This International Distillery was built and in full operation before the amendment of 1884 was enacted. By virtue of its provisions a limitation only, in my humble judgment, was placed upon the uses for which alcohol might be sold within the state. The answer to the position that our law is unconstitutional because it affects the value of this property is, that it does not prevent the manufacture of alcohol for export or for sale within the state for lawful purposes. But if we propose to destroy the value of this property by this new interpretation of our statute, and say that it is our purpose and intent to prevent its use for the manufacture of alcohol for export, then may we not seriously apprehend that our law will be held unconstitutional, and may we not, in attempting too much, lose all? The fable of the dog crossing the log over the stream, that dropped the meat from his mouth in order that he might grasp the shadow, I would recommend to the careful study and perusal of some of our pretended friends. But there is still another political phase of this question that we ought to carefully consider. Heretofore we have put the opponents of this law upon the necessity of defending the saloon as an institution; we have made the suppression of these places of resort the war-cry of our campaign. Is it the part of wisdom to change this issue and assume the affirmative of the proposition that the good order and peace of society requires that we should ship our corn to Peoria to be manufactured into alcohol rather than have it manufactured in our own state, either for medicinal or mechanical purposes or for export? For one I fail to see any wisdom in such a proceeding. I am not prepared to join in or acquiesce in such a folly. In accepting a retainer from Mr. Kidd in the case now pending in the supreme court I did so because it was my plain duty, as a lawyer, to defend the legal rights as I believe them to be, of a man whose property was unjustly and illegally assailed. I was not employed in the case until after Judge Conrad's decision. That the temperance people of Iowa will find any fault with me for presenting to the supreme court the question of law involved in this appeal I cannot well believe. How will these questions be answered? _First._ Do they ask or desire that the property of any citizen shall be destroyed and condemned without a fair and full trial before the appellate court? _Second._ Does not a fair trial also involve the right of the citizen to have the aid of a counsel? _Third._ If the defendant is to have the aid of counsel, can my employment be any more objectionable than the employment of one who is an enemy of the law?