The herald., 1895-09-26
THE AUXILIARY TO THE POLICE CO1-
MISSION

Yesterdays issue of the Herald con-
tanned a copy OF set OF resolutions
adopted at recent meeting of the Los
Angeles county branch of the California
Stats Protective Association, an organi-
cation of liquor dealers, re lative to the
regulation of the local saloon traffic and
the enforcement of certain city ordi-
nanoes..
In these resolutions the association de-
clares its willingness to assist the police
commissioners of this city in the consid
Grafton Of applications for saloon licenses.
and it is pretty plainly intimatsd that
the association Is prepared and anxious
to assume functions that properly belong
TO the police commission. The assertion,
apparently we'll founded, has gained cur
rencythat the official body has accepted
the assistance rendered by the unofficial
body, and that hereafter licenses to con-
duct saloons will be granted by the for
mer when the latter has affixed the seal
of approval to the petitions.
We hope the police conmi ssioners have
done nothing OF the kind, or if they have
that they will proceed Immediately to I'M
do the act.
TIC CONF ssicn va. endowed by the
people with certain functions, and the
delegation OF those functions to any pri-
vate organization, whether it be of cler-
gymen or liquor dealers. was never con-
tenn plated by the people and will GER
tainly not meet their approval.
The principle Of farming out the powers
of municipal government to any indi-
vidual, or aggregation of individuals act
ing in a private capacity, is one that can
never DO tolerated. The people must
govern through the officials provided for
by law, and not through associations
unknown to the law.
That the liquor dealers association is
animated by good impulses is probably
true. We have no evidence that would
justify any one in impugning its motives.
Its expression in favor OF the rigid and
impartial enforcement of the law and its
soIicltude for the reputation OF the men
engaged in the business it represents are
commemorate in every way, and should
serve to disabuse the minds of those peo-
pie who believe that liquor men as
class ale habitdal law breakers ana gem
orally Indifferent to the essentials of re-
spectabilty. 1t will help to neutIalizs
the effects of the erroneous idea promul.
gated by the tanatical and the unin-
formed that saloon men have a monopoly
of badness and prohi bitionists patent
right to goodness.
Whatever assistance the association can
render in the maintenance of law and
order SHOULD be welcomed by the city's
officers and appreciated by the public.
To assist thus is legitimate. TO exercise
halor ~ In a ri m mt Of
municipality is not legitimate, but is
usurpation.
To guard against the establishment of
disreputable saloons the liquor men have
the same recourse as other people. They
can appear before the police commission in
an individual or organized capacity, and be
entitled to as considerate a hearing as
the ministers of the churches. We hope
Tor their own sake and in the interests of
local decency that they will always pro-
test against the granting of licenses to
dsre utah lie resorts.
In order to prevent the encroachments
of undesirable establishments it is not
necessary for the department of the po-
lice to form alliances with private organ
izations of interested parties.
1t is obvious to the most superficial
that no matter how honorable the inten-
tons of the present management of the
association. the authority granted to de-
eide who should and who should not
conduct saloons in this city would lead
to most sham eful abuses in time. There
would develop power that would per-
meate the entire field of municipal poll
tics, and the very ends now in view
IA / III -
the right psople to secure control of an
association welding such extraordinary
and unusual authority.
The government should govern.
Public powers should be vested only in
public departments.
SHAMEFUL SECTIONALISn