The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-07-29

luable paper for have good cause 10 plead
We shall checrhlly assume that our present
laws are good enough until we are all good
enough to obey them, and then Will be time
enough to cry for more and better Some re
formers clamor for the whole pork or none, and
they have been geting-none Let US accept
the good large portion which present lcglsa-
ton offers, and more will be coming when we
show ourselves worthy and ready to receive
What are these good but uncniorccd laws?
Well, those relating to Public Nuisances, Ii.
bel, Gambling, Cruelty to Animals, Drove's,
Sidewalks and Public Grounds, Ollenses Alice.
ting Public Safety, Nagabonds, Qncludlng
Idlers, the DissOlute, Spcndhrlit, LOiterer ana
Vagrant) Obscene Bills, Places Of Ill reputc,
the Game Laws, Fish Laws, Sunday Laws and
LIQUOR Laws, Gncluding the sale OF liquor to
Minors, Drunkalds, and upon the Sabbath)
Now you will observe from this recapltua
ton that these laws are quite comprehensive
and humane and have IN view the best inter
ests of all-even of the transgressor. And these
very laws which are partially or entirely dead
letter are the most vital to society and should
be enforced over all others for they affect the
public m0ralS, the very character and the men
tai and social sinews of society. Alas! not the
least vital of your laws, but the most vital, are
most frequently violated Dead laws are d.
rect public calamity, an evil leaven; they be
get Irreverence toward liring laws; they edu-
cate transgressors and silently give them Ii
cense. For instance, the transgressor may
logically argue thus: If by transgression |
escape the penalty OF this law on the statute
book, why not also Of that law and Its neighbor,
&c? And thus do dead laws initiate
against public morality and discount public
credit. All as we calmly look into the philo.
sophy and inevitable fruits Of dead laws intend.
ed as defences TO our city and our families, and
when we consider that these laws are dead
through lack Of our support as citizens, we
have reason to feel grave and criminal.
Whence our remedy? Who will enforce
our laws? and the common and careless an.
swer Isl The officer of the law-the police OF.
flcer-the marshal. But thi. officer is only
the conditional and instrumental executive;
the people are the absolute and sovereign ex.
ecutlve. The Individual officer can execute only
as the people bid him and then Stand by him
to give HIM courage and support and protec-
ton. The officers oath of office is virtually
conditional, and implies that If he take the
oath the people will support him. fear 1t Is
the people who first violate their oath (as citi
zens) and thus absolve the officer from moral
obligation to his oath-if oath 1t can be called.
am arriving at the grave conviction that 1t
is the citizens Instead Of our council laws who
need regeneration.
There Is q vast amount of misunderstanding
as to the nature and object Of Il Citizens
League" What is this League? Simply the
citizens agreeing upon defined plattorm) to
stand by one another, to unite effort and sym.
patty and responsibility in the proper enforce.
ment of all the present state laws and city or.
dinanccs. This League would be larger than
the Saloon Keepers Association, the Red kib.
bon Club, the Business Mems Association, the
for the citizens League is tor all these and tor
others, it urges all to come in and share equal.
ly the rights and responsibilities of our little
commonwealth.
The objector says there is no necessity for
such league-we are good ea0ugh-it Is an
insult to society and advertises our bad name
abroad, &c. To this reply: believe in
making allowances to some men because OF
their early education and unfavorabe circum,
stances which developed dwarfed standards OF
moral and social excellence. The Patagonian
or Egyptian thinks American or English ideals
of governmet and law are quite high and VII.
tuous, while Americans themselves, q trust)
because of high educated sentiment, see still
higher room for improvement. And SO IT ID
ever true that men project language and con-
duct IF size with their educated sentiments
and no larger.
1t is true that Ottawa is as goOd as Joliet and
Aurora and Chicago, but does this equality
justify contentment on our part, or indicate
the exhaustion of our moral and legal pOSsijili.
organized Leagues. Shall we keep pace, at
least, with them or bc as good as they? mo
necessity" says the objector, "for League"
and yet city officials and liquor men and
hundreds of citizens say there is. The very
opposition encountered IN arousing public
sympathy In this movement bespeaks neces-
sity, for surely the law.abidlng have no reason
to offer opposition, ard there is opposion. Is
1t not dlcays q necessity that society be asso
Grated together in all that concerns the public
weals Let the people read and kno,o the state
and city laws and see if there be no necessity
"The League will advertise our bad name
abroad" says the objector Well, well! Yes
Ottawa merits bad name abroad" If she
possesses not sufficient moral tone to bind
herself together in her own common interests
The obi v,,uht inst as well assert thai