OPINIONS ON THE IOWA LAW.
SOME time since, Governor Larrabee, of Iowa, put to the forty-one superior and distinct judges in that State, a number of inquiries concerning the expediency of repealing the prohibitory law. Of the whole number four favored repeal, nine were non-committal, while twenty-eight were in favor of maintaining the law. The following are extracts from some of the opinions favorable to the law:— Judge Traverse, Bloomfield: "My experience is that, wherever saloons are closed, crime is diminished." Judge Harvey, Leon: "It has reduced crime at least one-half, and the criminal expenses in like ratio." Judge Lewis, Sioux City: "The law is as well enforced as any other, and has decreased criminal expenses at least two-thirds." Judge Deemer, Red Oak: "In many of the counties the jail is getting to be almost an unnecessary building, and in the last three counties I visited there was not an occupant." Judge Carson, Council Bluffs: "When in the Senate I favored local option, but I am now satisfied the statute should stand." Judge Thornell, Sidney: "I should regard its repeal as a calamity." Judge Band, Keokuk: "This was the first and only term in my recollection that there was no criminal business transacted in court." Judge Wilson, Creston: "I was not in favor of the law, thinking that high license would work better. I have carefully watched its workings and am convinced that I was wrong." Judge Wakefield, Sioux City: "As the saloons were driven out, other business came in to occupy the vacant places." Judge Wilkinson, Winterset: "Crime and criminal expenses have been lessened." Judge Johnson, Oskaloosa: "The effect of the prohibitory law has been to reduce very materially crime and criminal expenses in this district." Judge Kavanaugh, Des Moines: "It has decreased crime over fifty per cent., and added largely to individual happiness." Judge Granger, Waukon (now of the supreme bench): "The closing of the front door of the saloon, whereby it is destroyed as a place of social resort, has canceled nine-tenths of the drunkenness. . . . Our grand juries have comparatively nothing to do. . . . Our criminal expenses since the closing of the saloons have been comparatively nominal."