The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-04-03
TOO LITTLE RESPECT FOR LAW.


Governor Joseph w. Folk of Mis-
souri,. is not an orator He employs
no artlfce for color and never strives
latter effect ilul he Is an earnest
thinker and, therefore never makes
IA speech in which he does not say
omething worth considering The
speech which he has just delivered in
New York is no exception.
In the course of his remarks he
made the following noteworthy utter
ance
The M ssouri idea means the en-
forcement Of the law, and that if the
law be bad the remedy is to repeal
mot to ignore it. There is entirely too
little respect for law in America. In
every state We find a nullity for pol
icys sake. Such a thing is unknown
in any other land Disregard of one
law breeds disrespect for all. In al
lowing some laws to go unenforced
we reap the harvest in having all laws
broken The law may not be ones
liking, but the answer it is law
should be sufficient for the law-abid
ing Good men viii observe even bad
laws, but bad men win break good
laws It should be that all men good
and bad. be compelled 10 keep all
laws, good and bad, because 1t is the
law"
Thus suceinetly yet comprehensive
~, Governor Folk discusses the great. /
est problem which now confronts the
American people-the enforcement Of
law.
This problem originated in the
passage of a multiplicity of laws
which were unwise and unsupported
by public opinion
In the beginning Of our nat 'onal life |
the idea that the least governed are !
the best governed was strong with |
the people The tart was clean and |
There was no flood Of /
b rs in the various legislative assem- !
blies. Every citizen took a vital in /
terost in government, legislative de /
mands came from the great body Of
the people ana the laws placed upon
the statute books represented the pop
Mar viii
The great problem in those days
was law making. not law enforcement
But with the fight Of time dead let
Ter laws have accumulated upon the
tatute books. men sworn to enforce
al the laws have learned to draw a
distinction and decide for themselves
what is good law and what is bad I
law.
Different people hold different opin-
ions as TO the relative merits of DIFF.
lnront laws. and az the present time it
IS too often The case that respectable
,itizens IL Cot hes tate 70 publicly
contend TINT certain laws should not
le enforced, and frequently these con
entions, are inspired by personal con
alterations and special interests.
No man wants that law enforced
which applies to him. and one mar
las as much right TO say which law
ihoGid or should not be enforced as
mother
Il is easily to thus analyze the con.
litions and locate the responsibility
or the fact that there is entirely too
little respect for law"
Governor Folk truly says that if the
aw be bad the remedy is TO repeal.
lot to ignore it, for the reason that IN
blowing some laws 10 go unenforced
We reap the harvest Of having all
avs broken
The law must be respected and mp.
leld for the laws AXE.
WE need executives to enforce the
aw because it is the law without ref.
renee TO popular sentiment.
We need Lawmakers to reflect only
he will of the people in the passage
If laws.
But these things can never be real
zed so long as the people neglect the
BUSINESS Of government.-Me Memphis
Iews-Scimitar.