The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-19
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
Made at the Law Enforcement Meet
ing Last Night.


The report of the temperance com
mittee of fifteen read at last nights
meeting was as follows:
To the Citizens of the City of Topeka:
our committee of fifteen on the en-
forcement of law, consisting of Sena-
tor w. A. PETER, Samuel T. Howe. Joab
Mulvane, D. c. Tillotson, F. M StahI,
Chas. F. Spencer, NJ. T. Campbell Will
liam NJ. Welcome, w. r. Hazen F. H
Foster, @. S. Elliott, F. NJ NewIand. S.
). OFT, L. A. Stebbins and H G. J4ari-
mer appointed by James A. Troutman
pursuant to authority vested him by
the mass meeting of citizens held at
Hamilton hall Friday evening Nav z
beg leave to make the following re-
port:
Your committee has been in session
almost daily since it's appointment: its
efforts thus far have been chiefly di-
rected to ascertaining the attitude of
the officers of the law towards its en-
fOrcement.
The county attorney has been inter-
viewed by your committee. He main
talnS that it is no part of his duty as
county attorney to swear to complaints
where reliable information is furnished
him of violations of the law. In this
your committee is unanimously of the
opinion that the county attorney is
wrong, and q. further investigation of
the law but confirms the position taken
by the mass meeting of citizens held
in this place on the 18th instant on this
subject. Aside from this question
however, the county attorney has ex-
pressed a Willingness to do all in his
power to enforce the law, and to CO.
operate with your committee for this
purpose, and it is the unanimous opin-
ion of the committee that such tenders
of cooperation should be uncondition-
ally accepted by your committee not
WithStanding the difference of opinion
heretofore stated; and that your com
mittee, together with all good citizens
of our city, should do all in their power
to assist the county attorney and other
officers in the enforcement of the law
and furnish them the moral support of
a united. healthy public opinion.
Your committee has had a long in
terview with the police commissioners
They have all expressed to your COM
mittee Willingness to do all in their
power to enforce the law, and they have
expressed a desire for the active and
continued cooperation and assistance
of your committee to this end, and it
is the unanimous opinion of the COM
mittee that such tender of cooperation
should be accepted. But we learn from
the police commissioners that they are
also inclined to take the same position
that Mr.. Jetmore, our county attorney,
takes, as to the duty of officers in
swearing out complaints. We deem this
position taken by the county attorney
and the police department the most
serious obstacle that we have to con-
tend with, and as we said before, we
deem this position entirely wrong. 1t
is especially unfortunate that our pO-
lice force. whose especial duty it is to
be vigilant in protecting the public
from law-breakerS, who are paid for
that work and that only, should take
this unsound position.
After a careful review of the entire
situation, your committee is, however,
unqualifedly of the opinion that the
law relative to the sale of Intoxicating
liquors can be enforced in the city of
Topeka, as well as the other criminal
laws of the state are enforced, and if
the citizens of Topeka who are in favor
of such enforcement will support the
efforts of the committee by an active
public sentiment and a reasonable sup
ply of money, your committee will un-
dertake to see that such practical sup
port is given to the officers of the law
as will insure it's thorough enforce
ment. This, however, is not to be done
without money to pay necessary and
legitimate expenses, and we now appeal
to the citizens of Topeka for generous
contributions for this purpose. Re
spectfully submitted,
F. NJ STAHL, Chairman
T, A STERRTNS Secretary.