced by a majority of nearly 30,000 votes cast in favor of the prohibitory amendment. Had the women of lawful age been permitted to vote, the majority would probably have been more than 200,000. It is the duty of the legislative power to respect the rights of all citizens of the commonwealth, of non-voters as well as of voters. If provision were made for suspending for gross negligence such officers as are charged with the enforcement of the law and ample funds were placed at the command of the Governor to aid prosecutions, the saloon would soon be a thing of the past in Iowa.”

In his inaugural address, following the retiring Governor’s message, Governor Boies made a strong plea for a license law to be adopted by such localities as preferred it to prohibition. He believed that the people in the recent election had by a considerable majority declared for such a change in the liquor laws and that the Legislature was bound to respect this verdict. The Governor said:

“The people have not undertaken to deprive any locality in the State where public sentiment upholds it, of our present prohibitory law or its equivalent. They have simply declared that each city, town or township shall have the right to determine for itself whether it will be governed by the prohibitory law or by a carefully guarded license law. Those who believe in this decision and feel it their duty to respect it cannot rightfully depart from the letter of that decision as it was made. * * * The license law which is to supersede prohibition must be all that has been promised. We are bound in honor to furnish for localities adopting it a most carefully guarded license law. * * * The greatest care should be exercised to take the traffic out of the hands of immoral and irresponsible parties. Every safeguard should be thrown about those who are in this respect legitimate subjects of legal control. A wilful sale to a minor or drunkard should be cause for revoking a license. What Iowa needs is practical legislation on this subject, legislation that is broad enough to meet the views of more than a single class, that is liberal enough to command the respect of all her people,