Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-07-20
3 GOVERNORS TALK.
Hoch Of Kansas and Folk Of MIS-
souri, Speak at Ottawa, Kan.
THEIR THEME Law ENFORCEMENT.
one Executive Has RECORD Nc
hind His Remarks, the Other
a Splendid Chance to
Make One.

ottawa Kan, July. 16.-"There IL
nothing in the specious argument tnat
local sentiment regulates the enforce
ment of the law" said Gov. Hocn On
the ottawa Chautauqua assembly pla1
form Friday afternoon, In introducing
Gov Folk, Of Missouri. Gov hocn
made spirited speech on law eniolce-
ment and the supremacy Of the law
~ understand" said Gov. Hocn,
"that you have had some cigaie..s
philosophy from this platform. anlS
reference to the speech OF william
Travers Jerome, of New York, was not
Al hv the audience. "Mr. jerome,
said Gov Hoch, may represent tne
spirit of the state to which he Is amen
able hut he cannot proclaim his nm
derlng cynical doctrines Of government
and law enforcement in the west win.
out drawing protest from Kansas ana
Missouri. The way to treat all laws
,s to enforce them. II they deserve
repeal. the enforcement Will develop
that fact" The sentiment developer
hearty applause. l..
Gov. Hoch Spoke as follows IN III
PRODUCING Gov. Folk:
"If there is one need in this country
greater than any other 1t is not tne
need of more laws. 1t is revival OF
resnect for the laws we already have
n laws are unwise they should be
amended or repealed, but while they
are laws they should be obeyed and en-
forced. The best way to prove that a
law is bad is to enforce 1t, said Grant.
When any question of governmental
concern is up for original discussion
II is the privilege of every citizen 10
.o,,o AID 20 nvrre.s freely and with
out restraint, his opinion upon the
'.aect. las MLen the matter. mas
been crystallized into law 1t passes out
of the domain of discussion. 1t Is no
longer a legitimate subject for contro-
versy. There is then but one duty
of the officer and that is to ENFORCE
| the law, anu UuI OhC uuNJ ~
lien, and that is to obey 1t.
Referring to the announcement tna'
he had come to answer Jerome's speecL
Of last Thursday, Gov. Folk said; y
have not come to answer anybody.
have come to do by part toward assist
ing you in promoting better regar'
for the law and the reign OF civil
Righteousness. 49,
"The patriotism of peace" said Gov
Folk. as more important than that o
war. for history shows that where ON
government has been destroyed by ex
ternal attack, corruption has under
: mined a score. The nation needs Few
ar men who are In office for reVenu
; only. II an officer refuses to prostitute
his ONCE, he is Immediately put unde
the ban Of the lawless element, Tn
strength Of the lawless is great, ou
. it is nothing to the strength OF a
aroused public conscience. st. LOU
and Philadelphia offer proofs Of TIL
fact. There is not community u
the whole country where the law-aDio
: ing people are not in the majorit!
The lawless care for nothing but pol
4 Itics. Teach them that lawlessness
had politics, and you have solved tn
:. whole problem of law enforcement
From the mere standpoint OF Sc
:. fish politics 1t is better to serve u
law abiding than the lawless. II
y lawless Of every community alwaJ
combine against the foe, but the goo
people too often follow the party bal
ner. Just in proportion as you disr'
j, gard the laws, you weaken the govern
ment."