The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-23
INSTRUCT THE CHIEF TO ENFORCE
THE LAW.

We arc i'm hearty sympathy with the
action Of the Committee on Ordinances
IN striking out Of the proposed code the
provisiaa for paying an iniormer VINO
will report a barkeeper for selling liquor
on Sunday. a spy is the most detesiaDie
OF all human beings, but a spy that is
paid money for his trcachery is tho most
loaihsome OH ect 10 be found. No hon
oratlc man would accept money as the
reward OF securing the conviction of Il
barkeeper for selling liquor on Sunday.
II he reported one II would be from a
high sense Of public duty. and he would
not allow his motives to come under the
suspicion that would necessarily attach TO
them If he accepted money compersa-
ton for his act The only persons. then,
who would accept money would be those
loathsome creatures who play the part
OF SPY for reward The provision ought
10 have been stricken out.
But we were very much surprised at
a part of the developments made at the
session OF the committee on Thursday
night. one of the police commissioners
testified that the Board of Police Com
missioners passed a resolution at one
time which required the police TO report
the names OF all persons seen by them
going into or coming out Of bar-rooms
on Sunday. but that the Board had sub
soquontly rescinded this resolution. The
reason given for resembling II would have
been one totally insufficient If the resolu-
ton itself had been a material one The
commissioner said that the families of
many barkeepers lived in the houses
where their bars were kept. and their
resolution would have compelled the po-
lice TO report members of their families
seen going in and coming out of those
buildings. But the police can easily dis
tinguish between members of a barkeep-
crs family and persons resOrting to the
bar for refreshments. The Inconvenience
could have been easily met by modifying
the resolution so as TO require the police
TO report those only seen going in or
coming out whom they had reason to
believe were seeking liquor.
But the resolution of the Police Board
was a matter of no moment The law
of the land requires "a policeman to re-
port the name of a person whom he has
reason to believe is ccSnizant of breach
Of the Sunday law by barkeeper. His
duty in the premises does not have any
relation whatever TO what the Police
Board may or may not resolve that he
shall do. The law makes 1t his duty TO
report every violation of the Sunday law
that comes under his knowledge and TO
report also the name of every person as
"a witIcss whom he believes able TO give
evidence that will prove the crime. We
mention this fact because II is to be
inferred from what the Chief of Police
said before the committee. that he UNI
derstood his duties to depend upon the
resolution of the Board OF Police Com
missioners. But his duties in the mat
ter are fixed by the law ana not by the
board. and he should make inquiries of the
proper authorities concerning the matter
II he is not satisfied about his powers
and duties.
Committeeman Snead made a very as
tonishing statement in the course of the
proceedings Thursday evening. He said
that one of the Board Of Police Commits
sioners told him some time ago that
himself and two other members of the
board were the only ones wiling to see
the Sunday laws enforced. This is
matter that cannot be dropped here.
There ought 10 he the fullest investiga-
ton OF IL. II there are men upon the
Police Board who are opposed 10 having
the laws Of this land enforced, their
names should be ascertained and they
should be asked by the Council TO re-
siln. and. N they viii not do IL they
should never be reelected. This mat
Ter should be probed TO the bottom. We
can expect nothing but corruption and
confusion II the authorities of the land
wink at violations Of the law.
Finally. both MesSrs Snead and Blake
said what Is In the hearts of all good
and law-abidng citizens when they de-
olared that the Police Commissioners
should instruct the Chief Of Police TO
enforce the law as far as he IS able 20
do 80. and that they should remove every
ossible restriction uIon his enforcing it.
The overwhelming majority OF Rich
mond's citizens are law-abiding. and they
want TO see their laws respected and
obcysl. whether good laws or tad laws
II the laws are bad they will so TO the
law-making power and ask to have them
changed But while they remain the law
they den and that submission shall be
yielded TO them.
----------------