Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-11-24
ITS OBJECT AND PURPOSE.

Commencing Active Operations as a |
Fully Organized SOcietE-The Soci- |
etS's Work and objects as Omeially |
Stated.
The Citizens Law and Order League of
Connecticut, which was fully organized
last summer, is now in active operation,
and it's officers report that it is doing very
effective work. The executive officer, s.
P. Thrasher of this city, who is the score
tary and general manager, has put the 60
ciety in communication with every town
in the state and thorough work is intended
by the society in the line of it's operations.
Permanent headquarters have been opened
at 102 Orange street. this city. A state
ment of the purpose of and need for such
league has just been officially published,
which will be issued to the public next
week in pamphlet form, and it is as fol-
lows:
ORIGIN OF THE STATE LEAGUE.
In 1891, Rev. Clarence Greeley, then
pastor of church in Mt. Carmel* in the
town of Hamden, had 1t called to his atten-
ton that for years there had existed in
corner of the town of Hamden lying ad-
jacent to New Haven, certain brotheIs
which all previous efforts had failed to
root out By newspaper agitation, by
series of sermons, by hard political fight,
Mr.. Greeley and his supporters finally sue
ceeded in uprooting the evil.
In the course of the struggle one thing
had been made plain, namely, that local
S m no NV 81 81 Io &nI
upon in such fight. Recognizing that
many suoh battles should be fought in
Connecticut, Mr.. Greeley concluded that
the best plan for securing the aid and
couragement needed in such cases would
be to organize the law and order sentiment
which certainly exists in our state, but
which is not able to thoroughly express
itself through lack of organization. Out
ct this need and this hope has come the
Clt1zens' Law and Order league of Con-
necticut.
Discussion, and some informal meetings
| of those interested, led to a public meet
ing in June, 1899, when constitution was
adopted and temporary officers elected.
| The first annual meeting was held in New
| Haven on September 90, 1892, when it was
found that the league had members in
slxty-three towns in the state, and the
work was rapidly spreading. It was voted
1 v,
open permanent headquarters, and go for
ward in the work.
Our purpose is to invite all who will to
join the league and help sustain the laws
of our state restricting the liquor traffic,
prohibiting gambling and forbidding de-
bauchery. We appeal to the public senti-
ment OF morally strong towns to support
true sentiment in morally weak ones We
engage to furnish, wherever needed, men
thoroughly competent to handle such evil
| dence in court, and to watch cases through
courts of appeal. And in this work we
ask the moral and financial aid of all good
citizens.
NECESSITY OF LAW AND ORDER LEAGUES
The administration of criminal justice
in our Connecticut towns falls between
two stools.
Take a recent example of this. The
newly indicted executive of one of our
cities, promptly responding to suggestions
from the Law and Order league of the
place, took such energetic and effective
measures against the worst pests of the
community as drew forth the universal ap-
plause of good citizens and prompted in
vidious comparisons with former admins
trations which had done nothing to the
purpose. With one accord the inculpated
former officers protested against the COM
parison, saying: 1--WE did not have any
Law and Order league to back US up; the
new officers would not have done any bet
ter than we did, but for the league"
Whatever the validity of the excuse, it
illustrates fact. The citizens elect off
GERS to execute the laws, and depend on
them to do their duty. In multitudes of
cases the officers 30 chosen wait for the
citizens to move, saying: "What can we
do unless sustained by public opiniona"
There are two public opinions: First,
there is the real opinion of the public gen
orally, which in the main, and in the long
run, demands and sustains the enforce
ment of the laws. The second is the
opinion of the vicious interests of the COM
munity, which are solid, each for itself, in
| defeating the execution Of law, and COM
monty stand by each other in common Of
Tense and defense. It is always organized,
, always ready to exercise "pressure" OF
"pull:" The real public opinion is not
usually organized to resist the steady, per
=, sistent influence of selfish, vicious inter
,, ests. 1t blows itself off in outbursts OF
occasional indignation, but nothing more
To consolidate, organize and direct this
real public sentiment is the function Of
:, the Law and Order league.
SOME OF oURADvERsAR1Bs
Z l. Unlawful Liquor Selling. Under
''local option" we have in Connecticut two
), grades of stringency in the liquor laws
q But even under the less rigorous rule Their,
e are salutary restrictions which are habitu
ally, openly and impudently violated*.
t 2. Houses of ill-fame. This state leagu
began from crusade against such estab
= lishments by one resolute citizen, the Rev
Clarence Greeley, in the town of Hamden
, This enormous evil prevails to an extern
unsupported by many, and is by no mean
e confined to cities
' Closely allied with the brothel interest
: is the publication and circulation of
! 3. Obscene and criminal literature. Thi
secretly infests schools and families, blu
Q sometimes is pushed with little disguise
3 1t takes diligent work to root it out.
4, Gambling. Various forms of betting pool
, selling. lottery, policy, and bucket shops; ar,
! 5 Violation of Sunday laws All the v1ciou
, interests mbine to do their utm- st to turn thu
bauchery. For lack of vigilance on the pa t, no
only Of officers, but also of citizens, the creates
blessing Of 2 Christian community is in way t.
i | g. Bribery at elections The extent to which
this crime ;Ei poisoning the very fountain head o.
civil hfe is systematically practised in Cnnnecti
cut, has been known to few until the articles Of
| Professor Nc Cook Of Trinity college appeared il
The Forum for September aad October, 1899, Nc
subject more imperatively demands the vigilance
of good citizens that this.
Apart from the enormity of these crimes theil
, presence In the community means that many
lives are daily trained to violate the law we
cannot afford to let men grow into habitual vic
| latorS of law.
HOW TO ORGANIZE.
The organization Of good citizens to resist the
, organized forces Of wickedness in any commune
ty must begin with one man; it does not SO much
. matter who the first man is, if only the second
man, whom he takes into consultation, is the
right mana man of righteousness, not incapa
BILE of indignation against wrong. a man of sound
judgment and solid courage. When these two
men begin to talk together organization has be-
gun.
For further consultation, let the first two add
to their number few, a very few, picked men
| hke-minded with themselves 1t is not at first
SO important to get all the good men, as to leave
! out all the unsuitable-the tim'd and the indis
| Greet. 1t is easier to add new members than to
drop old ones. Do not make the working part
of your league too large but let it be made up of
men who command general confidence, and who
| will Actually attend business machines Than