The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1894-06-14
The Militia and the Peace.

In the United States, outside the
cities, the executive government
consists chiefly of the sheriff. He
is not expected to prevent isolated
acts of crime, but it is his duty to
see that there is no general disturb
ance of the peace. Un less he is
incompetent there can be no such
disturbances in any case where the
majority of the people are law
abiding.
In cases where the majority are
moi law abiding, the sheriff will
not receive the LOCAL support which
the law supposes will be given HIM
in every law w-abiding community. In
such an event i. is the duty to call
On the Governor for help, and un-
less the Governor knows that such
help is not needed it is his duty to
order out the MALTA.
OF late there has been consider
able controversy between certain Of
ficials on what seem to be very plain
points.
The principle Of the civil organi-
zation of every State in the Union is
that the county is not to do for the
township anything the township can
do as well for itself; nor is the State
to do for the county or the Union
for the State what can be as well
done locally.
Unless this theory Of government
is reliable in practice We have no re-
liable government in the United
States, tor it is everywhere the as
sumption that the people of the mi
nor political organizations from the
township upwards are able to take
care of themselves and can take care
of themselves best with the minimum
of outside interference.
If this makes weak government
then government everywhere in the
United States is necessarily a weak
affair, for it is based on this pre-
sumption of local capacity for self
government, and tLis presumption
must be overcome before outside as
sistance In government can be rem
dered.
The incalculable advantage of this
system over all others is that as far
as it proves practicable it allows
millions of people to live together,
organizing for efficient cooperation
Industrial and political, with max
imum of helpfulness and minimum
of pernicious, because ignorant, in
reference in each others affairs.
The disadvantage of the system
becomes obvious when a community
shows itself unable to govern itself
and keep peace This disadvantage it
is proposed to overcome by giving to
such "a community the help of every
other community which is still COM
petent for self-government.
Such help cannot be consistently
rendered until the presumption of
competency for self-goverment in
the community for which the help
is demanded has been overcome, 1t
is officially overcome, at least on the
face of things, when the sheriff an
nounces that he is powerless and
call for the militia.
Such call means, if he is telling
the truth, that he has exhausted his
resources: that he has out all law
abiding citizens as his posse, and
that there are not law abiding citi-
zens enough under his jurisdiction to
enable HIM to keep the peace.
Whenever this is true, such
sheriff should promptly have the
help of the state militia. and, if nee
essary of the United States Army.
The success of the entire scheme de-
pends on massing sufficient force to
keep the peace at any point where
incapacity for selfgovernment is
manifested.
Clearly no governor has the right
to refuse help for sheriff who has
exhausted his resources. But what
ought to be done with the sheriff
who without having done anything
at all denounces his county as in
capable of self-governmel't?
These remarks are for the espec-
ial consideration of the sheriff of
our Deighbor, Athens, and we hope
ho c.,r,a 1Irb+ on tho