The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-07
TIE NON ENFORCEMENT OF
LAW

laws of the various States. Legisls-
ton, at least in civilized communities,
is progressive. The necessities of the
day are generally met by enactments
sufficient to cover the case and prevent
the trouble. The legislator is an ex-
tensively criticized man, but if the va
rious State codes are consulted it will
generally be found that statutes keep
pace with crimes, and are comprehen-
sive enough to control abuses. But if
Questionable features exist in COM
munity, and no attempt, seemingly,
by the custodians of tho peace to pre-
vent or correct them, naturally the
general public becomes indignant, and
a constantly growing sentiment results
in the demand for elaborate reforms.
The character of the remedy in these
cases is too often mistaken. 1t Is not
the absence of law, or the inadequa-
cy of the statute that is subject to critl-
cism, but the negligence or favoritism
of executive officers. Such statutes as
wehave are not enforced, and to the
mass the impression is that laws to
meet the abuse complained Of are not
in existence. A law that is net enforced
Is dead letter. The community is
as unprotected as if the Legislative
body had not acted in the premises. 1t
Is natural, therefore, under such cir
cumstances, that public opinion
should loudly express itself and de
mand reforms.
Illustrations are many, of the
truth and correctness Of these ref &c
tions. For instance take the matter OF
rape. Three out of every five raYish.
era are lynched in response to the
most violent form of reform. Why?
Because "the laws delay" the uncer.
tainties of conviction or punishment
the reinforcement Of the very Sc
we're statutes against this oiiense, fre.
quently turn loose dastardly crimi
mails, "unwhipped of justice" A rig,
orous public indignation rebels At
such cruel impositious upon female
honor. Then again in tho matter OF
whisky drinking, the reform senti
ment declares for prohibition. Why
Because minors are sold liquors, led
into incompetence and crime, aud
young mon stagger through the sJreets
in drunken condition and become
degraded in the most shameless man.
rer. In the statutes of this State, in
the face of these abuses and justly con
demned occurrences, are ample pro
visions for enforcing better order OF
things. TO sell liquor to minors is
punishable by fine and Imprisonment,
and to offer drink in public is
also an Oiiense punishable by
fine and imprisonment. If the youth
were not corrupted, if young and
promising men were not allowed to
get drunk, the evil Of whisky-drinking
would be largely, If not entirely, re.
moved. How can these things DO &C.
complished? Simply by a rigid and
impartial enforcement of tho laws we
now have. Put the bar keeper in
prison who sells to a minor or VIC
lates the liquor laws, and take the
fashionably dressed young society man
and imprison him for public drunken
ness as quickly as the poor, ragged
tramp is seized. Enforce the laws and
there will DO no drunkenness to speak
o.. Take again tho matter OF assess
ments, to which reference was made In
these columns the oth0r day. The
State is annually defrauded out oI
/ hundreds of thousands of dollars 10y
the non enforcement of law, tho inefli-
cioncy, Partially or dishones sly oil
assessors. Indeed, it may DO unhesi.
taingly affirmed that in no State Of
the American Union Is there an ofIonsC
against good order and public decency
for which there is not in the code an
adequate penalty which, if strictly
and at all times enforced, would
not iurniah tho most exacting moralis
tho reform he demands,
Where then does the fault lie? Evi
dently not in q psuoity or insuficiency
of laws, but in negligence, often Grim
iual, certainly inexcusable and repro
hensible, in the executive officers of ,
state, the police, sheriils, constablet
and prosecuting officers. They are tn,
men to be held responsible for abuse,
OF law; also the iurios, which too offer
allow prejudice to cloud their sense
OF justice and vigorous administers
ton Of statutory law. Fiji
the executive Offices an,
the jury boxes with intelli
gent and conscientious mon Away
and the loud demands Tor reform will
grow feeble. Rather than petitions II
law making power, let there DO a pres
sure everywhere upon the lsw.on
forcing power and the improvement
will be at once most marked and en-
tirely satisfactory. Gambling has a
last been driven from most of on
Texas cities by simple enforcement
of tho law as it stands. So can drunk
onness-so can other evils. Whel
comprehensive statutes are embodied
in our codes, and yet crime and disor
der run rampant, the fact in ninety
nine cases out Of every hundred ma,
be charged to the ineflicienoy, partial
ity or cowardlce of those whose duty /
Is TO enforce the law.
--~t--o
OUR national hero's name and fam
are not without their proper recogni