The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-12-28
Local Option Again.

ion with their own narrow views, who
seek to have il understood that The
NoRTHERNER is in league with the liquor
traffic and opposed to the enforcement
of the local option law.
This paper is not, as we have before
announced, in accord with local option
legislation, but is emphatically con-
cerned about the fair and just enforce
ment of that law in Van Buren, county.
We hold that if the law is not what it
is thought, hoped and intended to be,
its vigorous and proper enforcement
will lead to its speedy repeal; and that,
on the contrary, if it is really useful
and wholesome law, the good accom-
plshed through its means will be its
vindication and amply repay the ex-
pense incurred in compelling that
obedience to its provisions which is due
to the enactments of the legislature of
our state.
We shall never criticise any official
who has the stamina to enforce the
local option law, or indeed any other
law in the spirit and in accordance with
the agencies with which the law of the
land commands that criminal laws and
penal statutes shall be put in operation.
We shall have more occasion, we fear,
to criticise the on-performance OF duty
in consequence of gross official neglec
in that regard, if the record of the past
is to be repeated.
So far, violaters of the local option
law have not in the main been brought
to justice primarily through official
agencies, but because of the no doubt
well meant efforts of extreme partisans
of the law who have taken upon them
selves the performance of duties rightly
devolving upon others, and, by the use
of money spent in the employment of
so-called detectives of doubtful charac-
ter, who, having served their masters
in such manner as to win for them
selves the contempt of all fair and right
thinking men, have seriously imperiled
the eHlclcncy OF the law.
Two of these hirelings have turned
out to be criminals and law breakers,
and there are those of their employers
who, though prime reformers in temper
ance matters, have weak spots in their
armor which they would not care to
have laid bare to public gaze.
To them we recommend prayerful
study of that portion of the scriptures
which runs substantially as follows:
Cast out the beam out of thine own
eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to
cast out the mote out of thy brothers
eye"
1t is notorious that obedience to the
local option law is not being compelled
by peace officers and that, day in and
day out, within stones throw of the
court house of the county, the law is
constantly defied, and a similar state of
affairs is experienced in every village
in the county.
We have sheriff, several deputy
sheritfs, seventy-two township con-
stables, at least ten village marshals,
not to mention village constables, none
of whom have as yet, so far as we know,
made single complaint under the
local option law; and yet our esteemed
contemporary at Decatur vapors about
the people of this county continuing to
nj ~ 1e tbn
to enforce the local option law.
A majority of all the complaints in
this class of cases have been made by
Aaron Van Auken, and substantially
all that our peace officials have SO far
done has been to serve the warrants
issued in these cases and subpoena the
witnesses required in them, for all of
which they have been well paid.
This paper will strive to be an ex-
ponent of the principles of the Republi-
can party, but not the mere organ of
officials, be they of Republican, Demo
crat or Prohibition origin. Officials
are the peoples servants. Some papers
and some men do not recognize that
truth.
We shall cheerfully and promp thy
commend fidelity to duty and stamina
in the discharge of duty, and just as
vigorously denounce dereliction of duty,
and that without regard to the political
creed of the official or officials con-
cerned.
We now demand that our peace
officers bestir themselves to the per.
Torrance of their duty under the local
option law, not by ill-advisedly procur-
ing and instigating the prosecution of
cases for the qualification of extremists,
but solely with the purpose of securing
absolute justice and the rigid enforce
ment of the law.
1t may he contended that offenders
against the local option law cannot be
detected by our local officials. If there
is any force ip the argument, it carries
with it the strongest possible condemna-
t;o,, &c tbo laxu We ouoht not cort a in lv