Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1897-09-03
Town and County officials Seem
TO be Held Accountable for
the Enforcement Of Tenn
perance Laws.

rooms in the courthouse and the CITY
hall, and at once began operations
against the illegal selling of liquor in
the county. Mr.. Conroy insisted that
the board had succeeded in gaining
evidence against several persons in
the county. but that the county attor-,
ney had failed to take any action in
the matter. Commissioners Epan
wauted the matter left in the hands of
the town supervisors. He thought
they had better facilities for ascertain-
ing what they wanted, and they could
bring their evidence before the county
attorney. The money secured from
the fines and licenses went into the
school fund and they would get their
pay that Minneapolis Tribune,
Aug. 10th.
On Aug, 10th two hundred persons
waited on Mayor Muir, of Harper.
Kan, and demanded his immediate,
resignation because he refused to close
Il saloon that had opened on Sunday
night. a revolution of the city gov
ernment is threatened Signal.
These cases together with the clause
in the prohibition law relating to town
and county officials, may disabuse the
minds of many people. of the idea that
the w. c. I. u is the only body that
is accountable for the enforcement of
the law. If the officials who are elect
ed and paid by the people to perform
this work, with the added prestige of
being voters and having helped to
make the laws-fail to accomplish its
enforcement mot always taeir fault,
for no small obstacles stand in the
way of its enforcement; it is hedged
about with difficulties which requires
nerve to surmount but if they often
fail in their duty, why, in the name of
justice, should Il company of women
be berated for not doing tn sir work
for them, simply because they have
entered ah organized protest against
intemperance, and are engaged in
educating themselves on temperance
lines, and in awakening and creating
public sentiment on the subject?
| Doesn't IL look rather queer for q
company Of ablc-bodied and sound
minded men, whose place it is to ex-
ecute the law, by virtue of their legal
and divine responsibility, say, ''why
don't the women shut up these blind
pigs?" Not only are men in legal
office directly responsible for the laws
enforcement, but every citizen OF what
ever business or occupation).
Now only fancy these protectors Of
home, society and country taking their
ease while the gentle home-maker is
out chasing pigs trying to get them
into q place where they can't uproot
and pollute by their filthy presence.
it's an ugly task, pigs are stubborn
and hard to manage. They recognize
no law that they are bound to obey.
They have no sense Of the beautiful;
they will as ruthlcssly uproot The
choicest flowers as the dirty heap of
rubbish. Their choice is to wallow
in filth. Their only quest is to grati-
fy self, mercilessly overturning any
thing that comes in their way, with
contemptous grunts for what it may
cost others, and true to their coward
ly nature when they are caught they
piteously squeal. This is the animal,
in the moral sphere. which the gentle
guardian of the home with her un-
, equal physical and legal strength is
expected to catch and control. Really
now, brothers, this is not worthy Of
you; has your sense of chivalry SO
deserted you as to render you un,nan-
ly?2
The w. C. 7. U. will take share Of
the responsibility Though in the eyes
of the law it hasn't any and it will
not shirk the share of censure that
falls to its lot. for it is not endowed
with infallibility; but it must OCCASION
ally protest against being made the
object-by friends and foe-upon
which to heap reproaches and criticism
for the combined errors and failures
in duty of every legal citizen. If peo-
pie whose temperance principles are
strong enough to desire to see the law
enforced, and feel that the W. c. T.
U. is the proper body to do it, would
do the humane act of joining hands
with it, they would create force that
no blind-pigs and law breakers could
withstand. May they think on these
things and see upon which side Justice
falls. Every man and woma1 who be-
lieves in abolishing the liquor traffic
should unite their influence in one
body against it. The question is, why
don't they? When their convictions
are as strong as their assertions, they
will. A w. C. T. U.