The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1901-03-01
ENFORCES THE LAW.
Washington Blessed With an Im.
Gent Chief 81 Police. d
Hard - ss-Csiiea 0eatie.es WIZ
Are Devoted 10 Gambling ssa
IN Essessive 1sasigeses
II Ardent Spirits.

VN to be necessary In some places.
AA In one Of the sovereign states
Of this republic the laws prohibiting
the sale of alcoholic and other
liquor cannot be enforced without
force; hatchets and other implements
being used without discrimination or
consideration of moral laws. Moral
suasion IL out of the question in that
locality.
When officials charged with the ex-
ecution OF the laws violate or seem 10
violate their oatbs Of Office. public
sentiment often takes the place Of
law and order. This accounts for the
resort OF untbinking people TO lynch
law. which means the violation of all
law. Fortunately for the reputation
OF the national capital the officials
here are men Of the highest order Of
integrity and they usually enforce
the laws to the best Of their ABILITY.
We have an unusually efficient chief
OF police.
Maj. Richard Sylvester was for al
most 20 years the Washington eorre-
spondcnt OF several western newspa-
pcrs. while he acted ut the same time
rs chief clerk OF police headquarters.
In his newspaper work he became
well acquainted with the congress-
mnn from the Eighteenth congress.
sionnl district OF Ohio. n william
Mckinley Jr., and when that con-
gresham became president of u re-
public he remembered Sylvester and
appointed him chief OF police OF the
District Of Columbia; and he made no
mistake. In making that appoint
ment he selected the man OF NIL men
who knew most, practically, about
the work Of the police department.
and a MAJ Of superior education. ex-
pcricncc and probity Of character.
The chairman Of the inaugural COM
mittee has made Maj. Sylvester chair
man OF the committee On public order
during the inaugural ceremonies; and
everybody here approves the selection
a. a wise one. Our chief OF police has
public order during that important GER
emonial, and when the time comes his
additional special policemen will be
thoroughly drilled and Instructed con.
corning the duties which they must
vigorously perform; and also concern
Ing the limitations OF the authority In
trusted 10 them.
The limitations OF police power can
not be too well defined for such m oc-
casion. The writer has In vivid mem
DRY an occurrence during the Inaugural.
tion Of President Harrison March 4.
1889. when a domincering mounted po-
liccmnn, instead OF forcing back the
crowd at u corner actually drove his
horse into n crowd. trampling citizens
down and seriously injuring one OF
the state officials OF Wisconsin. who
was u~navoidably In the crowd because
OF the loss OF NJ horse by n runaway
before the procession started.
But. before preparing for the presi.
Dental Inauguration, Maj. Sylvester
has lnaugurated n system OF moral sua.
sion which Il rather intolerable TO gen.
tlemen In the realm OF society who are
devoted 10 gambling and excessive In
diligence In drinking ardent spirits. He
has decided 10 make gambling prnc-
tically impossible during Inauguration
week by employing additional detec.
ti'es, who will carefully watch for
crooks Of all sorts; and oil suspected
gambling places will be closely
watched.
Moreover, our chief OF police has
decided upon n permanent enforce
ment OF the law against the sale and
use Of liauor after the midnight hour.