Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-02-16

1881.
To the Friends of La and Oder:
In response to numerous inquiries the 1of
lowing Information j. given:
The Cifizcns' Law and Order League OF the
Temple Boston. Mass. February 2.: 1855, by
delegates representing twent! -i'vc Lay ;.na
Order Lcagucs. located in c ght OF the Uniteh
states The attendance was large. the inter
est deep, and the meeting i'll ali respects IL
The origin of the law arii order movement
was an effort OF the part of L few cltiHchs OF
Chicago in the faI of 80; to cnfor,;c ,,. ,i.c
Jaws iorbi,lding the sal" of liquors minors.
Toe cause of the movement was The u;s;oFcc
cry of the arpailin" fact that III Nio ;'t on M "i
those laws, tne saloon kcencrs OF Chicago
were selling intnxUat ng liquors to many
thousands of Chic ago boys
Tnc process OF the mo cement was cNtrt cNtrti, me-
" simple. Onc or two reliable witnesses made
notes o. persons and places viol 'tlng the law,
and then G. InInenccd prosecutions ag'lnst
the offenders Tor such violations before po-
lice magistrates or justices of the peace and
upon the trial of the complaints proved tue
facts. and demanded judgments iniicting lhc
penalties Of fine and imprisonment prescribed
by the law.
The practical success of a persistent de.
mand that the laws bc enforced and ohryed
WAS SIMPLY wonderful The wo king force or
the Cnic;igo League did not exceed half
dozen men, with the encoura%cn"nt and sup
port OF not more than huntr,"i citizens.
Treating the movement at first with dcriSion,
the SaioOn-kcepcrs soon found it too serious
and potent to resist. and yielded, with moe or
less of protest and OppOSii ION, an OBJ dlcncc
which they found themselves unable to with
hold. 1t i estimated that hvc->iXt.Is "f the
manrntiy suppressed i'll the city of CHICAGO
through the efforts of the Citizens League.
with CORE >pouding benefits to families, tax
payers and the community generally. These
statements are made on the basis qf the
official reports of the Chicago League. Those
reports have been freely published Tn the
c,.S,lapcrS of the city, and have be4n the
subject of frequent comment III 'hcIpuhc
press and in public Addresses, ana their cor
rcctncSs has never been seriously questioned,
far as am informed
Actual experiment rovcd that equally great
and decisive results were obtained by n similar
course in smaller cties and in country towns
complete an Il satisfactory
The acc tints published in the newspapers
stimulated similar organizations in other
states. Like results followed wherever ths
effort was faithfully madc, aud the movement
advanced from city to city, ana from state TO
STATE until it finally cu!minatra i'll the or. .an
ization of Al National Law and Order League,
Us above stated
ancc have been received from many parts OF
the Union, ana inquiries for documents and
direct ions have also come. TO htnd from tOr
cign countries.
The Inherent merit of the movement alone
has spread its influence and multiplied its
organizations. 1t has no propagandiSt in the
field. The officers and advocates OF the exist
Ing Law and Order societies have only gone
where they have been called, and in most
cases only where the calls have been urgent
and repeated. This has not been from any
unwilingncss to do the noble work of the
movement. but because they are all busy men
with many responsibilities and cares who lind
il dii:cult to spare the time to make Journeys
a'IG assist i'll organizing tltIHcnS Leagues i'll
other localities.
To promote the organization of Law and
Oidcr Leagues in places where they do not
now exist. and to point out the easy way in
which such organizations may .e effected. is
the specific oh Get Of this address. The con-
stitutionS and by-lawS of the titiZ ms Leagues
OF the city of Chicago the States of Illinois
and Massachusetts and the United
States are appended to the printed
which the latter was was organiird. Ii;tI'' and
may be Obtained by writ ng to the Secretary.
Mr.. J. c. Shancr, 81 Washington sfrcci, Chi
ni,,ni iIptrs h.
pcndiN thereto contain all necessary iufOrnIa-
tiou for the organization "f !;tw and order
Guiding brief reports OF the speeches of
Bishop b, II. Paddock. Rev. James Freeman
Rufus :. Frost Dr. Daniel dorchester. Andrew
Paxton, Pre- -dcnt F. F. Ilncnd"rf. and
Ii i,c proceedings show that the National
League was the result of a spontaneous move
nlcnt in favor of i; better enforcement of the
laws, and that the Organization entered upon
its work with an carnestncss prophetic OF
success.
