Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-06-05
a BAD MoHEMENT.

We have no objections to the proper
officers prosecuting every violation Of
any and every law on our statute books
We repeat now for the hundredth time.
that every violation of law should be
vigorously and lmpartially prosecuted
But we are opposed to the scheme of
the republicans and prohibitionists in
their united efforts to make political
capital against the democrats. When
we had democratic county attorney.
who did ten times as much to enforce
the law as has been done by his repub-
lican-prohibition successors, there was
continual complaint against him and
his party charging that he did not want
to enforce the law. The whole machln-
cry of the law is now in the hands of
the neutrality-suspicious., and what
have they done A? Nothing. And now
they are crying for help to do nothing.
This combination would fight any
man, no matter how competent he had
proven to be, if he called himself dem
ocrat. They would laud and support
any man calling himself a republican.
no matter how incompetent.
The present incumbent is rank re-
publican and prohibitionist. A few
months ago the air was full of praise of
his honesty, energy, and especially of
his ability. He was elected; now let
him enforce the law! Let him do it
single-handed and alone, and thereby
redeem some pledges made by his sup
pOrters. Let him prove that repub-
lican, because he is republican, is a
better man than a democrat, because
he is democrat.
We believe the attorney is competent
to enforce the law if it is not done he
and his party do not want 1t done. Let
them shoulder the blame.
We are opposed to the effort that is
being made to have the attorney gene
raj appoint an assistant, or deputy. from
some other town and county, to come
here and NEEDLE in our local affairs.
We do not want it heralded oyer the
country that Medicine Lodge is such a
wicked place that it is necessary to send
special prosecutors here to look after
the transgressions of our people.
We do not want Unpublished that this
city is beyond the control Of the peoples
duly elected officers. whose duty it is to
see that the laws are enforced.
We do not want it reported abroad
that this city has no lawyer of honesty
and ability enough to be trusted with
the prosecution of a law case. 1t might
hurt the chances of some of our candi-
dates for honorable positions.
In this time of peace, prosperity and
plenty, when we are just getting on our
feet after three hard years of adversely,
we are sorry that there are those in our
midst who insist on advertising to the
world that this town is modern hades
on earth.
Prohibitionists have two representa-
tives in two important oflices-county
attorney and city attorney. These gen
tlemen have frequently, in public and
in private, expressed themselves as sat
isfed with the workings of that law,
and these officials have it in their power
to investigate every rumor, even, of
violations of the prohibitory law in this
city. If they fail or refuse to do their
duty, there is plain remedy they can
be removed from office. Then why not
force these officials to do their duty, be-
fore asking for outside assistance to
regulate our local affairs.
To ask for the appointment of man
to do the work of the county attorney
is equivalent to asking the attorney to
resign.
1t will be bad mistake to attempt
to get foreign attorney here to prose-
cute the violators of any law, and those
persons who are now so prominent in
endeayOring to do so, will find out that
the Taxpayers of this county win not
sanction their course.