Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-09-23
LAW AND ORDER.
Another Letter From Judge J. NJ.
Thomson.
FoRr worm. Tx, Sept. 2, issI.


To the Editor OF the Gazette:
MIR. EDITOR: When wrote a short,
hasty article few days ago 1 was IN
doubt as to your publishing 1t, but you
did so very kindly. Now, since you
and vour correspondents have doubled
your powers against me l feel sure you
will allow me room for an answer.
And since the Issues between US are so
important, not only TO us, but TO socl-
ETY. generally, / will take time TO give
a reason for the faith In me.
The sum Of my SHINING Is that am
one Of the law and order party, and
the one that tackled the practice of
horse racing, baseball playing and
hunting and shooting on Sunday.
i was not unaware that my course
would arouse opposition, nor am l re-
pentant that II has done so, Now |
have pledged myself to fully vindi.
cate the wisdom and justice OF all l
have said.
Let me here say TO Mr.. Granger and
others of your correspondents that
unasked advice Is seldom well re-
ceived. Indeed II has been said that
wise men seldom offer gratuitous adj
vice, OF which, however, fools are often
prolific. There may be occasions
when sarcasm or ridicule would not
be out Of place, but he Is depraved
indeed who assails great moral ques-
lions or vital issues with such weapons.
Amend your ways aud improve your
morals before offering advice.
THE GAZETTE says ''lt Is not opposed
to law and order. II disputes the as
sertion that crime Is rampant in Fort
WORTH IL adds, "THE GAZETTE is
an advocate OF law, order and moral
ity.u Now / am glad of this last as
serticn. IL Is just what THE GAZETTE
and all other public journals ought to
be in favor OF. So | give the young,
vigorous, live aspirant 10 favor the
right hand and bid It God speed. But
THE GAZETTE, / fear we will difier
as to what good morals are. Let us
see. L have tackled gambling, rum
ming saloons, hOrse-racing and
base ball playing, hunting
and shooting on Sunday as in viola
ton of good morals ami the prophecies
of life In good society. THE GAZETTE
has not backed me in my efforts TO re-
form these abuses. Nay, ithas opened
its columns not to Just criticisms, not
10 facts OF arguments, but to silly eflu'
sions from enemies OF good morals In
attempts to ridicule what they cannot
meet by arguments. Even its edito-
rails breathed spirit of unfriendli
ness toward the right. From such
facts conclude that TUE GAZETTE's
code of morals Is not very orthodox
And hence / must go to the trouble o.
suggesting To IL an idea or two, In th'
hope of improving its code. But frs
as TO the law and order organization.
In my last asked attention to the
records of our criminal courts, TO the
notorious fact that gambling dens anC
| whisky saloons are being run here II
violation of law with apparent impu
nifty and that IL has found almost i'm
possible TO convict, In the city court
in cases where the law Is plaiI
and the proof full, Rs evidence of the
fact that vice and crime are 80 ram
pant In the city as to call upon al
good citizens to lend their moral nj,
ut least to the correction of the evil
that have brought abOu
such n state of things
THE GAZETTE denies that crime
rampant here, but refers TO no fact
makes no argument TO sustain 1t.
ignores the vital assertion that tn
law has been defied by its violatoI
and that crime Is openly and constant
ly repeated in the public view. II
correspondents, having neither taC
nor argument, try the force Of saroasr
c aud ridicule, each of which Is rs in
T potent of effect as their authors al
destitute of good morals. Now II TIL
GAZETTE were sound on morals Snt
noticing the law violations) 1t migl
= see in the wrongs and abuses hay
!, named abundant occasion for ventila
< ing its views on moral topics.
!. Mr.. Editor, the most alarming fei
= ture of this whole business Is the fa
/ that public journals, the formers ar
i leaders of public opinion, quail befo
the positive influences of the viciou
: and the wicked men who are oppose
to virtue and morality haste into u
:. papers to oppose any effort at reform
n Ing the fearful state of things
4 which we are surrounded and curse
Mr.. Editor, are not all our laws, co
e situations and institutions essen tial
+ founded on virtue and moraltt
Upon what can they depend for pre-
= perlty except on the Writ
and intelligence of the peopl
: There IL no interest of man, none
~ society, none of church or state !
c. what is endangered by the prevalen
of vice and crime. immortality is
: the prelude to vice and crime, as mt
crate drinking Is TO drunkenness. Go
No men all over this country are alarm
" to-day for our institutions and govel
~ ment because of the great minors
ties, vices and crimes that are pre-
lent, even in high places In the g
- eminent. Any one is less than mi
~ u good citizen or patriot, II he v
% % not raise his voice and warn the l
thinking OF the dangers Of the times
= j, M. THOMSON