Mr. Emcndorf departed thi. life October II,
1855. and at meeting Of the Exec tive Com
mittrc, held in Boston December :. the under
signed was elected to succeed him as FrcSi-
dent of the League | have on another occi-
sion paid my tribute of esteem for his char.
actcr and services and SORROW for t!ic loss
sustained in his dcccasr and therefore for
ucar to dwell urOn them here. | hoped ana
expected that his successor would b. AM emf
ncnt citizen of Boston but have not felt 1T
liberty 10 dcc.ine the rcspons hi tiles imposed
by the choice of my associates i'll the iInpor-
tant work of law reinforcement.
The proceeding to organize Law and Or
der Icayuc is not dificut Auy good citizen
can effect such an organization i'll mis- locality.
lie need at first only obtain forms OF org:tni-
zatiOn from the Secretary and invite !, few OF
his fellow citizens to meet him and consider
the matter. If they agree. the can ut once
select officers and forma League. The work
ing fore. re IiIirc;l is Il Prosecuting Agent.
The money needed j. the amount required to
pay the agent and dcfray the incidental eN-
p,uScs. Public meetings of Citizens Leagues
are genera ~ held III churches ana on sun
day evening The enforcement OF the laws be-
a n
tcrt StS OF society
prompt rcI ort OF ali organizations that have
here. ofurc fccn or shall hereafter be, organ
il"d he transmitted to the Secretary of tho
this be done. that the central Office may have
the nee eSsary information of the cNtont and
success of the movement, and that documents
may he sent to the proper officers Of the dit
tcLent state and local ORGANIZATIONS.
League for 1854 will probably be he'd in
August. Due notice will Le given of the time
na mao OF send tine that Tho fhn
ship of the National Conventions consist IF
delegates chosen by state ASSOCIATE ms that
League. which is TO secure by all proper means
the enforcement of such laws and ordinances
aS may from time to time exist in the United
states. and the several states of the Union,
relating to the liquor traffic 1t is therefore
important hat all local Leagues shall become
members OF a State organization, in order that
the delegates to he appointed may properly
represent the different Leagues within the
several states.
While the present work of the law and order
movement is concentrated on the single point
of enforcing the laws tor the regulation and
restraint of the liquor traffic, and especially
the preservation of the youth of the country
from the evils it cngendcrs, the vital principle
of the movement is as broad as the domain of
government. and is essential to the endurance
of constitutional liberty The vital principle
is the supremacy of the laws. Liberty must
be obcdient to the laws that self-govcrnment
enacts or liberty itself will degenerate INTO
anarchy and perish 1t is generally admitted
that the laws for the restriction of the liquor
= of nfnr anrnt
If they can be enforced. any others which
public opinion approves can be carried INTO
effect. The law and order movement is man
ifcstly entitled to the support of all good cit
izens. unless 1t can be shown that those en-
gagged in the liquor traffic are entitled to a spc-
cial Indulgence to disobey the laws. All other
classes are required to yield obedience to
the requirements of the law.makng power,
and the last persons who should ask TO be
made an eyception 10 that rule are the saloon
keepers and liquor dealers.
The Law and Order Leagues deal with the
laws as they are, and seek their enforcement
whether they provide for license, local option
or prohibition. If any there be who regard
enough. they may apply to the law king
power for any change they may desire 1t Is
Leagues to discuss the propriety impro-
pricty of the laws. except so far as such dis
cusSion may bear on the question of their en-
For further information in regard to any
phase of the subject. application may he
given. Persons who desire to contribute to
the pecuniary support of the National Law
samuel Merrill. II the W Treasurcr "a at Des Moines.
la. or MIR. J. c. Shaffer, the Secretary, at
Chicago. or Hon Rufus 5. Frost. at hostou.
which ali good citizens can stand together;
and the enforcement of the laws enacted to
and promote industry. prosperity and good
citizenship. is a work in which all who are in
ierested in preserving the youth OF the coun,
heartily unite. CHARLES c. BONNEY,